How to sponsor a child program?

How to Sponsor a Child Program

• Answer:

  Programs for children can play a major part in their early development. While schools provide academic education, youth programs allow kids to socialize outside the classroom and explore extracurricular passions. They might focus on athletics and sportsmanship or they might focus on providing kids access to technology, like video cameras or audio recording equipment. There is a wide range of programming for children with different interests. Because most programs for children are not government funded, private contributions can make a world of difference. Difficulty: Moderate Instructions Decide on a particular program to sponsor. This will involve some research. There are thousands of programs across the nation. Some of the more commonly known ones are the Boys and Girls Club of America, the Children's Aid Society and the United Way. However, there may be smaller, local community organizations that serve the youth in your area. Read the mission statement of different programs and decide which ones could make good use of your donation. Choose a form of sponsorship. You may decide to make a monetary donation in one lump sum. However, you might also decide to pledge to make a regular donation on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. Perhaps you may decide not to donate money at all, but instead donate a service. For example, if you manage a screen-printing business, you may offer to make free T-shirts for the program to provide to their members. If you own a restaurant, you might offer to cater the program's next fundraiser. There are many ways to contribute besides writing a check. Contact the program director. Program directors are often listed on the program's website. Introduce yourself and explain why her program attracted your attention. People who work with youth programs are often so caught up in day-to-day operations that kind words from an outsider can serve as a pleasant reminder of why they are doing their work in the first place. If you would like to develop a long-term relationship with the program, arrange for a visit and tour of the facilities. Seeing the program in action might make you aware of other areas of need and give you ideas for future contributions. Follow up with the program director after you have made your donation. If you plan to be involved long-term, call every few months or arrange for other visits. This will help establish a more personal connection and it will show that you truly care about where your money or service is going.