Introduction

Hello! If you've found your way to this blog, you are probably the proud sponsor of a child (or maybe several children) with Children International. As Sponsors, we have the unique pleasure of knowing that our monthly donations make a real and lasting impact in the life of an impoverished family. As Children International Sponsors, we also enjoy the ability to make a connection with our children via the letters they write and the correspondence we send in return. For one and all of us, Sponsorship is a truly fulfilling and humbling experience.

But ... what if you could do even more?

Children International runs a social networking site specifically for their family of Sponsors. Formerly called LiftOne, it's now known as My Social Center and has drawn a flood of new Sponsors to the ongoing conversations. Many of these new Sponsors catch glimpses of all that is possible as they scan through the posts and stories on the site, and they are filled with questions.

What is an SNG? How do I send a DP? How do I know what my child's family needs? How do I do a fundraiser for a special project for my child?

So I began gathering data and making lists, based on the information shared by other Sponsors on My Social Center, with the intention of creating a Newcomer's Guide that answered the most frequently-asked questions. This is an ongoing and ever-evolving project, and I am open to suggestions, ideas, and constructive criticisms of all sorts!

I hope you find this guide useful and that it sets you on your way to an even more amazing sponsorship experience!