Christian Children's Fund
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christian Children's Fund (CCF) is an international child-sponsorship group based in Richmond, Virginia that provides assistance to communities in 33 countries. According to the organization, it has assisted more than 10.5 million children and families.
Conceived in 1938, CCF has provided more than $2.5 billion in services to children--most of the funding coming from individual contributors in the form of monthly child sponsorships. In addition, CCF says it receives grants and donations that support vocational training, literacy training, food distribution, educational programs, early childhood development, health and immunization programs, nutritional programs, water and sanitation development, and emergency relief in both man-made and natural disasters.
The organization has grown in mainstream popularity, most notably from its television commercials depicting photographs of impoverished children in developing countries.
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[edit] Sponsorship
CCF's main program consists of individual donors who choose specific children to sponsor, either through the organizations Web site, or by mail. The Christian Children's Fund program is designed to offer the donor a sense of financial accountability, and personal satisfaction when they are able to see the specific child for whom their money is spent towards. Donors are encouraged to send letters to their sponsored child, money for their birthday, and if possible, even visit their child. Packages are not allowed except to U.S. children. A would-be donor selects a child from the CCF's Web site and is given his or her location. Then the donor is sent a package containing a picture of the child and information about their condition.
Those who sponsor are offered various payment options, with the standard donation plan at about $288 a year. In fiscal year 2005-2006, 81.3 percent of all revenue from CCF goes to programs and service for children and their families. 11.2 percent goes to fundraising, and the remaining 7.5 percent goes to management and administration costs.
[edit] Publications
CCF releases a number of publications every quarter to six months. It has three: ChildWorld magazine, ChildWire e-newsletter, and an annual report.
While ChildWorld focuses mostly on the problems faced in third world countries, ChildWire focuses on success stories. The newsletter is sent to subscribers every two to three months via e-mail. It often has long narratives of people whom they have aided.
[edit] Christianity
Despite the name, CCF does not proselytize Christianity in the areas that it helps. According to its Web site, CCF "respects the cultural heritage and the personal pride and dignity of the families it assists."
In May of 2004, CCF became the subject of some contention when Christian charity watchdog group Wall Watchers sent a "donor alert" via e-mail to about 2,500 subscribers informing them that the name of the charity -- Christian Children's Fund -- was designed to intentionally mislead its donors into thinking it was faith-based missionary group. Howard Leonard, a chief executive of Wall Watchers, was quoted by a magazine as saying, "It isn't Christian in the way we look at it. If you're going to be bringing help to these children, you should be bringing the Gospel."
A spokesperson for the group said that the organization does not proselytize any person to a faith, rather its name is derived from its founder, a Presbyterian minister who believed in "Christian principles," such as "love thy neighbor as thyself."
