Okay. You know what’s coming. Like everyone else in the country, I went to see ABOUT SCHMIDT last weekend, saw Jack Nicholson adopt a third-world orphan through a philanthropic organization, got all weepy, thought it would be cool if I did the same thing in real life.
However–how do I know if the philanthropic agency I choose is the real thing or an evil scam? I’m pretty sure that SOME of these organizations are not entirely on the level. After all, I can hardly pop over to Timbuktu to make sure that little Faraji’s getting his check–or even see if little Faraji really exists.
Have any of you had a personal experience with one of these organizations and can vouch for its honesty? I’d really like to help a kid but would hate to wonder if I’m communicating with a fictional orphan.
Thanks!
I have sponsored a child in Guatemala through World Vision. In the years that I sponsored Jose Nose Portillo, I used to get letters and photos and was kept up to date with his community. I have absolutely no doubt that they are genuine. Personally I would have preferred a non-religous organisation but couldn’t find one, World Vision bill themselves as Christian but help out in nations with various religous cultures.
Check them out here and they will explain it all including how you can write to “your” child.
Funny, that’s exactly what I am doing this March.
I’m a member of Childreach, the organization which just happens to be featured in About Schmidt, and they are perfectly happy to let sponsors visit the child in person. True, not everyone can afford to do this, but all it would take is one person to find out if the organization was legit.