FAQ

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Sponsorship FAQs

What should I know before I become a sponsor?

That you are going to make a great difference to a child (or elder) and their family!
Sponsorship is $42 per month or $504 annually. There are multiple methods of payment.
Children are enrolled for sponsorship based on need and family circumstances, regardless of race, age, ability, gender, or religion. The children are not necessarily Catholic, although many are.
Sponsorship does not necessarily end at age 18. If your child pursues further education, you can still sponsor (at the same rate) for as long as s/he is studying.

My charitable giving decisions are based on research and financial trustworthiness. Why choose Chalice?

Chalice has an A rating and is ranked in the Charity Intelligence Top 100 charities.
For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management, Chalice commits 90.2 percent of its spending in support of programs.
Chalice’s sponsorship model pairs one child with one sponsor. Read more about our family funding model, which is unique in Canada.
Chalice is in control of distributing funds. The distribution of funds is mandated by Canada Revenue Agency regulations. We are audited by an external auditor and internal auditor. All the funds that are sent to the sites are audited on a quarterly basis.
You can read our Annual Reports and financial statements at any time. Check out Annual Report & Financials.
Chalice respects our supporters’ privacy. We keep all information on our supporters (and sponsored children) in a very secure system and do not release names or other information to other organizations.
Chalice is a registered charity in Canada under the Income Tax Act. Our CRA Registration Number is 13759 1012 RR0001.

There is so much need in the world... how can I choose a child/elder?

There are no “wrong choices”- every child or elder is in significant need of sponsorship. If there is a country, age, or gender that speaks to your heart the most, then feel free to let that guide your decision.
You can also contact us and we will help you choose.
If you are concerned about the duration of your sponsorship, perhaps consider an older teenager who may only need a few more years of support to complete their education.

I’m a sponsor! What does that mean for me?

You will receive correspondence from your child every year at Christmastime. This will include a new photo, a letter from your sponsor child and a status report from a Field Worker. You will also receive a Christmas card along with a sponsor site update from the Site Director.
If you need to change your mailing address or anything else about your personal information, just contact us.
You can write to your child at any time. We highly encourage this! Your sponsored friend would love to know more about you and your family. Many sponsors build strong bonds through their letters. Learn all about how to write to your child.
We do not facilitate email correspondence or encourage social media connections. This protects both you and your friend’s safety and privacy.
You will get an official tax receipt for the full amount of your sponsorship. Income tax receipts are issued each February for donations processed in the previous year.

Can I do more?

You can send your child/elder extra funds, of any amount, any time you wish. These are called gifts of ‘special money.’ Many sponsors like to send extra amounts around Christmas or their child’s birthday.
If you become aware of any special needs for your child or their family, please contact us. We will contact the site on your behalf to get more information on how you can best help.

When does sponsorship end?

In a perfect world, either when the young person finishes their studies and enters the workforce, or their family reaches a level of income stability that they no longer need your financial support.
However, sometimes they must exit the program because they or their family moves or chooses to withdraw for personal reasons.
When your current sponsorship relationship concludes, we will contact you about your decision to sponsor another child or elder.

What if I can no longer sponsor?

We understand that personal circumstances change, and you may contact us to cancel your sponsorship at any time.
Please be assured that your child/elder will not lose their benefits. Chalice will continue to support them until they are paired with a new sponsor.

Gift Catalogue FAQs

How did you choose and price these items for the catalogue?

Our local site staff carefully consider the items they deem ‘essential’ to the children and families they serve. They curate this list of items.
If you have a suggestion for a future catalogue, do contact us.
The prices are based on the average costs of purchasing the items around the world. Sometimes there are necessary additional costs. For example, the price of an animal may include vaccinations and/or training in animal husbandry.

What happens when I purchase an item?

100% of your donation goes into the gift catalogue fund; none goes to administrative overhead.
The leaders of our sponsor sites overseas allocate your gifts to the members of their communities who need them most.
If more people give a specific item (such as the ever-popular goats) than our sites need that year, then they will use the funds for other items within that category (in this example, the ‘animals’ category.)
Because it is a donation, you (the giver) will automatically receive a charitable tax receipt. (Please note: Tax receipts cannot be sent to the honouree. Tax receipts cannot be split between people. Tax receipts will not be issued to individuals as a result of group activities such as a school or parish campaign.)

Can I choose which site/which child receives my item?

Unfortunately no, we cannot allocate items to specific recipients.
If you would like your sponsored friend to receive a gift, you can send them the gift of special money. That way, they or their guardians can buy them what they would like the most.

How do the gift cards work?

When you purchase a gift, you can choose to send a card to your recipient through the mail. Amazing volunteers hand-write each card! We will inscribe in the card: the giver and the recipient, what item(s) you bought, and any personalized message you give us.
If you wish to remain anonymous, just let us know.

If you want us to send you blank cards to fill in and send yourself, you can also just let us know!

Help! I lost my e-cards on your web page.

We’re sorry for your frustrating experience, but we can help! Just contact us and we can ensure your e-cards reach their recipients as soon as possible.