With the holiday season in full swing, many will want to donate to local charities and nonprofits. However, there is a lot of gray area when it comes to how much money supports the mission of the nonprofit, as opposed to administrative expenses.
Local Charities to Donate to
Before donating, you should do your research to find an organization you believe in. Spend your dollars on an organization that you really care about. What work speaks to you the most?
It is our wish that with the extra money you want to give to a good cause this season, you consider donating to us. More than 75% of our support comes from generous supporters like you.
We believe every child deserves a home. For 122 years, we have been dedicated to our mission of service to children and families in the commonwealth. We are passionately committed to finding a permanent family for every child. When we do, we positively impact children’s lives, and our entire community benefits.
So, the big question: Where does your money go when you support Virginia adoption?
Where Your Money Goes
Every dollar makes a difference in the life of a child. Below are the costs for a handful of our services and what your money would buy:
- $20: Book or DVD for our Resource Lending Library, offering important parenting and adoption-related information for CHS adoptive families and children.
- $75: Activity for a foster child or teen to meet a prospective adoptive family — like dinner with a social worker.
- $250: Post-Adoption Club event for adoptive children and teens to meet and interact with others just like them.
- $300: Parenting skills training session for prospective families.
- $750: One year of internet access for two at-risk youth for school work and job applications.
- $2,000: One year of trauma informed post-adoption counseling support for a child and their new family.
- $2,500: One year of vocational training for youth who aged out of foster care to learn a trade and achieve independence.
- $5,000: One year of housing for a participant in The Possibilities Project transitioning to independent adulthood.
Support Virginia adoption, and create a brighter future for our at-risk children and youth.
Ways to Give
Now that you know where your money goes, below we outline several different ways to give:
- Recurring Gifts: Monthly gifts are a great way to support CHS, providing a steady stream of revenue while making our supporters feel even more connected to our cause. A few dollars a day can make a huge difference in the lives of Virginia’s children and youth.
- Gift of Stock: With advances in the stock market of late, now is the perfect time to share some of your shares with the cause you love most. Read our recent blog post Act Now To Make Your Investments Pay Off For Virginia’s Youth for more info.
- Donating Your Birthday: Another way to support CHS is by donating yours! This year we are encouraging our supporters to ask their friends and families to make a donation rather than buying a birthday present. It’s easy to create a Facebook fundraiser.
- Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gifts are a great way to maximize personal contributions to CHS and increase the impact of individual gifts. You may be able to significantly increase the amount of a contribution by taking advantage of a company’s matching gift benefit.
- Planned Giving: Have you thought about including the Children’s Home Society in your estate planning or family trust? You can assure that we continue our mission to support Virginia’s at-risk children for years to come by including a bequest to CHS in your will or living trust. Your estate can be entitled to an unlimited federal estate tax charitable deduction with a gift to CHS.
- Red Stocking Campaign: Consider a contribution to the Red Stocking Campaign, and help us enjoy another 122 years of service to Virginia’s at-risk children and youth.
Be the reason a child smiles, laughs, dreams, grows and succeeds.
My Path Forward | Holiday Wish List
Each year, about 500 young people “age out” of Virginia’s foster care system and are sent into the world with no support.
The My Path Forward Program invests in youth aging out of foster care and changes the trajectory of their lives. Our innovative approach empowers youth ages 18 to 25 who have aged out of Virginia’s foster care system without being adopted. We provide these young people with critical support and housing to assist them as they develop into independent and engaged community members.
And we’re proud to say our program works!
- 100% of MPF program participants are in safe and affordable housing
- 72% of our participants are working 20 hours or more a week
- 78% have maintained the same job for three or more months
- 89% have made progress toward financial literacy
Most of our youth do not have family support. That means, they won’t experience the holiday season like other children. We are asking that you help make their holiday season bright. Like most children, they have wish lists. The items that you generously give will be their Holiday gifts. Some of the items on our children’s wish lists include: gift cards, bicycles, clothes, art supplies, electronic accessories, personal hygiene products, shoes, purses and coats.
Children’s Home Society of Virginia | Virginia Adoption Agency | Adoption Services
Your support makes it possible for us to find safe, permanent homes for older children and teens.
Last year alone:
- 431 children and parents benefited from post-adoptive counseling
- 100% of families reported improved family dynamics as a result of CHS services
- 112 foster children received case support to move toward adoption
- 45 foster children were adopted
- 60 legislators were educated on adoption and foster care issues
We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.
Currently, there are nearly 700 children waiting for an adoptive family in Virginia. Of those 700 children, 33% are 13 years of age or older.
We would greatly appreciate if you considered donating to us and supporting Virginia adoption and our vulnerable youth.