How does ChildFund's face-to-face fundraising work?

Face-to-face fundraising is one of the ways ChildFund connects with people in communities across the United States and introduces them to opportunities to help ChildFund’s programs that support children and families around the world.

ChildFund partners with professional fundraising organizations to operate our face-to-face fundraising program. Trained fundraisers engage with members of the public at approved retail and community locations, typically from clearly branded ChildFund or Draw for Hope booths.

Our face-to-face teams currently offer two ways to support ChildFund:

Child Sponsorship – Fundraisers introduce individuals to ChildFund’s child sponsorship program and explain how ongoing sponsorship helps support children and their communities.

Draw for Hope – Fundraisers may also introduce individuals to Draw for Hope, ChildFund’s sweepstakes fundraising program. Draw for Hope teams operate separately from our child sponsorship teams and use Draw for Hope-branded materials.

Who conducts face-to-face fundraising for ChildFund?

ChildFund works with professional fundraising partners to conduct face-to-face fundraising on our behalf. Our current partners include BriteVox, Ascenta and Zenterprize, with Zenterprize supporting our Draw for Hope program.

These partners oversee fundraising teams that represent ChildFund in approved locations throughout the country. Fundraisers are trained on ChildFund’s mission, programs and approved messaging, and fundraisers are required to successfully complete a background check before fundraising on ChildFund’s behalf.

ChildFund provides mission and program training and works closely with our fundraising partners to ensure teams understand how to appropriately and respectfully represent ChildFund.

How can I tell whether someone is an authorized ChildFund fundraiser?

We want people to feel confident when interacting with someone representing ChildFund.

Authorized face-to-face fundraisers should be easily identifiable. Depending on the campaign, you should expect to see:

• ChildFund or Draw for Hope branded booths and materials.
• Fundraisers wearing ChildFund or campaign-branded clothing, such as shirts, hats or jackets.
• A lanyard and identification badge worn by the fundraiser.
• Identification indicating that the fundraiser does not accept cash.
• Donations or sponsorship enrollments completed electronically through a secure tablet rather than through a cash transaction.

ChildFund face-to-face fundraisers do not accept cash.

If someone claiming to represent ChildFund asks you to give them cash, that is not consistent with our face-to-face fundraising practices.

What information will a fundraiser ask for?

If you decide to support ChildFund, the fundraiser will use a secure tablet to complete your enrollment. Depending on the program, you may be asked to provide information necessary to establish your ongoing donation, such as your name, address, phone number, email address, and payment information.

Face-to-face fundraisers do not personally retain this information.

Will ChildFund contact me after I sign up?

Donors will also receive communications from ChildFund related to their sponsorship or other ongoing support.

Are face-to-face fundraisers ChildFund employees?

Face-to-face fundraisers generally work for professional fundraising organizations that ChildFund has authorized to fundraise on our behalf. Although they are not typically ChildFund employees, they are representing ChildFund when conducting an authorized campaign and are expected to follow our standards, approved messaging and brand guidelines.

We consider these fundraisers important ambassadors for ChildFund. They receive information and training about our mission and programs and are expected to interact with the public professionally and respectfully.

What should I do if I am unsure whether a fundraiser is legitimate?

We understand that people want to be certain before providing personal or payment information.

If you encounter someone claiming to fundraise for ChildFund and something does not seem right, you do not need to complete a donation at that time. You can contact ChildFund directly through our contact center at 1-800-776-6767 or questions@childfund.org to verify the interaction or learn more about ways to support our work.

If you have a concern about an interaction with one of our face-to-face fundraisers, we also encourage you to contact us. Information such as the fundraiser's name, location, date and approximate time of the interaction can help us look into your concern.

Why does ChildFund use face-to-face fundraising?

Face-to-face fundraising gives ChildFund an opportunity to meet people where they are and have meaningful conversations about our mission.

Unlike an advertisement or online message, a face-to-face conversation allows someone to ask questions, learn how child sponsorship or Draw for Hope works, and decide whether supporting ChildFund is right for them.

These conversations also introduce ChildFund to people who may not otherwise encounter our work. When someone chooses to become an ongoing supporter, that relationship can provide reliable, long-term support for ChildFund's work with children, families and communities around the world.