Correspond with Your Godchild

The children eagerly await any correspondence from their Godparents. We strongly encourage letter writing as it helps create a special loving relationship. Even short notes will elicit a smile from your Godchild.

“The children are so excited when they receive cards and letters from their Godparents. Many of them carry pictures and letters with them at all times so they can show visitors that they have someone who cares enough to send them letters. It takes so little time for us to write short notes and send cards and pictures, but it means the world to them.”
– Malinda Barclift, Volunteer, NPH Nicaragua

 

Send letters online! You may view your godchild’s current photo, read their biography, and send a letter through our E-Correspondence Program! Click here to enroll.

Make the Most of Writing

Keep your letters simple. Write about things your Godchild will understand, such as family, pets, hobbies and activities. Encourage your child’s learning activities and special interests such as art, dance and sports. Click here for a list of useful phrases.

Emphasize things you have in common. As time goes on, you will discover shared interests, perhaps a favorite school subject or a love of music. Because of your significance in the life of the child you sponsor, these common interests will enhance the child’s self-esteem.

Please avoid discussing material possessions, which will emphasize differences.

Send pictures of yourself and your family. Such photographs will become prized possessions.

Send postcards or photos of where you live and places you have visited. Postcards and photos are fun and educational for your Godchild. However, please help us safeguard your family’s privacy–do not include any direct contact information (including but not limited to: home, work or e-mail addresses) anywhere in your correspondence.

We can only forward flat, inexpensive items to your Godchild.

Here are some small items that sponsored children especially enjoy and that fit into a 6″x9″ envelope:

  • Stickers
  • Bandannas
  • Pencils/Crayons
  • Picture postcards
  • Hair ribbons
  • Bookmarks
  • Coloring books
  • Small puzzles
  • Paper airplanes
  • Balloons
  • Small notebooks or pads of paper
  • Colored pencils and a sharpener
  • Handmade items (small paintings, flat craft projects)
  • Drawings made by children, grandchildren, or children at your church

What not to send (items such as jewelry or anything that changes the shape of the envelope can be confiscated by customs officials in other countries):

  • Jewelry
  • Toys or other items that appear expensive
  • Toys that resemble dangerous animals, such as spiders or snakes (they may be frightening to the child)
  • Keepsakes or items of great sentimental value
  • Money of any currency, which could be confiscated
  • Food and candy

Mail correspondence as follows:

To mail a card or letter, simply place it in an unsealed envelope and mark it with your Godchild’s full name, country and your name. (Please do not put return addresses on the envelopes.) Then place the unsealed envelope and its contents into another envelope and mail it as follows:

 

Child’s Full Name
c/o NPH USA
20 North Wacker Drive
Suite 4000
Chicago, IL 60606-3193

(New address as of December 1, 2023)

We will have your message translated if necessary, before sending it on to the NPH home of your child. Please allow 2-4 months for return correspondence from your Godchild. Please do not attempt to send any correspondence directly to your Godchild. The NPH homes cannot accept any mail or gifts directly from sponsors, nor will they be able to return them to you.

Please help us safeguard your family’s privacy — do not include any direct contact information (including but not limited to: home, work or e-mail addresses) anywhere in your correspondence. We request that you do not connect directly with your Godchild through social media, including Facebook, to protect the privacy of both you and our children.

Sponsorship Correspondence Policy

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International (NPHI) is committed to protecting the safety, well-being and dignity of our children as well as respecting the privacy of our supporters around the world.

We do not allow children and sponsors to exchange contact information.

We require that all correspondence be sent through our fundraising offices.

We expect our sponsors to handle sensitive child information and child photos in a respectful and sensitive manner.

We review all correspondence that is sent to sponsored children to ensure it does not include any content that is inappropriate, abusive, threatening or exploitive.

We review letters to our sponsors to ensure they do not include inappropriate solicitation of funds or improper requests from our children.

In order to protect the privacy of both our sponsors and our children, we ask that you not connect directly with your Godchild through social media, including Facebook.

If you have questions, please call us toll-free at 1-866-690-1703 or e-mail sponsorship@nphusa.org

Related Information:
• Correspond with Your Godchild
• The Mail Process
• Phrases to Help You Correspond
• The Sharing Fund

Back to Godparent’s Corner