Quezon Project

Correspondence & Records Manual

(2016 Edition)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcom e Letters ..1-3

Reply Letters ..4-5

Special Gift ...6-7

Annual Letter .8-10

Intervention Letter 11

Other Letter 12

Farewell Letter . ..13-15

General Letter Writing Requirem ents

And Guidelines .16-18

Christm as/Year-End Greetings .19

Annual Photo Requirem ents .20-22

Fam ily record .23-26

This booklet belongs to:

_____________________________
 WELCOME LETTER

Definition: The first comm unication between the newly sponsored

member and his or her new sponsor. The sponsored/author
introduces his/her fam ily to the sponsor and welcom es them into their
fam ily and in the sponsorship program .

Letter Code: WL + m onth (WL-January)

Author: Sponsored m em ber ages 9 (in 3 rd grade) and above or

elderly member who is still able to write and or sponsored-
parent/relative/staff writing in behalf of the sponsored who needs to
introduce him self/herself and explains their relationship to the
sponsored m ember, and explain why the sponsored m ember is
unable to write.

Content:
The letter from the child or anybody (writing on behalf) should
contain the following:
1. General inform ation about the sponsored mem ber (personal
inform ation, studies, health condition, hobbies/interests, favorites,
personal goals)
2. General inform ation of the fam ily (nam e of parents, age, work,
siblings, age, status, work or level of education, good qualities, skills
and talents)
3. General description of hom e and comm unity (physical structure,
strategic location, facilities and institutions present within the
comm unity)
4. Benefits the sponsored child/youth will be receiving through
sponsorship
5. A note of thanks to the sponsor for the gift of sponsorship;

The letter from the elderly or anybody (writing on behalf) should

contain the following:
1. General inform ation about the sponsored elderly (personal
inform ation, health condition, work, pastim e, hobbies/interests,
favorites, community/organization affiliations)
2. General inform ation of the fam ily (nam e of living spouse and
his/her work, children and status, caregiver)
3. General description of hom e and comm unity (physical structure,
strategic location, facilities and institutions present within the
comm unity)
4. Benefits the sponsored elderly will be receiving through
sponsorship
5. A note of thanks to the sponsor for the gift of sponsorship;

(The letter should have 3-4 RB statements which arise from the
previous stories of # 1, 2 & 3 above)
1
Submission Timeline (2 weeks policy) In reference to Monthly Report
PORTAL basis
1 st week Release of monthly welcome list, Record verification of
SDW to RS
2 nd week Subm ission of Welcome Letter
1 st OD of the succeeding m onth Subm ission of Retirem ent
Notification (Reinstatem ent is not allowed)
For Independent subprojects or newly opened communities situated
in a far community, a period of 45 days is allowed

(Retirement Notification of m oved out or deceased newly sponsored

is only allowed within the 60-day period referring to begin date in
portal. A detailed welcom e-farewell letter will only be required if
the child has been sponsored for m ore than 60 days)

Unbound-KS Timeline on Welcome Letter:

0 1 2 3 4 5
Sponsorship DUE of LATE Retirem ent Retire- Appears
Begins Welcom e Welcom e Warning ment on
Letter Letter Retired
List

Remember:
- Children who are too young or unable to write should include
drawing/art work, test papers, photos, awards/certificates
along with a welcome letter written by a fam ily member or
project staff worker.
- If a staff or fam ily m ember writes on behalf of the child or
elderly who is unable to write, he/she m ust clearly identify
him self/herself at the second paragraph of the letter,
explaining their relationship to the sponsored m ember, and
explain why the sponsored mem ber is unable to write.
- If a sponsored m ember is reinstated, he or she will be required
to write a welcom e letter to the new sponsor; with same
sponsor content should be that of regular letter; with new
sponsor content should that of detailed welcome letter
- Asterisk (*) sym bol found before the CH number in the
welcome list means that a welcome letter has already been
subm itted through Sibling Request - SL Response and there is no
need to subm it another welcome letter
- Num ber sign (#) sym bol found before the CH number in the
welcome list means that the child was re-sponsored by the
previous sponsor and a welcome letter in a form of a regular
letter is required
- An annual letter is no longer required for those who appear on
the welcom e list within the annual letter writing period
2
Does this person have any limitations that prevent him/her from
caring for himself/herself long-term ?
Donts:
In this question, we seek to understand the gravity of the persons 1. Family problems (relational or financial)
challenges. Som e m ay have a physical or m ental disability, but are 2. Family realities that have negative impact (incarceration due
able to have a job and support them selves in tim e. Other people to murder, theft, illegal drugs, et.al.)
m ay have challenges that will prevent them from living alone or 3. Defamatory attitude or behavior of the sponsored
engaging in work that could support them . Answering this question 4. Excessive story of writers life but of the sponsored
helps the sponsor understand that this person m ay need long-term
assistance and that their need for sponsorship m ay continue beyond
their school years. Hierarchy of author
1. Sponsored, immediate family member/relative, Unbound staff,
Have you considered an educational plan or occupational therap y
Volunteer leader, SSP, neighbor or friend.
that will help [the sponsored mem ber] to becom e self-sufficient? If so,
could you describe the plan?
Note: For elderly orphaned, it is allowed that SDW, PVL, SSP,
We realize that m any of our special needs m em bers m ay never be neighbor or friend writes on their behalf.
able to gain total self-sufficiency. However, others m ay benefit from
therapy or special training. Does the fam ily or sponsored m em ber
intend to pursue these opportunities if they are available? If so, what
specifically does the person plan to do and what skills do they hope
to gain?

How is [the sponsored member] and family going to benefit from the
sponsorship program?

Will they use the program to access m edicine, therapies or other

special program s? Will they use their benefits to cover the cost of
supplies or travel to appointm ents with specialists? A potential
sponsor m ay be m ore inclined to choose a special needs friend if
they have a clear idea of how the program will benefit them .

By providing thorough responses to all of these questions when

subm itting a new record for a special needs m em ber or responding
to an update request, you greatly help Unbound Kansas in our search
to find sponsors for all of our friends waiting for sponsorship.

In addition to these questions, there are a few other things that we

also ask you to consider as you create a fam ily record for a person
with special needs.

First, when som eone has special needs, there m ay be som e

inform ation about their challenges that is not particularly com fortable
to discuss. We ask that you provide as m uch inform ation as the
sponsored m em ber or their guardian is willing to share.

26 3
 REPLY LETTER Water supply: This open-text field will replace the current drop-down
menu, Describe water supply that includes the 5 options of In
Definition: Letter in response to a previous communication from the house, Outhouse, Community well, River or stream, and Buys water.
sponsor to the sponsored member. The letter should respond to the We have found that these options often do not sufficiently explain
sponsors questions asked through a received package or e-letter. how the family obtains water for drinking and washing and what they
may need to do to make it safe to drink. The new open-text field
Letter Code: RL + code (RL-A101) or EL + code (EL-A101) gives more room to describe the reality of obtaining water for each
family.
Author: Sponsored member ages 9 (in 3rd grade) and above or
Additional information about the living situation and/ or community:
elderly member who is still able to write and or sponsored-
This is a place to provide additional details about the familys home
parent/relative/staff writing in behalf of the sponsored who needs to
or community, such as the house itself, the weather or terrain in the
introduce himself/herself and explains their relationship to the
community or any additional special circumstances.
sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is
unable to write. Likes to be called: this is not a new field, but we ask that this field only
be completed if the person has a nickname that he/she is commonly
Content: called by many people, even outside of the family, for example, if
The letter from the child and elderly or anybody (writing on behalf) Francisco goes by Paco or if Mohammed Sadam is commonly called
should contain the following: Sadam. The likes to be called name is printed on the record that is
1. Acknowledges and describes every item received from the presented to new sponsors as well as the photo, so we request that
sponsor and appreciates its significance and use names that are used by the family only not be included in this field,
2. Response to questions the sponsor asked for example, Skinny or Little princess. If the person is always called
3. Details of progress or specific developments in their lives, with their by his/her first name, it is not necessary to complete this field with the
families, and communities same information as the first name field. Instead, it can be left blank.
4. At least three to four Relationship Building statements (excluding
statements such as Thank you for helping me or I pray that God New requirements for Special Needs Records
will bless you and your family or How are you? will not be counted
Could you describe the specific limitations and challenges he/she
as relationship building as this is a very general question and not very
has according to the professional psychological report or medical
personal.
diagnosis?
5. A message of gratitude to the sponsor for the gift received
We would like to know exactly what challenges this person faces on
Submission Timeline (3-month policy): a daily basis. Symptoms of many conditions can vary from person to
Every 3rd Office Day of the month Release of sponsors mail person, so we need more than just the medical term. Is the person
Every 2nd & 4th Office Day of the month Release of eLetter able to communicate? Can they move independently? Do they
1-3 months Submission of reply or eLetter need help with daily tasks, like dressing or eating? Perhaps they are
completely self-sufficient physically, but need assistance in coping
(In case of retired sponsored, the mail may or may not be delivered, with psychological symptoms. Please share as many details as you
and must be returned to the Coordinating Unit. Reply letter is no can. This question helps the sponsor understand the realities of their
longer required. friends life.
4 25
Does this person have any physical or mental limitations that will Remember:
prevent him/her from fully caring for him/herself long-term?: This is - Children who are too young or unable to write should include
one of several new questions that will help sponsors understand if a drawing/palm print/foot print along with a reply letter from a
person has any special needs, what those needs are, and how the family member or project staff worker.
Unbound program will help him/her. - If a staff or family member writes on behalf of the child or elder
person who is unable to write, he/she must clearly identify
Describe the [childs/youths/elders] personality and provide any himself/herself at the second paragraph of the letter,
additional information about him/her: This field will replace the explaining their relationship to the sponsored member, and
current, Additional information about [child/youth/elder] field and why the sponsored member is unable to write.
provides a place to share more details about the person. - In case the sponsor asked for a particular gift the sponsored
prefers to receive, he/she needs to attach the photocopy of
What would you like to share about yourself? (elder record): Each
the letter previously received and use the suggested statement
elder will have the opportunity to provide specific information about
of In response to your question, what gift do I want to
him/herself to potential sponsors. receive.
Childs/youths Unbound goal: The goal that the child or youth would - If a letter from a sponsor contains content that is questionable
like to accomplish with the help of Unbound. or inappropriate, the project staff should be refrained from
giving the letter to the sponsored member.
Familys Unbound goal (optional field on child and youth records): - If the sponsor asks the date when the package was received,
the goal that the family would like to accomplish with the help of the sponsored is required to mention it in their reply.
Unbound.
Donts:
Number of brothers and number of sisters
1. Asking anything from the sponsor except when the sponsor asks
What is unique about this family?: Anything can be included here what the sponsored needs (school supplies, clothes, toys,
that describes the family with more details, such as what they do accessories - focus on the needs and not on the wants).
together, their traditions, hardships that they face, favorite foods and 2. Mentioning the date the package received (unless requested)
much more.
Hierarchy of author
Describe source(s) of income: This open-text field will replace the 1. Sponsored, immediate family member, workers, volunteer
Describe nature of family income (steady/seasonal/no fixed leaders, SSP, neighbors
income) field to give more room to explain each familys unique
situation.

Describe the elders past and current means of making a living: The
current source(s) of income for an elder may not be his/her past or
current means of making a living. For example, did she have another
occupation in the past? What is his/her occupation now?

24 5
 SPECIAL GIFT ACKNOW LEDGEM ENT FAMILY RECORD

Definition: Letter in response to the special m oney donations sent by Family Record A family record is a document that is used to provide potential
sponsors. and current sponsors with basic information about the sponsored member, their
family and life. It is the first step in introducing the sponsor to their sponsored
Letter Code: SG + m onth + $ am ount (SG-January-$100) friend and forming their sponsorship relationship. The family record is often the
only information that a potential sponsor sees when making the decision to
Author: Sponsored m em ber ages 9 (in 3 rd grade) and above or sponsor an individual; it remains the only information a new sponsor has until
elderly m em ber who is still able to write and or sponsored- regular correspondence is established.
parent/relativ e/staff writing in behalf of the sponsored who needs to
introduce him self/herself and explains their relationship to the It is essential, therefore, that the family record provides a complete, detailed
sponsored m em ber, and explain why the sponsored m em ber is description of the child or elder individual, his or her life situation, personal
unable to write. qualities, future plans, etc. There are three family record forms: Child, Student,
and Elder.
BENEFICIARY FAMILY FURTHER
Content: CATEGORY RECORD INSTRUCTIONS
The letter from the child and elderly or anybody (writing on behalf) FORM
Children 0-12 years Child Family
who received special m oney donation should contain the following: (including children with Record
special needs*
1. Acknowledges the received special m oney donation on the who are able to attend
school)
specific m onth not m entioning the dollar am ount and its peso Youths 13 years & older) Youth Family
equiv alence. However, in case the sponsor is directly asking the (including children with Record
sponsored about the am ount of special gifts receiv ed, it is perm issible special needs*
who are 13-21 years who are
to m ention the am ount and/or its peso equiv alence.
able to attend school)
2. States how the special gift was used following the specified Children 0-20 years with Child Family Please include the following information:
intention listed at the Beneficiaries with Pending Item s Report in Portal special needs* who are not in Record ? Does this person have any limitations that
or through the List posted by the Accounting departm ent school will prevent them from fully caring for
themselves long-term?
3. Details of progress or specific developm ents in their lives, with their ? Could you describe the specific
fam ilies, and com m unities limitations and challenges he/she has
4. Three to four Relationship Building statem ents are required according to the professional
Adults ages 21 and over with Elder Family psychological report or medical diagnosis?
5. A m essage of appreciation to the sponsor for the special gift special needs* Record ? Have you considered an educational
receiv ed plan or occupational therapy that will help
this person to become self-sufficient? If so,
could you describe the plan?
Subm ission Tim eline (1-m onth policy): ? How is this person and family going to
1 st week Release of Financial detail report from the Accountin g benefit from the sponsorship program?
departm ent Elder Elder Family
1 ST week of the succeeding m onth Subm ission of special gift Record

acknowledgem ent letter

*such as a mental or physical disability
(In case of retired/change of sponsor, the special m oney donation
should be receiv ed and an acknowledgem ent letter is still required. These are the key fields that will be added to the records:
Please try to send these letters within a few m onths after retirem ent.)
Religion: This field is optional. Participation in the Unbound program is open to
In cases of sponsored retiring from the program that have rem aining people of all religions (or no religion), but we currently do not have a way to
SG funds of $500 or less these funds can be div erted to another measure the diversity of religions of families in our program. This field is intended
purpose for the fam ilys benefit without needing to ask the sponsor. to provide this information, but families are not required to share their religion if
(Caitlins em ail dated 11 April 2016) they do not want to, and project staffs are not required to ask if they feel that this
question would make a family uncomfortable.

6 23
Unbound-KS Timeline on Annual Photo: Remember:

0 110 11 12 13 14 15 16 - Children who are too young or unable to write should include
drawings along with an acknowledgement letter from the
Photo Retirement Appears on immediate family member.
Photo Due Photo Due Late Photo Retirement
Received Warning Retired List - If a family member writes on behalf of the child or elder person
who is unable to write, they must clearly identify themselves at
the beginning of the letter, explaining their relationship to the
sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is
If an individuals appearance has changed drastically from unable to write.
previous photo (illness, injury, disability), please provide an - For all special money donations equal to $100 and above,
explanation. ONLY the letter of acknowledgment from the sponsored is
required describing how the donation addressed the specific
need with corresponding photos if appropriate.
- For sponsored community need contribution, the recipients of
the donation should describe the use of funds and how the
donation addressed a specific need.
- If the total community need contribution from the sponsor is less
than $500, the Project may proceed with redirecting the funds
without prior approval from Unbound-Kansas. Any redirection
of funds above $500 must be authorized by Unbound-Kansas.
In these cases, Unbound-Kansas requires that the Project send
a proposed use of funds to Unbound-Kansas before redirecting
the funds.
- For sponsored who wishes to divert the used of the special
money donation of $500 or more, the SPC should write a
request to the CaRD head for approval from the Project
Specialist.

Hierarchy of author
1. Sponsored, immediate family member, workers, volunteer
leaders, SSP, neighbors

In the case photo is not the most dignified representation

of them, what could be done as a substitute for their annual
photo is to take a picture of the outside of his home, we can
then send the photo to their sponsor and explain to them the
current situation of the sponsored.

22 7
 ANNUAL LETTER Other guidelines:
Photos must be taken in a portrait (vertical) orientation, not landscape
(horizontal).
Annual Letter Regular letters should include current and updated Encourage children to smile whenever possible! A smile will likely attract
information about the sponsored members life. Regular letters potential sponsors and helps to show an individuals personality. If a
should engage the sponsor by asking questions about the sponsored individual does not have a pleasant expression or a smile,
sponsors life. some sponsors may become concerned that the individual might be ill or
is unhappy.
Letter Code: AL Backgrounds which show the area where the sponsored member lives
are preferred. Photos taken in a studio are not permitted.
Photos should not have borders.
Author: Sponsored member ages 9 (in 3rd grade) and above or Digitally modified photos will not be accepted.
elderly member who is still able to write and or sponsored- Each photo should show only the sponsored individual. When siblings or
parent/relative/staff writing in behalf of the sponsored who needs other children are present in the photo, it may become unclear which
to introduce himself/herself and explains their relationship to the person is the sponsored individual.
sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is The individual should be modestly dressed without offensive words,
unable to write. pictures, signs or gestures in the photo.

Content:
The following are the suggested annual letter contents from the
child and elderly or anybody (writing on behalf) of the
sponsored:

Information and updates about the SPONSORED FAMILY:

The individual in the photo should have their eyes open and should not
1. Family (additional family member, deceased family member, wear sunglasses (with the exception of individuals who are blind).
events and occasions, pleasant and unpleasant incidents, Please omit seasonal items, such as Christmas trees, or sponsor gifts from
family relationship, financial situation..) the photo because these photos may be used to find new sponsors
1. Interests (Bonding activities-sports, recreation and socio-cultural when necessary. It is acceptable, however, for an individual to hold
activities..) items such as flowers, fruit or vegetables, pets, etc.
2. Community (Environment-related activities.) Photos should be taken from the same level the child is standing on. The
photographer should not be at an elevated or lower ground than the
3. Culture (Feasts and traditions..)
child.
4. Daily life (Day-to-day life) If a photo is rejected, an update request will be sent for a new photo.
Following is a list of common reasons why Unbound-Kansas may reject a
Information and updates about the SPONSORED MEMBER: photo:
1. Academic performance (What subject/s are you good - Poor quality
at/needs help, class standing) - Distant subject (individual too far away from camera)
2. Current grade level (Description of your grade section) - Blurred photos
- Too light or dark
3. Favorite subjects in school
- Over or under exposed
4. Academic ambitions - Photos with date and/or time stamp
5. Extracurricular activities (Boys/Girl Scout, School Competition, - Inappropriate clothing, poses, or backgrounds
Clubs and Organizations) - Digitally modified
6. General health status (Healthy, Sickly, Overweight, - False, studio background
underweight, taller) - Not the same person as original photo or previous annual photo
7. Hobbies or any other items of interest (Reading, Music, Arts, - Photo is the same photo as previous year
Sports, Church affiliations, Community activities )
8 21
 ANNUAL PHOTO REQUIREMENTS Submission Timeline (6-month policy)
(The subproject should generate an advance schedule of letter
Annual Photos allow sponsors to see their sponsored friends as they
status to prevent late letter, retirement warning and retirement of
grow and allow the sponsors to know their sponsored friend in a
way that cant be expressed through letters. sponsored for the reason of no letter)

Remember: Remember:
- The initial photo of an individual is often the first thing that a 1. Children who are too young or unable to write should include
potential sponsor sees. High-quality photos that show an drawings or short note along with an annual letter from the
individuals personality play a great role in whether an immediate family member.
individual will be chosen for sponsorship. 2. Children and youth who mentioned academic and extra-
- All individuals (sponsored, change of sponsor, and available)
curricular achievements should include the necessary
are required to submit an updated photo every year.
attachments not exceeding to five pages.
- The annual photo is one of the important ways that Unbound is
able to verify to the sponsors that the sponsored children, youth 3. If a family member writes on behalf of the child or elder person
and elder are still in the program. For this reason, photos still who is unable to write, they must clearly identify themselves at
may be submitted to Unbound-Kansas within 3 months of the the beginning of the letter, explaining their relationship to the
date that they were taken. sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is
- Updated photos should be sent for any individuals who have unable to write.
appeared on the Available List for 12 months or longer. 4. If the student discontinued schooling for over one school year,
the SPC should submit a case-study report along with his/her
Annual Photo Guidelines
annual letter.
However, college student who discontinued for one semester
Age guidelines:
1. Photographs of sponsored children ages 0-12 may include the and beyond, a case-study report attachment is also required
childs entire body OR can be from the waist-up (head, along with his/her annual letter.
shoulders and torso): whichever is more natural and shows the (Policy #4 refers to Policy Guideline for Sponsorship Retirement
childs personality. If a young child is unable to appear alone in #6c).
a photo, they must be held by a family member (or a caregiver 5. Subproject who wishes to terminate the sponsorship of a
in the case of an orphan). certain sponsored on Letter Due List, a farewell letter should be
2. Photographs of sponsored youth ages 13 and older should be submitted instead.
from the waist-up (including the head, shoulders and torso).
3. Photographs of sponsored elders can be either full body or
waist-up, whichever is most complimentary and shows their
ADDENDUM:
personality.
4. Photographs of sponsored children with special needs can be Changes to name of corresponding sponsors
either full body or waist-up, whichever is most complimentary. Sponsors have requested that someone write on their behalf,
In the case that a sponsored child, youth or elder is unable to but they will continue to make contributions for the sponsorship.
appear alone in a photo due to special needs, a family The person who is writing on the sponsors behalf is the name of
member or another caregiver may appear in the photo. the person who now appears as the sponsor name on the
Beneficiaries List. For these sponsored members since the
relationship is continuing with a person of the sponsors
choosing there is no need to write a welcome letter, and can
directly proceed with the writing schedule that is already
established.
20 9
 CHRISTMAS / YEAR-END GREETTINGS
Hierarchy of author
Sponsored, immediate family member, workers, volunteer Christmas / Year-end Greetings Provides an opportunity to share
leaders, SSP, neighbors in each others traditions. and is also part of the larger interfaith
dialogue that Unbound hopes to foster. This Christmas/year-end
Unbound-KS Timeline on Regular Letter: greetings will not count toward a sponsored members letter-
writing requirements.

0 1-5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Remember:
Letter Letter Letter Late Late Retirement Retire- 1. Avoid sending store-bought cards, or cards that appear overly
Received Due Due Letter Letter Warning ment expensive
2. Handmade or project-made cards are preferred
3. Subprojects may submit ideas for alternative greetings to the
Correspondence Head for approval
4. The card should not be oversized and should be smaller than
5.5X8.5 inches
5. Subprojects should not place three-dimensional decorative
items such as beads, beans, rice, glitter and craft foam onto
the cards
6. Do not include dates on greetings
7. Ensure that there are no loose items included with cards that
could fall out during processing

Possible alternative greetings may include:

A family photo of the sponsored member, with a greeting
from the project coordinator, telling how the holidays are
celebrated in the project or locale.
A photo of sponsored children (8-10 children) doing a
Christmas or other holiday activity, with those children
identified and a little information about each one, made
into a card from the project.
A staff photo with Christmas or end-of-year greetings from
the staff.

Projects wishing to send an alternative greeting should seek

Unbound-Kansas approval through the Card head. Whatever
kind of greeting the subprojects decide upon, the holiday
greetings should be submitted to the Communications
department on or before the 15th day of October so it may
arrive at Unbound-Kansas no later than the 6TH of November
each year in order to leave sufficient time for processing and
mailing so that sponsors will receive the greetings by Christmas.

10 19
 Additional attachments that can be considered are INTERVENTION LETTER
photos, photocopy of test papers, most recent report
card or activity sheet but which cannot take place the Intervention Letter Intervention letter is written by the subproject
sponsored note or drawing. Dont submit photos with
worker in case the sponsored family shows lack of interest to
malicious and obscene images or people smoking,
participate in the program and the subproject still decides to give
drinking liquor or gambling.
them a chance to cooperate. This letter is written to replace the
Never forget the greetings in starting the letter and
annual letter.
thanking the sponsor before ending it.
Attached photos should be labeled with name, CH#
Letter Code: IL
and a short dedication or description should be written
at the back of each photo. Size should not be bigger
than 3R or not smaller than wallet size. Author: Subproject Coordinator (SPC) or Social Development
Graduation pictures should be in 3R-Glossy and not Worker (SDW)
scanned and must have short dedication.
Content:
7. Relationship building (Questions about the sponsors life; The letter from the subproject team should contain the following:
Request for a letter or photo; Response to questions from 1. The author explaining the reason of writing
sponsor; Sincere expression of interest in the sponsors life) 2. Current status of the sponsored family in the program
3. Details of progress or specific developments in their lives, with
Relationship building (RB) statements should not be their families, and communities
contained in one paragraph. It should arise from the 4. At least three to four Relationship Building statements
statements/stories mentioned in the paragraph. 5. Detailed discussion of their violation/s or lack of participation
Three to four RB statements are required in all types of 6. Intervention initiated by the subproject team
letter except in Farewell letter. 7. Grace period given for them to comply

8. Translation Submission Timeline (6-month policy)

(The subproject should generate an advance schedule of letter
Give exact meaning in closed parenthesis of any status to prevent late letter, retirement warning and retirement of
acronym or words mentioned in the letter. sponsored for the reason of no letter)

Remember:
An annual letter may be sent any time prior to the grace-period
stated in the IL but a farewell letter should be submitted on the 4th
or 7th month if the sponsored family failed to comply on the
agreement.

Unbound-KS Timeline on Regular Letter:

0 1-5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Letter Letter Letter Late Late Retirement Retire-
Received Due Due Letter Letter Warning ment

18 11
 OTHER LETTER 5. Appropriateness (Inappropriate content may include: direct
requests or language that may m ake a sponsor feel
Other Letter Other letter is written on occasions such as Individual pressured to send additional assistance; changes in
Sponsors Visit, Deceased Sponsor Notification (generated through handwriting and/or ink; content or writing style that seem s
SL); when sponsored wishes to share significant events in his/her too m ature/immature com pared to the age of the
life, in their family and in the Unbound community. beneficiary; questionable subject matter, etc.)

Letter Code: OL Direct or indirect asking of anything is prohibited.

Dont mention any contact numbers; be it telephone
Author: Sponsored member ages 9 (in 3rd grade) and above or num ber, social m edia account, nam e of school, school
elderly member who is still able to write and or sponsored- or residential address.
parent/relative/staff writing in behalf of the sponsored who needs The letters in the word Unbound should only be
to introduce himself/herself and explains their relationship to the capitalized when used in connection with the logo.
sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is Otherwise, only the first letter should be capitalized when
unable to write. writing the name Unbound. Writing Unbound in this
manner will help clarify that it is not an acronym . Instead,
Content: you m ay use fam ily, organization, comm unity or
1. ISV Letter appreciating the sponsors time and the gifts shared m ovement after Unbound but never foundation.
to the sponsored family Pencil is not allowed to be used by sponsored Grade 4
2. Condolence Letter of acknowledgment and appreciation of up or by the adult writer-in-behalf. Only m ongol pencil
the support of the late sponsor/s and expressing their prayerful #2 is allowed to be used by grade 3 and below.
sympathy to the bereaved family. This letter is obligatory Stop using business letters complim entary closes:
Significant events Wedding, Graduation, Award Received, respectfully yours, very respectfully yours, sincerely yours,
Newborn, Baptismal, Death, Serious illness, Calamity very sincerely yours, truly yours, et.al.
Never insert a word when correcting wrong sentence.
Submission Timeline: Use one style of handwriting in your letter. If you start it
Any time of the year, a few weeks after the event with the cursive style, ends it with such style.
Check the CH# and write the subproject only and not
Remember: the group num ber.
- If a family member writes on behalf of the child or elder person Refrain from using statements such as I hope you will not
who is unable to write, they must clearly identify themselves at stop helping m e or any statement that may have the
the beginning of the letter, explaining their relationship to the sam e connotation.
sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is
unable to write. 6. Personalization (Letter includes a large am ount of specific
- Children and youth who mentioned academic and extra- details about the sponsored that m ay vary according to
curricular achievements should include the necessary age; Sponsored youth ages 16 and older should include
attachments not exceeding to five pages. m ore details and som e mention of their future plans;
- Sponsored should not wait for the annual letter scheduled Younger children may include drawings as a way to express
submission to share the events stated in the content their personality)

Hierarchy of author On attachment: Attachm ent not just a drawing at the

Sponsored, immediate family member, workers, volunteer bottom of the writer but should be another page of
leaders, SSP, neighbors drawing or short note of the sponsored; palm print or
footprint for the kid who are not yet schooling.
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 GENERAL LETTER WRITING REQUIREMENTS/GUIDELINES: FAREWELL LETTER

Farewell Letter The retirement of a sponsored member is a critical

1. Sponsor Name (Correct sponsor name, Sponsor name is in moment in sponsor satisfaction and retention. The sponsors
same handwriting as letter) experience of the retirement impacts the likelihood that the
sponsor will continue with a new relationship. Quality and timely
In writing the salutation, use the sponsors/sponsors farewell letters are key to sponsor satisfaction.
name and names of corresponding sponsor written on
the sticker. Use the specific addressee in the body of the
Letter Code: FL
letter.

2. Date (Dates must be written by the author of the letter and Author: Sponsored member ages 9 (in 3rd grade) and above or
must reflect the date that the letter was written; Date is in same elderly member who is still able to write and or sponsored-
handwriting and ink as letter and date is consistent with parent/relative/staff writing in behalf of the sponsored who needs
information in the letter) to introduce himself/herself and explains their relationship to the
sponsored member, and explain why the sponsored member is
Follow the format in writing the date: day/month/year - unable to write.
(25 December 2015)
Content:
3. Presentation (Letter has a neat, clean appearance; Stationery 1. Explains the tangible and intangible benefits that the
with torn edges)
sponsored member received as a result of the sponsorship
2. When retiring due to lost contact, it would be helpful to provide
Dont use sign pen, technical pen or friction pen.
On stationery: Leave one space after the salutation the amount of time that the family has not been in contact
(Dear) in starting the first paragraph of the body of the with the project and information regarding how their benefits
letter and a space between paragraphs; two spaces were distributed
before the complimentary close. No space is needed 3. When retiring due to lack of participation or discontinuing
before writing the name of the writer. studies, it is encourage to have an overall positive attitude in
Never use correction tape or liquid eraser. farewell letters, Even at times when a goal is not met, it is likely
Never place a tape or patched a small piece of paper that the sponsorship has still had a positive effect on the
to cover a tiny hole. individual. It is important, therefore that message contained in
Dont submit letters with torn or folded edges or with the farewell letter is POSITIVE. Celebrate accomplishments,
stained of any liquid mention the educational achievements and avoid words that
may trigger negative emotions .
4. Author Identified (Author is clearly identified and their
4. Describe the difference that sponsorship has made in his/her
relationship to the member is explained and reason is clear
why sponsored member not able to write) life
5. Written by the sponsored child
If a family member writes on behalf of the child or elder 6. A clear and detailed retirement reason
person who is unable to write, they must clearly identify 7. Displays sponsorship outcomes
themselves at the beginning of the letter, explaining their 8. Demonstrates gratitude
relationship to the sponsored member, and explain why 9. Personalization
the sponsored member is unable to write. 10. Steps taken to preserve the sponsorship
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 Characteristics of a Good farewell letter:
1. Written by Sponsored Member It is the responsibility of the
sponsored member to write the farewell letter whenever Remember:
possible. In cases when the sponsored member or a family is 1. It is not necessary for individuals on the Available List or
unable to write, the staff member most familiar with the Change of Sponsor to send a Farewell letter; email notification
sponsored member should write the farewell letter on their is acceptable in these cases
behalf. The author of the letter should be identified by name 2. It is permissible (though not required) to encourage the sponsor
and relationship to the sponsored member.
to help another individual through Unbound
2. Positive Attitude Even at times when a goal is not met, it is
likely that the sponsorship has still had a positive effect on the 3. It is NOT appropriate to mention specific individual (sibling,
individual. It is important, therefore, that the message family member) for sponsorship
contained in the farewell letter is positive. Celebrate 4. An intervention template must be accomplished and attached
accomplishments whenever possible. Try to avoid words that to the farewell letter. Retirement reasons such as deceased,
may trigger negative emotions: failure, disappointment, graduated and improved economic condition do not require
unfortunately.
intervention template.
3. Detailed Retirement Reason Be sure to include details that
help to explain the reason for retirement. If the retirement
5. If the sponsored passes away, an email notification (with
might be coming at an unexpected time, sponsors appreciate attached death certificate) should be sent within the week
a brief description f options that might have been considered explaining the circumstances with as much detail and a
prior to choosing retirement. farewell letter should be submitted within the month so the
4. Outcomes from Sponsorship Outcomes from sponsorship are sponsor could cope with the difficult news.
both tangible and intangible. While it might be easy to list 6. Please be sure to always include in the farewell letter the level
items that a sponsored member received as benefits,
of education a sponsored child or youth completed prior to
remember the intangible benefits have a great value as well.
The farewell letter should answer the question how is the retirement, as well as information about any other educational
individuals life different as a result of sponsorship?, or what accomplishments.
opportunities has sponsorship provided that might otherwise 7. When possible it is preferred that farewell letters be written with
not have been available to the individual? pen, not pencil.
5. Appreciation Since farewell letter often represents the end of
a significant relationship, it is appropriate in the farewell letter
for a sponsored member to express appreciation to their
Hierarchy of author
sponsor for their support.
6. Personalization Personalization is more than a name on the Sponsored, immediate family member, workers, volunteer
top of the page. While the name is certainly important, leaders, SSP, neighbors
content of the letter should also be personalized. Avoid form
letters. Include details specific to that sponsored member and Offering direct communication
sponsorship relations. Unbound does not recommend direct communication
7. Appropriateness While it is appropriate for a letter to between sponsors and sponsored members even when
encourage a sponsor to consider sponsoring again, it is not
appropriate to request that a specific individual be sponsored.
sponsorship ends. The sponsored members can certainly say
that they would like to meet the sponsor as long as they dont
Unbound-KS Timeline on Regular Letter: mention coming to their place to visit the sponsor. Example of
unacceptable statement is I would like to visit you there
0 1-5 6 7 8 9 10 11 someday, this gives the impression that the sponsored
Letter Letter Letter Late Late Retirement Retire- member intends to seek direct contact with the sponsor when
Received Due Due Letter Letter Warning ment they are no longer in the program.

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