Frequently Asked Questions
What does Philippines Humanitarian do?
Philippines Humanitarian offers youth living in destitute conditions in the Philippines an opportunity to get an education, so they can escape the cycle of poverty and increase their and their families’ chances of a life free from economic hardship.
Who started Philippines Humanitarian?
Philippines Humanitarian was started as a grassroots organization almost 25 years ago by Amelia & Diosdado Hernandez, Philippine natives living in the U.S. At the time, they were helping 12 students in the Village of Payatas, a community that was built on the largest open dumpsite in the Philippines. Mrs. Hernandez died in 2014 and Mr. Hernandez in 2019, but their children continue their legacy. Today, Philippines Humanitarian is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization helping two communities and over 270 students fulfill their dreams of a better life.
How does Philippines Humanitarian support itself?
Philippines Humanitarian relies on individual and corporate donations for revenue. A fundraising event is also held annually, which raises approximately 25% of total revenue and 75% of our unrestricted income, which is used to fund college scholarships, case management for our students, and food assistance.
How does Philippines Humanitarian evaluate its success?
We evaluate our success by:
- The number of students we support through sponsorships
- The number of college scholarships we are able to offer students who meet rigorous criteria, including scholastic performance, poverty level, command of the English language, community involvement, and commitment to pay it forward
- The number of sponsored students who graduate from college
- The number of college graduates who find gainful employment in a professional field
- The percentage of college graduates who pay it forward by sponsoring other students and/or helping their siblings get an education
- The number of meals and/or grocery rations we’re able to provide in the community
- The number of care packages that are distributed annually to impoverished communities in the Philippines
About our programs
What is the Student Sponsorship Program?
Central to Philippines Humanitarian is our Student Sponsorship Program, in which individual and corporate donors provide monthly or annual sponsorships to impoverished students. Their contributions pay for school fees, uniforms, books, transportation, and other needed supplies, allowing families to keep their children in school rather than having to work to supplement the household income.
How much are student sponsorships?
Sponsorship levels are as follows:
$20/month for Grades K-6 ($240/year)
$27/month for Grades 7-12 ($324/year)
$40/month for first to fourth year college students ($480/year)
100% of sponsorship contributions are wired to the Philippines. A small portion of sponsorships (between $2 to $5 per month) are provided to our NGO partner in the Philippines, the KapatidKita MahalKita Foundation, for their work managing the Student Sponsorship Program on the ground. The remaining funds are used to directly support sponsored students and their families. Philippines Humanitarian uses its unrestricted funds to cover the additional program management costs.
Will I be able to sponsor the same student year after year?
Yes, we strongly encourage our sponsors to support their students through at least Grade 12. In fact, many of our sponsors have chosen to continue their support until their students graduate from college. The sponsorship rates do increase as students get into the higher grades and have more expenses. We absolutely understand if a sponsor is unable to pay those higher rates, and are grateful for the level of support they can provide.
There are rare times when a student has to leave our program because of unforeseen circumstances, such as a death in the family, additional financial burdens that necessitate their relocation, or their inability to go to school on a regular basis because of chronic illness. Thanks to our NGO partner, which carefully vets our student applicants and provides ongoing support to enrolled students, our student retention rate is over 95%. In the unlikely event that your student leaves our program, we will notify you immediately so you can decide whether to continue your involvement by sponsoring another student in need.
If I decide to sponsor a student, can I send my sponsored student a letter or email?
Students and sponsors are encouraged to communicate with each other via Philippines Humanitarian. The fastest and safest way to get a letter to your student is to email your message or a scanned copy of your letter to info@philippineshumanitarian.org. We will then forward your correspondence to the KapatidKita MahalKita Foundation (the certified NGO in the Philippines that administers our programs) who will distribute it to your sponsored student(s). You may also mail a letter to our offices at:
Philippines Humanitarian
124 South 400 East, Suite 400
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Or send letters directly to the KapatidKita MahalKita Foundation at:
KapatidKita MahalKita Foundation
ATTN: Eva Aquino, Program Director
83 Blk 3 Phase 3
Lupang Pangako
Payatas B, Quezon City 1119
PHILIPPINES
Please note that, for the protection of anyone involved in our program, we reserve the right to read any exchanges between sponsor and child.
Can I send my sponsored student a gift?
Many sponsors choose to send a financial gift to their students to mark the Christmas holiday, their students’ birthdays, or the successful completion of the school year. To do this, please use our General Donation Form and choose “Student Gifts” as the Purpose. On that form, note whether you would like the gift to go to just the student or to the student and their family.
We also offer our sponsors a chance to send gifts to their students every spring, when we host our Balikbayan Box Drive. Sponsors can drop off or mail their gifts to our offices, and we will include them in our annual shipment of school supplies, personal care items, and other necessities.
Does Philippines Humanitarian do anything other than the Student Sponsorship Program?
Yes! Philippines Humanitarian has several other programs that support our mission, including:
- Amelia S. Hernandez (ASH) College Scholarship – Obtaining a college degree is the most effective way for our students to break out of poverty, and increasing college graduation rates is essential to achieving our mission. Named after our founder, the ASH Scholarship Fund provides annual scholarships to college students who have outstanding academic performance, live in the impoverished regions of Payatas and Macabud, and have a commitment to “pay it forward.”
- Amelia’s Pantry – Learning is especially difficult on an empty stomach, which is why we established a feeding program in 2018. Implemented by our NGO partner in the Philippines, we provide daily meals to the children in Payatas five days a week. Often, it is the only meal a child will receive that day. In 2022, we extended Amelia’s Pantry to the remote village of Macabud, where families receive monthly grocery rations. For both programs, those served do not need to be a part of our Student Sponsorship Program.
- Balikbayan Box (Care Packages) Program – Care packages are sent at least once year to communities in need in the Philippines, including Payatas and Macabud. Contents usually include school supplies, toiletries, apparel, backpacks, and other materials needed by impoverished families in these communities. Sponsors of students may also send personal gifts through the Balikbayan Box program.
What is Philippines Humanitarian's impact?
Since we were approved by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2012, more than 452 elementary, high school, and college students have received much-needed educational sponsorships from the almost 200 individuals and businesses who have participated in our Student Sponsorship Program. Our organization also awarded 155 one-year college scholarships to students with outstanding academic performance and a commitment to “pay it forward.” In total, 79 of our students have graduated from college, and all are employed, many in their field of study.
About your donations and participation
How can I get involved and help Philippines Humanitarian?
There are many ways to get involved in any of the programs we offer:
- You can make personal donations.
- You can ask your company to match your personal donation.
- You can ask your company to be a corporate sponsor of one of our students.
- You can attend or sponsor our fundraising event.
- You can ask your company to be a corporate sponsor of our fundraising event.
- You can donate items for our Balikbayan Boxes.
Will my donation be tax-deductible?
Yes. Because Philippines Humanitarian (EIN 45-5327723) is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Does Philippines Humanitarian charge fees on donations?
Philippines Humanitarian does not charge any fees and 100% of your donation will be used as instructed. In fact, we pay any online transaction fees to ensure that your students get the full value of your contributions. Please note that, on average, we allocate about $3 of monthly student sponsorships for grade K-12 students, and $4 of monthly student sponsorships for college students, to our NGO partner in the Philippines for managing the Student Sponsorship Program on the ground. The remainder of student sponsorship contributions go directly to the students and their families.
What happens if I don't indicate how I'd like my donation to be used?
Donors have the option to designate their contributions as a General Donation, which allows us to use it where it is needed most. General donations are used to fund our college scholarship program, purchase supplies for our students and their families, support our NGO partner in the Philippines, and cover our operational costs.
How do I include Philippines Humanitarian as a beneficiary of my will or trust?
Please consult your lawyer about drafting a will that includes Philippines Humanitarian as a beneficiary in your will or trust.
Founded in 2000 by
Amelia and Diosdado Hernandez
Headquartered in
Salt Lake City, Utah
452
Total number of students who have been a part of our Student Sponsorship Program
67
Sponsored students who are female
79
College graduates since 2013
155
Total number of 1-year college scholarships granted
96
2024 student retention rate