"You Cannot Do a Kindness Too Soon, For You Never Know When it Will be Too Late"

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who and what is Lithuanian Orphan Care? We are a division of the Human Services Council of the Lithuanian American Community, Inc. We are volunteers, and our expenses are held to a bare bones minimum. We do not have an 800 phone number or a plush office. In fact, we're lucky we can find the one desk we do have. We spend no money advertising. Our goal is to give virtually every cent we collect to our families.

In Lithuania, we work with Countryside Children's Fund, as well as Grazina Landsbergis and her children's fund. We also work with poor schools, several priests, and small group homes. Many of our children are not technically orphans but, they are raised by single parents or grandparents. Many are living in small group homes where there is both a "mother and father". With this type of home, they are taught to be members of a family, and we encourage higher education, as well as technical training. We provide some student stipends to students.

If you would like to sponsor a child, you will receive the name, address, birth date, and any information we have about the child. The cost to sponsor a child is $150 dollars a year, but ANY size donation is welcome.

It is up to the sponsor to contact the child if he or she wishes. I know that some people in the past have been disappointed because their families did not respond. We cannot guarantee you will hear from the family, although we encourage them to write. Please remember that many of our older grandparents are unable to write, and many of our families are unschooled in the social graces. We do all in our power to encourage them to write and many of our families have loving relationships with their sponsors. For us to guarantee a letter a month, would mean that we would have to hire many people in Lithuania to go from house to house to sit with these families. At this point the cost would be too high and the families would have very little financial help from us. If you have encountered such a situation in the past, we would be happy to change your family when the year is over. So we ask for your patience and understanding.

If you can't sponsor a child, I would like to offer some "creative" financing that has proven successful. The holidays will be her soon. How about a few family members getting together and sponsoring a child in someone's name? Better yet, ask your family to sponsor a child for you in your name.

Those of you who belong to organizations might ask your group to sponsor a child. It doesn't have to be a Lithuanian organization; we have American scout groups, as well as Rotary sponsors. I received a very heart-warming letter from a woman in Washington who wrote that a couple from Maine had been very good to her. She wanted to let them know how much she appreciated them, so she sponsored a child in their name. The same woman also requested that her friends to buy her birthday gifts - she asked that checks be sent to Lithuanian Orphan Care.

How about a Christmas party for Lithuania's children or a pollyanna for Orphan Care? Do you really want to spend $10 dollars on something the person will never use? Save yourself some time and send the check to Orphan Care instead. Much of our sponsor gifts come from tributes in the names of departed loved ones. How about remembering your mother or grandmother who instilled that love for Lithuania in you so many years ago?

I'm sure you can come up with ways I never dreamed possible. Whatever method you use, it will be the right one for the right reason - for the forgotten children.

I want to thank the staff of Countryside Children and especially Regina Svoba, who spent so many hours with me in Lithuania. Birute Sasaitis, president of Lithuanian Orphan Care, spends hour after hour keeping the program afloat. Sincere thanks to the many volunteers who do the filing, and man the phones and computer.

But the greatest thanks goes to YOU, BRIDGES readers, who have opened not only your wallets, but your hearts to Lithuania's forgotten children. You have made Lithuania's children your children. Without you, many of the children would not have a future. You have given them the most precious gift of all - hope.

For more information and to send your tax-deductible gifts, contact;

Lithuanian Orphan Care
2711 W. 71st St.
Chicago, IL 60629

(Please note BRIDGES in your correspondence.)