Frequently Asked Questions

About our organization

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, improve their lives, and look forward to their future.

Who started Philippines Humanitarian?

Philippines Humanitarian was started as a grassroots organization more than 20 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 primarily on individual and corporate contributions for revenue. A fundraising event is also held annually to raise money (currently constituting approximately 25% of total revenue). Additionally, applying for grants is an ongoing endeavor that we hope will generate a larger percentage of future revenue.

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

If I decide to sponsor a student, can I send my sponsored child a letter or email?

Students and sponsors are encouraged to communicate with each other via Philippines Humanitarian. The fastest 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
Lonergan Center, Loyola House of Studies
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
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.

Tell me about the different programs that Philippines Humanitarian offers.

Philippines Humanitarian offers the following programs that support our mission to provide indigent students with the resources they need to get an education and escape poverty:

  • Student Sponsorship – Central to our organization 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.
  • 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.

Can I send my sponsored child a personal gift?

Yes! Please contact us at (801) 613-8189 or send an email to info@philippineshumanitarian.org if you are interested in sending a personal gift to your student. We do not recommend that our sponsors send packages with any monetary value (including checks or cash) through the Philippine postal service. If possible, please include your gifts in the Balikbayan Boxes we send at least once a year (typically in May) or ask us about making a direct wire transfer for cash gifts.

Will I be able to sponsor the same child 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 whatever 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.

What is Philippines Humanitarian's impact?

Since we were approved by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2012, more than 385 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 121 one-year college scholarships to students with outstanding academic performance and a commitment to “pay it forward.” In total, 61 of our students have graduated from college, and almost 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 “unrestricted.” Unrestricted income is used to fund our college scholarship program, purchase needed 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.

Amelia S. Hernandez founder of philippines humanitarian

Founded in 2000 by
Amelia and Diosdado Hernandez

ph-in-slc

Headquartered in
Salt Lake City, Utah

385

Sponsored students

67

Sponsored students that are female

61

College graduates since 2013

34

ASH Scholars currently in college

52

Students in pre-college or college