Why Invest in Community-Based Organizations
Orphanages are costly to maintain and can only serve a small percentage of the large numbers of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. More importantly, institutional care does not meet the developmental and long-term needs of young people. By separating children from vital sources of their identity and support – their extended families and communities – orphanages fail to prepare them for independent life. Investing in community-based organizations strengthens communities and enables children to benefit from the care, personal attention, and socialization that family and community life provide.

What Your Money Can Do
100% of your donation to Firelight will go towards funding grassroots organizations and supporting the needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa:

• For less than $75, you can provide tuition, a uniform, and books for an elementary school student for one year.

• $200 funds a workshop on HIV/AIDS prevention for 50 youth, who then act as peer educators, raising awareness in their communities.

• $500 provides start-up capital via a rotating fund to five families as they undertake small business ventures to improve their economic security as caregivers.

• $1,000 supports the annual salary of a community coordinator of outreach activities to children affected by HIV/AIDS.

• $5,000 to $10,000 provides a year of operating support to many of Firelight’s volunteer-led organizations.

Other Ways That You Can Make a Difference

• Educate Yourself
  Firelight’s work is guided by the shared principles set forth in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and Principles for Programming (see page 9). Please visit our website at www.firelightfoundation.org to access these documents and to learn more about children and AIDS.

• Educate Your Community
  Give a presentation to a community group or your faith-based community. Invite family and friends over to discuss
  HIV/AIDS in Africa. Distribute the UNICEF fact sheet, available online at: http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_publications.html

• Act
  Show your support for an organization doing effective work to address the pandemic and its consequences by giving your time, talents, or expertise.

• Advocate
  Write a letter, encouraging increased funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. To find out more about the Global Fund, visit their website at: www.globalfundatm.org

Ways to Support the Firelight Foundation

Firelight can receive donations for direct support of its grantmaking efforts in a variety of ways. Donations made to the Firelight Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent of U.S. Internal Revenue Service regulations.

100% of donations will be applied to grant awards in support of community-based organizations providing direct, effective services to vulnerable children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Firelight’s administrative and program costs are fully covered through its endowment. All donations will be acknowledged in writing within two weeks of the date of donation.

Contributions may be made in one of the following ways:

• Donations
  Firelight accepts donations made in cash or by check.

• Stock Transfers
  Stocks may be transferred to the Firelight Foundation via accounts at either Goldman Sachs or Northern Trust Bank.

• Donating through the Firelight Foundation Advised Fund at the Tides Foundation
  To facilitate donations from private foundations or donor advised funds, Firelight has set up a donor advised fund at the Tides Foundation, San Francisco. Firelight works with TIDES to see that grants are awarded to eligible Firelight grantee-partners. A small administrative fee is associated with this fund.

• ‘Gift of Hope’ Donations
  In exchange for a financial donation, Firelight will send a ‘Gift of Hope’ card on behalf of a donor to honor someone special, to commemorate a holiday, or to mark an anniversary.

• Gifts In-Kind
  In-kind donations are gratefully accepted. They will be acknowledged and valued for tax deduction purposes at their fair market value.

• Volunteering at Firelight
  Firelight is fortunate to have the support of numerous local volunteers including a few ‘virtual volunteers’, who work via email and the internet. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our office.

To discuss any aspect of making a contribution, please contact:

Jennifer Astone, Director, at jastone@firelightfoundation.org or Caitlin Brune, Fundraising Team Leader, at caitlin@firelightfoundation.org, or phone us at (831) 429-8750.