By-Laws / How It Works

1. CHILDREN MUST BE UNDER 18 AND HAVE PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION TO BELONG (ANY CHILD OVER 18 AND STILL A MEMBER OF A CHILDREN’S ORGANIZATION MAY BE ENROLLED)

2. THIS PROGRAM IS TOTALLY ANONYMOUS. MEMBER CHILDREN WILL BE ENROLLED ONLY THROUGH CHURCHES, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, PARENTS, AND/OR GUARDIANS USING FIRST NAMES, LAST INITIAL, GENDER, BIRTH DATE, AND ORGANIZATION CONTACT.

3. ADULT MEMBERS MUST BE 21 YEARS OLD OR OLDER.

4. ADULT MEMBERS MUST BE REFERRED OR KNOWN BY OTHER ADULT MEMBERS.

5. THERE IS NO FEE FOR CHILDREN TO BELONG TO THE PROJECT. A SUGGESTED DONATION OF $10 FOR ADULT MEMBERS IS NOT MANDATORY.

6. ALL MATCHED MEMBERS MUST LIVE WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE TO ONE ANOTHER. IF, AFTER BEING MATCHED, ONE OR THE OTHER MOVES, THE OPTION TO BE REASSIGNED IS UP TO THE ADULT.

7. ONLY ONE CHILD WILL BE MATCHED WITH EACH MEMBER, EXCEPT FOR TWINS OR OTHER MULTIPLES.

8. ONCE THE CHILD REACHES 18, THE ADULT MAY, IF THE CHILD AGREES, HAVE CONTACT WITH THE CHILD AND IS ALSO ELIGIBLE TO BE ASSIGNED ANOTHER CHILD.

9. IF NO CHILD HAS THE SAME BIRTHDAY AS A NEW MEMBER, AND ONE IS NOT REGISTERED WITHIN 60 DAYS, THE ADULT MEMBER HAS THE OPTION OF BEING ASSIGNED A CHILD BORN NEAREST THEIR BIRTHDAY.

10. CHILDREN WHOSE BIRTHDAYS ARRIVE BEFORE THEY ARE MATCHED WILL STILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH A GIFT FROM THE PROJECT. THE TYPE AND COST OF THE GIFT WILL BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD, BUT MUST NOT EXCEED $50.

11. THE ADULT MEMBER AGREES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ASSIGNED CHILD’S BIRTHDAY IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY. HOW THIS IS DONE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT, IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ADULT MEMBER IN AGREEMENT WITH THE GUARDIANS, ALL ARRANGED THROUGH THE MAIN CONTACT ORGANIZATION.

12. ADULT MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED, BUT NOT REQUIRED, TO ANONYMOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR ASSIGNED CHILD AT OTHER TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.