2.

LETTER WRITING

"Letters from sponsored are the most important communication Unbound sends to sponsors."
These are the only means that allows continual and deepened communication between the
sponsor and sponsored member in spite of the distance and diversity of culture. Their lives
become connected through personalized letters. The purpose of the letters is to make care,
love, compassion, friendship and understanding grow between both of them.

In order to strengthen these relationships, Unbound requires two letters and one Christmas or
yearend greeting each year from each sponsored member. This section details the guidelines
and requirements for the different types of letters that the sponsored members send to their
sponsors reflecting the authenticity of the sponsorship program.

2.1 Types of Letters

2.1.1 Welcome Letters

Definition

Is the first communication from a newly sponsored member to his or her new sponsor. Through
the welcome letter, the sponsored member acknowledges to the sponsor that he/she is aware
of the new relationship. The letter should contain general information about the sponsored
member, his/her family, and the goal(s) being pursued through sponsorship. The letter might
also include specific information about the benefits to be received. If a sponsored member
becomes sponsored by a new individual, he or she will be required to write a welcome letter to
the new sponsor.

Contents

● General information about the sponsored member, his/her family – information must be
specific to the member such as grade level, likes, hobbies, dreams and aspirations; family
situation (siblings, parents & their work, challenges, health).
● Sponsored Members may also give a general description of the community where
he/she lives, culture, day to day living.
● May also mention the benefits the sponsored member will be receiving through
sponsorship
● Note of thanks for the gift of sponsorship. It is important that the member acknowledges
the new relationship and is grateful for being sponsored.
● Sponsored members can also have questions to the sponsors that will create relationship
building
Process

● CaRD staff and SDW will regularly review the welcome notifications in portal.
● The CaRD will give a reminder if there is a new sponsored member with late status.
Sending a welcome and pending list to the subproject can be done daily, weekly, or
monthly depending on the project’s practice.
● SDW will notify the correspondence officer/facilitator/parent leader/service scholar thru
messenger/phone call, or other communication platforms available of newly sponsored
member/s in their community.
● Upon notification from SDW, the correspondence officer/facilitator/ service scholar will
inform the family of the sponsored member that he/she already has a sponsor and
needs to make a welcome letter.
● The SDW, correspondence officer/facilitator, and service scholars will facilitate
orientation through home visitation or via virtual interview/life dialogue with newly
sponsored member/s in their community regarding letter content such as relationship
building, self-introduction, family, education, hobbies, appreciation for the gift of
sponsorship, community/environment, culture, weather. There is no specific length for a
welcome letter. The sponsored members can share more of themselves which the
sponsors will appreciate.
● Typed welcome letters must be sent through any social media platform,
messenger/email of the subproject staff/SDW by either service scholar/parent
leader/correspondence officer who has access to the internet.
● Handwritten welcome letters can be hand-carried by sponsored
member/parent/correspondence facilitator/officer/service scholar to sub-project office
and must be submitted in flat stacks. Letters will be scanned and labelled
● SDW needs to review the welcome letters received to ensure that the letters were
created according to set guidelines before sending the final copy to CaRD.
● Welcome letters must be sent by SDW directly to CaRD or designated CARD Staff
respective email address (INTL) for uploading to the digital letter page in Portal.
● SDW with the help of correspondence facilitator/officer and service scholar will track the
whereabouts of the sponsored member in the welcome list. If the sponsored member is
no longer in the community, untraceable, deceased, an exit page must be completed
after an intervention report is approved and must be retired within the 60-day period.

Submission Timeline

 The timeline of the Welcome letter refers to the sponsorship begin date in Portal.
 Subprojects are given a maximum of 30 days from the begin date to have the
sponsored member write their welcome letters.
STAGES CATEGORY INTERVENTION CONSEQUENCE PERSONS
S RESPONSIBLE
1st Level Letter Due CaRD-in-charge None CaRD-in-
to give follow- Charge and
up list of names SDW
for pending
welcome letters
2nd Level Letter Due CaRD-in-charge Friendly CaRD-in-
to give follow- Reminder Charge and
up list of names SDW
for pending
welcome letters
3rd Level Late Letter CaRD Head to Inter-department CaRD Head
follow-up Sub- Memorandum and SPC
Project
Coordinator of
the Pending
Welcome
Letters
4th Level Retirement Project Project PC, SPC and
Warning Coordinator to Memorandum SDW
follow-up Sub-
Project
Coordinator and
Social
Development
Worker of the
Pending
Welcome
Letters
2.1.2 Regular Letters

Definition

A regular letter is a personalized letter written by a sponsored member to his/her sponsor/s

twice a year. It is the common means of communication of a sponsored member to his/her
sponsor. It contains updates on the sponsored child/youth education status, achievements,
impact of the Unbound program to their families, challenges, as well as personal/family goals.
The purpose of letter writing is to build a deep connection between the sponsored member and
sponsor who despite the geographical and cultural differences can create a relationship that is
beautiful, meaningful and respectful impacting both lives.

Contents

 Current information about the sponsored member. This includes information about the
current family situation, interests, community, culture, daily life, challenges, academic
performance, current grade level, favorite subjects, school activities, health status, and
any other subject of interest.
 Engage the sponsor. Relationship building is not limited to asking questions about a
sponsor’s life, request for a letter or photo, it is the sincere expression of interest in the
sponsor’s life. Blessings alone should not be considered an attempt to engage the
sponsor in conversation. SDW must guide sponsored members in this aspect and thus
teach them how to develop good relationships through letters.
 Personalized. Sponsored members should write letters on their own as much as possible.
If a sponsored member is unable to write and a letter is written on their behalf, the
author must be clearly identified (name and relationship to the member) and express the
reason why the member cannot write. For younger children or members with special
needs, they may send a drawing to accompany a letter from a family member, social
worker, or project staff, though this is not required. Elderly are encouraged to write
letters on their own too. If not possible, a family member, social worker, must write the
letter on his/her behalf.
 Appropriate subject matter. Contents must be specific to the sponsored member. Avoid
direct or indirect requests or language that may make a sponsor feel pressured to send
additional assistance, instead express appreciation for the sponsor’s efforts to help.
Opinions about current events or happenings may be included but make sure they do
not create a negative or stressful feeling on the part of the sponsor.

Process
 1. CaRD/SDW must regularly check letter reminders report in portal for members who are
almost in ‘letters due’ status. It must be noted that each sponsored member with a
sponsor should write a letter to their sponsor every 6 months.

Regular Letter Timeline

2. CaRD should send monthly “Pending Letters List” to all SPC/SDW as notification and
reminder with the instruction to prioritize letters in “Late” and “Retirement Warning
status”.
3. Letters in “late” and “retirement warning” must be prioritized for letter writing and
submission.
4. Before asking for a regular letter, it is important to check the Mail with No Reply Sent
report to see if the sponsor has sent a letter or e-letter recently that still needs a reply. In
this case, a sponsored member should include a reply in their regular letter.
5. Inter-department memo should be issued to staff citing the specific date of submission
for letters which are labeled as “urgent”.

 Letters in retirement warning must be submitted immediately, 15 days from the

date, they appear as “Retirement Warning” in the letter reminders list.
 Letters in “Late” status must be submitted 30 days from the first date they appear
as “Late” in the letter reminders list.
2.1.3 Reply Letters

Definition

A reply letter is written by the sponsored member in response to a letter sent by the sponsor. A
sponsored member expresses gratitude as it acknowledges the content of mail received and
responds to the letter or questions of the sponsor.

Contents

● High quality reply letters are timely, accurate and complete.

● Sponsored members must mention what was received – letters or gifts, the sponsor
has sent. They must provide answers to questions a sponsor asked.

● Ensures continuity of the conversation, follow up questions may be asked and must
demonstrate sincere interest in what the sponsor has shared in his letter.

● Musts provide as much detail about the sponsored members as a regular letter while
also responding to the questions and comments from the sponsor’s letter. Remember
that a reply letter counts as a regular letter, thus must satisfy the requirements of a
regular letter and not simply thank the sponsor for the letter/items received.

Process

1. Correspondence officers/facilitators/scholars inform sponsored members through any digital

communication platforms during self-help group meeting and home visits that they need to
make letters for their sponsors.
2. If a sponsored member is scheduled to write a letter, check the Mail with No Reply Letter Sent
report in Portal to see if the sponsor has sent a letter or e-Letter recently that still needs a reply.
If there is a letter or e-Letter that needs a reply, the sponsored member should respond to the
letter(s).
3. If the sponsor writes frequently, the sponsored member may respond to multiple letters in
one and is not necessary to reply individually to each letter the sponsor sends.
4. Once the sponsored member receives the sponsor’s mail/ e-letter he or she must submit a
reply letter within a quarter, and if the reply letter to be included in the regular letter it can only
be allowed for six months.

Acknowledgement Letters Important to Sponsors (Criss Cross Volume 18 Issue 3)

Many sponsors send letters and photos to their sponsored friends. These sponsors expect to
receive confirmation that their sponsored friend received these items via the sponsored
member’s letters. This acknowledgement is not only to thank the sponsors, but serves as an
excellent way to verify the credibility of the organization. It is not necessary to send a separate
acknowledgement letter in addition to regular letters. All letters, including those that
acknowledge items from sponsors, should comply with the regular letter requirements and will
receive a regular letter credit.
2.1.4 Christmas or Year-End Greetings

Definition

Provides an opportunity to share in each other’s tradition and is also part of the larger inter-faith dialogue
that Unbound hopes to foster. Projects should send Christmas/year-end greetings for all sponsored
members, but these will not count toward a sponsored member’s letter-writing requirements.

Contents

● Greetings must be appropriate to the age of the sponsored member.

● Personalized. It is preferred that the card is handmade and greetings written and signed by the
sponsored member. If a sponsored member is unable to write, a person writing on behalf must be
identified.

Process

● SDW shall announce in a meeting with correspondence officers/facilitators and services scholars
about the schedule of greeting card making.
● The subproject staff reminds the service-scholars and leaders on how they could assist sponsored
in making a personalized, authentic and meaningful greetings that is written legibly.
● Sponsored may ask the help of family members, service-scholars or leaders in designing their
greeting cards but the members will be the one to put their desired color and ensures its neat
appearance. If someone had assisted the sponsored family, it is advised to mention this in the
content.
● Each member will first draft their greeting message for their sponsors and will be checked by
correspondence facilitator or service scholar before transferring it to the card.
● Writing of a greeting card can be integrated during activities and home visit to sponsored
members.
● The correspondence facilitator/officer will collect the greeting cards of the sponsored members
and bring them to the subproject office for final checking of SDW and submission to CaRD in the
coordinating unit
● Once with correction, returned the card to the correspondence facilitator/officer and explained the
reason of returned and then give it back to the parents/guardians or their representative.

Projects may send a photo of the sponsored member’s family, a personalized greeting from
each sponsored member, or an alternative greeting. Please avoid store-bought cards, or cards
that appear overly expensive. Family photos or cards made by sponsored members or by the
project are preferred.
Possible alternative greetings (applies to hardcopy Christmas/year-end greetings):

 A greeting from project staff telling how the holidays are celebrated in the project or
area
 A photo of sponsored children (8-10 children) doing a Christmas or other holiday
activity, with those children identified and a little information about each one, made into
a card from the project.
 A staff photo with Christmas or end-of-year greetings from the staff.
 Video messages (a personalized, informative, and caring video message that help our sponsors
understand the structure of the program in their sponsored friend's project)

After analyzing the impact of the video messages sent by the project coordinators in 2020 instead of the
individual Christmas greetings, and taking into account the positive reaction of the sponsors, Unbound
decided to continue with this same method in the year 2021. We will not require an individual Christmas
greeting from sponsored members this year.

Projects wishing to send an alternative greeting must seek approval of the Regional Project
Specialist at Unbound Kansas through the CaRD head.

Christmas/year-end greetings requirements:

 Greetings must fit into either the size of envelope for regular letters or must be no larger
than 14 x 21.5 cm (5.5 x 8.5 inches).
 Do not place three dimensional decorative items onto the cards such as beads, beans,
rice, glitter, buttons, ribbons, craft foam, etc.
 Do not include dates on greetings.
 Ensure that there are no loose items included with cards that could fall out during
processing.
 Labels should be placed in the upper-right corner on the front or back of the cards,
based on which position covers less of the design of the cards. Please be consistent with
your placement of labels to ensure quick processing in Unbound Kansas. The entire
barcode of the label should be visible.
 Greetings should have a neat, clean appearance and should not have smudges or torn
edges.
 Greetings should not be placed in envelopes.
 If greetings require folding, they should be folded individually. This saves processing
time in Kansas and makes it easy to ensure no two greetings are stuck together when
sent to sponsors.

Whatever kind of greeting the subprojects choose, the holiday greetings should be forwarded at
the Coordinating Unit no later than 15 th of October in order to leave sufficient time for the
Project and Kansas in processing and mailing so that sponsors will receive the greetings by
Christmas.
2.1.5 Farewell Letters

Definition
The retirement of a sponsored member from the program is a critical moment in sponsor
satisfaction and retention. The sponsor’s experience of the retirement impacts the likelihood
that the sponsor will continue with a new sponsorship. Quality and timely farewell letters are key
to sponsor satisfaction.

Note: The contents of this section specifically address farewell letters. For more information
about retirement of sponsored members, see the “Retirement from the Sponsorship Program”
section of the Sponsorship Manual.

When is a Farewell Letter Required?

A Farewell Letter is required for all sponsored members who are about to exit from the
program. The table below gives the reasons for retirement and its timeline for submission of
Farewell Letters:

Reason of Retirement Submission timeline

Graduated within the month of Graduation

Move out from the area (no
on the 3rd month
contact for 2 months)
Sponsored member died process the farewell letter within the month
Economic situation improves 1-3 months
with prior assessment or basis
Non participation or inactive after 3 consecutive months of non-compliance
Started work within a month after the intervention process
Demotivated to study (1 year) on the 11th month after intervention process
Academic challenges (2-year within a month after the intervention process
repeater) (for plenary deliberation)
Duplicate in database as soon as possible

Exceptional Cases

As Unbound is committed to uphold Child, Youth and Elder Protection Policy, retirement of
sponsored members under special circumstances is highly valued. Hence, exceptions are placed
to give utmost consideration, proper monitoring and appropriate intervention.

These cases refer to sponsored members who shall not immediately be retired from the
program without prior assessment of the Social Development Worker: (for Post-Conference
further discussion)

 ABUSES – refer to physical, sexual, domestic violence, psychological or emotional,

mental/psychological, cultural/identity and verbal abuse. In any event that a sponsored
 member would feel demotivated to participate in Unbound programs and/or study, this
will not be a ground for retirement.
 STARTED A FAMILY – sponsored members who have started a family specifically getting
pregnant, impregnating his partner, living in together, eloped, engaged, fixed marriage
and/or marrying following traditional practices (religious practices and customs on
immediate marriages) are not grounds for termination UNLESS these reasons resulted to
their non-compliance to the program and correspondence requirements.
 ACADEMIC CHALLENGES – sponsored members who encounter difficulty in continuing
their studies due to:
a. Health Reasons
b. Change of goal
c. Family Problems
d. Demotivated to study
Are retirements depending on Social Development Workers’ post-assessment,
intervention and recommendation.

Contents (Excerpt from Unbound Correspondence Manual 2.1.4)

There are many ways to write a good farewell letter. No two letters will likely be the same.
Farewell letters should follow the same criteria as other correspondence. Good farewell letters
will usually contain the following characteristics:

Written by Sponsored Member – It is the responsibility of the sponsored member to write the
farewell letter whenever possible. In cases when the sponsored member or a family member is
unable to write, the staff member who works most closely with the sponsored member should
write the farewell letter on his/her behalf in order to ensure that the farewell letter is
personalized. The author of the letter should identify themselves by name and relationship he
sponsored member.

Positive Attitude – Even at times when a sponsored member has not met her/his goal, it is
likely that the sponsorship has still had a positive effect on the individual. Therefore, the
message contained in the farewell letter should be positive. Celebrate accomplishments
whenever possible. When applicable, state the level of education that the sponsored member
was able to attain.
A farewell letter with a negative tone may cause a sponsor to have a negative feeling towards
the value of sponsorship, which may cause them to not choose to sponsor again. Avoid using
words or phrases that portray a negative feeling or judgment against the child or family such as
“failure,” “disappointment” or “unfortunately.”

If a sponsored member or the family is no longer participating or complying with program

policies, try to focus the letter on the accomplishments achieved during the time sponsored
(such as educational attainment or improvements in the family’s situation) and describe any
additional factors that might explain why the child/family is no longer participating. If the family
has moved out of the area or their economic situation has improved, for example, it is
understandable that they are no longer going to be active in the program, and the letter should
focus more on the reasons they are not active in the program than on the fact that they are not
participating.
Detailed Retirement Reason – Since sponsors only hear from their sponsored friends
occasionally, retirements can often come as a surprise. Be sure to include details that help to
explain the reason for retirement.
If the retirement might be coming at an unexpected time, sponsors appreciate a brief
description of the steps taken by the project prior to choosing retirement. However, please
avoid including details about program specifics and/or policies that may be unfamiliar to
sponsors.

If a sponsored member is leaving the program to move to the USA, please do not include this
specific information in the farewell letter. Unbound strives to keep both sponsored members
and sponsors safe, and sharing that a sponsored friend is moving to the country where the
majority of sponsors live may increase the likelihood that the sponsor will try to contact them.

Outcomes from Sponsorship – Outcomes from sponsorship are both tangible and intangible.
While it might be easy to list items that a sponsored member received as benefits, remember
the intangible benefits have a great value as well. The farewell letter should answer the
questions ‘how is the individual’s life different as a result of sponsorship?’ or ‘what opportunities
has sponsorship provided that might otherwise not have been available to the individual?’

Appreciation – Since a farewell letter often represents the end of a significant relationship, it is
appropriate for a sponsored member to express appreciation to his/her sponsor for their
support.

Personalization – Personalization is more than a name on the top of the page. While the name
is certainly important, contents of the letter should also be personalized. Avoid form letters.
Include details specific to that sponsored member and sponsorship relationship. If someone is
writing on behalf of the sponsored member, refer to the sponsored member in a personal way
and not by last name or his/her identification number.

Please do not include the number of years the sponsored member has been in the program. It is
difficult to find the correct number of years they have been sponsored by their current sponsor.
Kansas is unable to send farewell letters that have an incorrect number of years.

Label/Date – Clearly label and date the farewell letter. Criteria for dating and labeling
correspondence is discussed more thoroughly below and in other sections of this manual.

Appropriateness – While the author of a farewell letter may encourage a sponsor to consider
sponsoring again, it is not appropriate to request that a specific individual be sponsored. It is
also important that farewell letters not encourage ongoing contact or communication following
retirement.

Timeliness – Farewell letters should be submitted as soon as possible after being written. Exit
pages should be submitted to Unbound Kansas no more than 60 days after the farewell letter is
written.
Process

Communications and Records Staff ensure quality and standard Farewell Letters that are to be
submitted in Unbound-Kansas and are uploaded, reviewed and approved in Portal system.

 Graduates – sponsored members who have completed their educational goal.

 The Social Development Worker monitors in advance the potential graduates for the
school year and submits a list of names who are graduating to the Communications
and Records Department.
 The graduates are to submit their Farewell Letters within the month of their
graduation date. It is also encouraged to include graduation photos along with it.
 The Social Development Worker should ensure that all Farewell Letters of graduates
are complied within the month.
 The Communications and Records staff should monitor the timely submission of the
graduate’s Farewell Letter within the month and this is to be processed immediately.

 Child/Elder Died – sponsored members who met their unexpected death due to illness,
disease, accidents, old age and other related events.

 The Social Development Worker informs the Communications and Records staff
about the passing of the sponsored member personally, thru phone call or text or
social media.
 SDW creates the Exit Page for deceased member for CaRD’s proper processing of the
retirement immediately.
 The Social Development Worker should ensure that the Farewell Letter written by the
deceased’s family member or guardian is submitted within the month.
 The Communications and Records staff should monitor the timely submission of the
deceased’s Farewell Letter within the month and this is to be processed immediately.

 Other reasons of retirement – Social Development worker submits farewell letter of

sponsored members accompanied with their approved post-assessment outcomes,
intervention or case closure report, i.e., Economic Situation Improved, Non-Participation
or Inactive, Started to Work, Moved-out of Area, Demotivated to Study and No Longer
Meets Program Requirements. These Farewell Letters are processed within the above-
mentioned retirement timeline.

Important: If a sponsored member is under the Retirement Warning category, it is advised that
their Farewell Letter should be submitted to the Communications on or before the 15 th of the
month.
[Link] Exit Pages

All beneficiaries who are in Sponsored status at the time of retirement should submit a farewell
letter when an Exit Page is created in Portal. Beneficiaries who are in Change of Sponsor,
Benefits Through, or Available statuses are not required to submit a farewell letter when
creating an Exit Page.

CaRD Staff uploads the Farewell Letter in the Digital letter page after it is reviewed, and an Exit
page in Portal will be created by the Social Development worker specifying the reason for
retirement and other important details. These retirements should be notified to
Communications and Records Department verbally or thru tri-media platforms for immediate
processing.

Only the Communications and Records staff hold the responsibility of reviewing and approving
Farewell Letters and Exit Pages in Portal and submit them to Kansas for approval.

Frequently Monitoring Exit pages in progress is a must for CaRD staff ensuring that farewell
letters are attached and processed accordingly.

 When a sponsored member passes away, it is required to immediately submit an Exit

Page in Portal explaining the circumstances of the death in detail, even if a farewell letter
is not yet available. This allows Unbound-Kansas to quickly communicate this news to
sponsors. After the retirement is processed, farewell letters for these sponsored
members can be uploaded for up to 30 days.

 If a response to an Update Request indicates that an individual should be retired, a

farewell letter is required for any individual that has a sponsor.

 CaRD staff should regularly review created Exit Page in Portal and monitor the approval
of retirement by Unbound Kansas to ensure that the sponsored member is completely
retired from the program.
2.1.6 Personalized Goal in Letters

Personalized goals in letters contain sponsored members’ and their families’ aspirations,
dreams, hopes and ways to achieve their set of objectives. These could be related to their
education, habits, health, livelihood, wellness and positive change that they would like to bring
forth in their lives.

Unbound aims to prioritize quality connection therefore written goals from sponsored members
are required in their letters. This is also reflected in their “My Goal booklet” to help them
prepare and reach their fullest potential.

This is equally important for the sponsors to better their understanding to Unbound programs
and their benefits. Sponsors get to feel the sense of partnership with Unbound as they help their
sponsored members accomplish their success.

Setting of goals for children, youth and elders can be long-term or short-term. They could also
differ depending on age, strengths and aspirations.

Goal Setting

As Unbound’s purpose is to bring change to sponsored members’ lives, it is very vital to

document and monitor every sponsored member’s goal. Changing goals is normal. Unbound
does not evaluate goals, its purpose is to provide a common language for the sponsored
members and their sponsors as to what they want to achieve thru the sponsorship program and
make it happen.

Through this, it would serve as a strong guide to Unbound, sponsors, Social Development
Workers and leaders to work in harmony with sponsored families in providing relevant
programs and utilization of benefits towards the realization of their goals.

Long-term goals – These pertain to well-planned goals that need commitment and hard work
which usually takes many years to attain. This gives a sense of direction and responsibility to the
sponsored members to work for their dreams in partnership with their sponsors. These also
comprise of achieving a couple of smaller short-term goals.

Short-term goals – These pertain to focused goals that could be attained within a short period.
It allows the sponsored members to bridge the gaps from their current situation to what they
want to be in the near future. These would mold and lead them to the path of their bigger
dreams.

Long-term and short-term goals correlate to each other. Monitoring these goals for the
sponsored members would ensure that they are not just hoping and dreaming for betterment
but they also have a definite plan and action to achieve them.

Classification of Goals
 Educational Goals – refers to the goals connected to the education of the child until
they would graduate, e.g., goals related to specific subject, project, exams, grades,
competitions, skills, and capabilities that they want to improve.

For elders, educational goals could be learning new skills or honing their expertise in a
certain field.
 Economic Goals – refers to the goals that emphasizes income-generating activities,
livelihood, expanding their existing businesses and saving for future and financial
stability.
 Health and Wellness Goals – refers to the goals that highlights one’s efforts in shaping
their physical and mental health. This could also be addressing their illnesses as to its
treatment, therapy and medication, e.g., eating healthy foods, regular physical activity,
taking multivitamins, getting enough sleep, anxiety disorders or depression.
 Housing Goals – identifies family goals that relates to acquiring a house or a lot and
other house improvement.
 Interpersonal Goals – refers to the goals that intend to harmonize one’s relationship to
God, family, friends, peers and community, e.g., improving marital relationship of
parents, deepening of inter-faith worship, reconciling and sustaining respectful
connection with friends and peers, etc.
 Intra-personal Goals – refers to the goals that aim to the enhancement and discovery
of one’s abilities, talents and skills that could be shared, e.g., learning to play the guitar,
singing, cooking, communication/technical skills, etc.
 Behavioral Goals – refers to the goals that focuses on improving one’s habits or
attitudes which enables sponsored members to reflect on their personal values and
lifestyle for betterment, e.g., submitting Unbound requirements on time or breaking an
unhealthy habit.
 2.1.7 Letter Composition Guide Per Age Category

The following letter composition per age category applies to letters written by the sponsored
themselves with the exception of with special needs and PWD cases

CONTENT DESCRIPTION (AGES 6 BELOW) (AGES 7-12) (AGES 13-18) (AGES 19 (AGES 60 WITH SPECIAL
ABOVE) ABOVE) NEEDS /PWD

Authenticity of
Information – The need to
verify or clarify
information or shared
points with ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
corresponding
author/person writing in
behalf ensuring that
stories are accurate.

Age - appropriateness - Simple sentence Two or more At least 2 pages At least 2 pages of At least 2 pages The length and
choice of words, and use basic paragraphs of personalized personalized letter of personalized content stories
experiences and English letter letter depend on the
personalities are - Wider range of capability of the
applicable to a particular - Simple words - Shows - Wider range stories on their -Involvement to sponsored
sponsored member and - Simple Improveme of stories on involvement to activities in the member
their families. drawing and nt in words their school, family and
description of usage and involvement to community family, community - About health
the drawing grammar school, and social updates or
(if able); and - Drawing is community awareness and -Sharing of Life therapy sessions
- Can also also family, and interaction experiences attending
share about accepted social and their - Benefits
early with its awareness and - Share a more outlook in life received from
childhood description interaction clear vision in the sponsorship
realizing their - Share
experiences - May share and how does
- Greater goal and a something
about their this help;
capacity for definite plan after about their
household - Performed
setting goals graduating family situation,
chores, activities or
and sharing successes, daily
recent tasks;
about specific struggle and
experience - If attends special
progress - Share how they
s in school education
towards their something overcome such
and session or class;
goal about their challenges;
community - May also share
family situation, cultures,
; may also their talents,
- Share successes, daily traditions and
share their interests,
something struggle and practices.
hobbies hobbies, and
about their how they
and - May share abilities.
family overcome such
interests; about their - Share
situation, challenges;
- Progress household something
successes, cultures,
and chores, recent about their
daily struggle traditions and
specific experiences in family situation,
and how they practices.
developme school and successes, daily
overcome
nts (i.e., struggle and
 self, family, such community; how they
etc.) challenges; may also share overcome such
- For a more cultures, their hobbies challenges;
meaningful traditions and interests; cultures,
letter, they and traditions and
may write practices. - Personal practices.
in their growth and
own local achievement
dialect
- Share
(preferably
something
for those
about their
experiencin
current health
g difficulty
condition and
in English
or any
communica
physical
tion)
limitations

Personalization – letters
should be unique, not
formatted and
communicate the specific
details about the ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
sponsored member and
their goals, family and
community. Letters
should also provide a
short description of
attached photo or
artwork

Letter structure and

sponsorship information –
must conform with letter
presentation and contain
correct information of the
following; Header (Date,
child ID, sponsored ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
member name and
Subproject), salutation
(sponsor’s first name),
greetings, simple
introduction, body of the
letter, closing and
signature

Medium of language -
Should not be limited to
English, can be any ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
medium the child or
elderly finds most
comfortable expressing
himself or herself to
encourage confidence
and avoid fear or anxiety.
There is a need for a more
constructive and positive
 approach in coaching or
helping the child or
elderly.

Relationship building RB statements will Basic questions With Interest Interest to ask Asked RB statements will
statement – reflect in the not be required or queries to ask a little advance questions questions or not be required
letter the art of under this age about sponsor’s bit advanced or discussing issues under this age
questioning with varying category family questions or about sponsor’s concerning category
or specific questions discussing life or aspirations family and
designed to express a about sponsor’s community
more personal level of life or
friendship and the aspirations - Three to four (3-
interest to learn more - Three to four 4) relationship
-Three to four - Three to four
about their sponsor’s (3-4) building
(3-4) (3-4)
state or condition, relationship statements are
relationship relationship
feelings, significant events building derived from the
building building
or challenges. statements stories shared by
statements are statements are
are derived the sponsored in derived from
Letter indicates that an derived from
from the their letter to the stories
obvious the stories
stories shared sponsor shared by the
relationship/conversation shared by the
by the sponsored in
exists between the child sponsored in
sponsored in their letter to
and his/her sponsor their letter to
their letter to sponsor
(knows something about sponsor
sponsor
sponsor's life, name of
family member etc).

Supplemental mode of Sketch/Artwork/ Artwork/ Artwork/ Artwork/ Artwork/ Artwork/

communication – Drawing Painting/ Painting/ Painting/Drawing Painting/ Painting/Drawing
considers other creative Drawing Drawing Drawing
innovations on alternative Photo Photo Photo
modes of communication Photo Photo Photo
Greeting card Greeting card Greeting card
to sponsors in addition to
Greeting card Greeting card Greeting card
letters such as photo, Report card Report card Report card
artwork, greeting card Report card Report card Report card
and the like with 4 Activity Sheets Activity Sheets Activity Sheets
maximum attachments. Activity Sheets Activity Sheets Activity Sheets
Certificates Certificates Certificates
Certificates Certificates Certificates
(It is not necessary
(It is not or preferred for
necessary or older students to
preferred for include drawings
older students with their letters
to include unless this is truly
drawings with something the
their letters students enjoy
unless this is doing and want to
truly something include)
the students
enjoy doing
and want to
include)

Appropriateness – letter
should not include
contact information or
address, name of school,
direct or indirect request ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
of additional assistance,
offensive remarks. Photo
attachment should be
appropriate, clear and
dignified.

2.2 General Letter-Writing Requirements

2.2.1 Letter Content

Letters must be personalized and authentic and should be written by the sponsored member
whenever possible. A personal letter is essential in strengthening the relationship between
sponsor and sponsored and should express the unique personality of each sponsored member.

Portal letter reminder reports are the bases for sponsored members timeline of submitting their
letters. Thus, all Correspondence and Program staff should regularly check reminders for proper
notification to sponsored members.

 Sponsored members should write only their first name or “likes to be called name” and
optionally, their middle name in letters. They should not include their surnames (family
names) to decrease the likelihood that sponsors can contact them directly on social
media.
 Sponsored members should address sponsors by their first name(s) (unless it is a group
name or another situation where only the surname of a sponsor is available).
 If a letter is written on behalf of the sponsored member, the author of the letter must
identify him/herself using only his/her first name and optionally, his/her middle name.
The author must also include his/her relationship to the sponsored friend and explain
the reason the sponsored member is unable to write. If the same person writes on behalf
of a sponsored member who will never be able to write (for example, a member with
special needs, or an elder who is not able to read and write), or for a younger child who
is not yet able to write, they only need to identify themselves one time in the welcome
letter.
 Staff writing letters on behalf of a sponsored member should not refer to them as “the
client”, they must be referred to by their first name, not by their last name nor the child
identification number.
 Please do not include the full name of anyone in a letter. Examples might include, but
are not limited to Unbound staff members, family members, teachers, etc.
 Please do not include the name of the sponsored member’s school in letters. Younger
children or sponsored members with special needs may send drawings to accompany a
letter from a family member, a social worker, or project staff worker; however, this is not
required. Please do not include drawings that are not created by the sponsored
members themselves, as sponsors believe that any drawings on letters they receive are
created by their sponsored friends. It is not necessary or preferred for older students to
include drawings with their letters unless this is truly something the students enjoy
doing and want to include.
 Sponsored member’s personalized goals should be included in the letter. The progress
towards attaining these goals or updates about their goals should be documented in the
succeeding letters.
  “Form letters” (in which content is identical from letter to letter) are not permitted.
Sponsored member may refer to their journal, notebook, diary, and My Goal Booklet for
the significant events to include in the letter.
 Sponsored members must not include their address or any other personal contact
information, nor request this type of information from sponsors.
 Sponsored members should not request any type of additional financial assistance or
support from the sponsor. Projects have the right to retire any sponsored person who
fails to comply with this policy.
 Review each letter for appropriate content before sending letters
 Projects should develop a process for monitoring the monthly participation and letter
writing requirements of sponsored members and submit farewell letters for those
members who are not participating or complying with the requirements of the program.
Projects must not wait for Unbound-Kansas to retire sponsored members for no letters.
 Sponsored members are given the opportunity to share up to a maximum of 4 photos of
themselves, their family, friends, pets, or home, adding a personal touch even though the
sponsor is not receiving a handwritten letter. Photo should be clear and person must be
recognizable, adding a short description would also be very helpful. Photos with date
stamp are not acceptable. All photo attachments are reviewed prior to submission to
ensure that photos are appropriate to be shared to their sponsors.

2.2.2 Length and Style of a Letter

 Projects should use the Unbound stationery provided by Unbound-Kansas only if

sending hand-written letters. This stationery can be found on Portal.
 There is no specific length required for a letter, but letters should be sufficiently long
(refer to letter composition guide per age category) to include personalized details,
updates on the sponsored member’s goals and to engage in conversation with the
sponsor.
 Sponsored members must address the letter directly to their sponsor, using the
sponsor’s first name. Letters in which the sponsor’s name has been erased, whited-out or
written over create confusion or suspicion and will not be accepted. Likewise, letters
written to “Dear Sponsor” are not permitted.
 The handwriting on letters should be legible. Letters written in pen are strongly
preferred, as pencil is usually too light to read on scans (if applicable).
 For hand-written letters, all parts of the letter (name, date, sponsor’s name and body)
should be written by the sponsored member/author of the letter in the same
handwriting style throughout. If different handwriting is used throughout the letter,
sponsors may think that different people wrote different parts of the letter (if applicable).
 Letters should have a neat, clean appearance and not have smudges or torn edges (if
applicable).
 Colored paper should not be used for stationery or translations due to the cost of
printing digital letters with entire pages of colored ink. Only white paper should be used
(if applicable).
  Photocopies, electronic copies or summaries of letters sent to the sponsor should be
kept in the sponsored member’s individual member file. Digital copies, including digital
letters in Portal meet this requirement. All letters should include the date that the letter
was written. The date must be written by the author of the letter in the same handwriting
and color of ink as the rest of the letter. Letters in which the date has been erased,
corrected or written over create confusion or suspicion.
 Letters should be dated using the date, month and year and with the name of the month
written instead of numbered (For example: “22 January 2018” not “22/1/18”).
 Scanned hand-written letters and letters typed in Word documents should include the
CH ID number at the top of each page of the letter. The CH ID is automatically added to
letters typed directly in Portal.

2.2.3 Processing

 Sponsored members prepare their draft letters and assisted by the

SDW/Correspondence officers/facilitators/scholars in the review, correction and
translation process.
 If it is not possible for a sponsored member to send a typed message, the staff can also
write down the sponsored member’s message based on their conversation via text or a
transcribed letter from their phone call or during virtual visits. In this situation, the staff
at the beginning of the letter introduces themselves and explains that they could not
visit the sponsored member so they received the following updates through a phone
call.
 Handwritten regular letters can be hand-carried by sponsored
member/parent/correspondence facilitator/officer/service scholar to sub-project office
and must be submitted in flat stacks.
 Review typed letters before copying to digital letter page, and handwritten letters before
scanning to ensure that letter requirements are followed.
 Handwritten letters will be scanned and labeled through the digital correspondence
management program. Check if all letters are properly labeled, if not, labeling has to be
repeated for the entire batch.
 Create and submit letter batches by copying typed letters to the digital letter page. Each
batch must consist of a maximum of 30 - 50 letters. Avoid submitting small batches of
letters on the digital page.
 Regularly review Digital Letters Uploaded report to check for any letter declined by
Unbound Kansas. Reasons for decline should be noted and ensure the corrected letter is
reuploaded to digital page.
 CaRD must notify SDW in case of returned letters. SDW should immediately inform the
community and the sponsored member.
 For decline letters, the submission of re-written letters from the community should be
within a maximum of 30 days with the exception of letters in retirement warning status.
 Physical copy of the letter should be filed in the sponsored members’ individual folders
for future reference, although the digital copy in portal satisfies the requirement.
2.3 Do’s and Don’ts on Letters

DO’S DON’TS

Label •Label of the letter should be •Label used in the letter is not
computer-generated and placed updated
correctly in the upper right-hand
corner of the letter

Sponsor’s Name •Sponsored members must •Including the last name of the
address the letter directly to the sponsor and
sponsor, using the correct sponsored/guardian in any part
sponsor’s first name, unless it is of the letter.
a group name or wherein only •Letters written to Dear
the last name of a sponsor is Sponsor only are not permitted.
•Addressed as
available, and must be the same
"Grandpa"/"Grandma" etc.
as in the letter label.
(without the first name)
•If the sponsor's gender is •Incomplete name of
unknown, the sponsored or corresponding sponsors
author may address their •Different handwriting and ink
sponsor using the word as the body of the letter
"sponsor” and refrain from using •Letters in which sponsor’s
“sir/ma’am”. name has been erased, whited-
•Complete name of out or written over create
corresponding sponsors (If there confusion/ suspicion and will
are more than one name of not be accepted (applies to
sponsor, their names should handwritten letter)
appear on the letter, unless
there's a communication that
only one person should be
addressed)
•Same handwriting and ink as
the body of the letter
•Letter should be addressed to
the person appearing on the
label/portal regardless of who
wrote the letter received on
 behalf of the sponsor
•Can be addressed to sponsor's
nickname (for those who
received letter from sponsor and
requested to be called by his/her
nickname )

Date •Same handwriting and ink as •Different handwriting and ink

the body of the letter (applies to as the body of the letter
handwritten letter) (applies to handwritten letter)
•The date must reflect the day •Written in numeric/numbered
the letter was written and in the format (Samples are: (a)01-02-
same handwriting as the letter. 2020 or (b) 01/02/2020)
The date must coincide with the
•Abbreviated/shortened writing
content to avoid confusion on
of the month (02 Jan. 2020)
the part of the sponsor
•The required date format
should be day/month/year (25
December 2020)
Presentation •The overall appearance of the •Letters with dirt, stain, folded,
letter must be neat, clean and smudges or torn edges, etc.
presentable (applies to (applies to handwritten letter)
handwritten letter) •Used other stationery/paper
•Handwritten letter must be •Indented letter writing format
written only on the Unbound •The typed letter in upper case
stationery style
•Block letter writing format
•The handwriting/penmanship
of the sponsored is either in
sentence or uppercase style
(applies to handwritten letter)
Author Identified •The author of the letter must •The author of the letter
identify him/herself using only repeatedly identifies
their first name, explain their him/herself, explain their
relationship to the member, and relationship to the member,
provide the reason why the and the same reason why the
sponsored member is not sponsored member is not
available to write.
available to write in the
succeeding letter written by the
•NOTE: For sponsored members
and those with special needs, it same person.
is permissible not to repeatedly
explain the reason why someone
is corresponding on their behalf
(if the same person is writing).

•if the author of the letter is

other than the sponsored
member, the content should be
 in the third person point of view
Appropriateness • The handwriting of the letter •Changes in handwriting and/or
and the pen/ink color used must ink in all parts, i.e., name, date,
be consistent from the sponsor’s name, and body of
beginning until the end. the letter that can create
•A darker shade of pencil must confusion or suspicion for
be used for children below 5th sponsors (applies to
grade and with special needs. handwritten letter).
•An acronym used in the letter •Mentioning statements that
must be spelled out and words implies direct or indirect
written in other local dialects request asking favor of any
must be explained in English. means or any type of additional
•Friendly complimentary closes financial assistance or support
such as love and prayer, with full from the sponsor. Projects have
of gratitude, love and care. the right to decline the letter
that fail to comply with this
policy.
•Writing messages that require
obligatory commitment to the
sponsor such as “I hope you will
not stop helping me” and the
likes.
•Using the word “Foundation”
after the word Unbound should
be replaced with Family,
Organization, Community and
Movement or can be written as
is. The word Unbound is written
in all caps/capitalized.
•Using a sign pen, technical
pen, or friction pen in writing.
•Business letters’
complimentary closes like
respectfully yours, sincerely
yours, truly yours, etc.
•Inserting a word to correct an
incomplete sentence using a
caret grapheme (applies to
handwritten letter).
•use of any inappropriate words
that implies negative messages
and connotation
•writing style that seems too
mature/ immature compared to
the age of beneficiary
•questionable subject
matter/content, etc.
•Sponsored members must not
include their address or any
 other personal contact
information, nor request this
type of information from
sponsors or any direct contact
through social media.
Personalization •A letter must reflect the •Following a formatted type of
personality and characteristics of
letter writing. Letter appears to
the sponsored member (express be form letter or details are
the unique personality of each vague, confusing, and/or not
sponsored member). specific to that child.
•Message of greetings at the •Letters which includes minimal
beginning of the letter and an details or developments about
expression of gratitude at the the sponsored member’s life.
end is required. •Letters consisting of only a
•Encourage the sponsored
short paragraph show a lack of
members to include as many personalization and
details as possible in their letter
commitment to the
such as their feelings, hopes and
sponsorship program
dreams, family life, education
(i.e., academic performance,
current grade level, favorite
subjects, extracurricular
activities), progress towards the
goals, general health status,
neighborhood, community, daily
life and culture or any other
items of interest pertaining to
Unbound program.
•Letters must be personalized
and authentic and should be
written by the sponsored
member whenever possible
•Younger children (6 years old
and below) may include
drawings as a way to express
their personality.
•Out of school youth need to
write the reason why they
stopped studying and what their
plans are for the time being and
at the moment they resume.
•Sponsored elders or guardians
corresponding must convey the
current situation, health status,
personalized goals and updates,
and how our older persons keep
themselves occupied.
Relationship Building A letter is required to have at •Relationship Building
least three or more relationship statements should not be
 building statements or questions written in just one paragraph.
•For reply letters, responding to•Letter does not engage the
sponsors’ questions will be sponsor or includes only one
considered as one relationship expression of interest in the
building statements. sponsor
•Letter indicates that an obvious•Well wishes, blessings and
relationship exists between the expressions of gratitude alone
sponsored member and by are not considered an attempt
asking questions or an attempt to engage the sponsor.
to engage the sponsor in a •Question directed to the
conversation. sponsor such as “How are you?”
•Asking questions is encouraged or “How are you doing?” will
at the end of each story related not be counted as relationship
to the topic shared in the letter.
building as these are very
general questions and not very
personal.
Attachment •An attachment for letters •Inappropriate images (i.e.,
written on behalf of the wearing indecent attire, acts of
sponsored is encouraged with a gambling, smoking, alcohol
maximum of four. It can be a drinking and the likes)
photo, copies of test papers, •Including the phone numbers,
activity sheets or report cards, social media account, school
but the school’s name and the name and home address to
last name of the sponsored avoid possible direct
member should be removed. communication.
•Attachments’ description must
be included in the body of the
letter.

2.4 Mode and System: Digital Letter Mailing Process

Mode and System: Digital Letter Mailing Process

Scanned Letters

These are electronic copies of sponsored members or other author's handwritten letters.

Scanned Letters Processing at the Subproject

a. Letters written by sponsored members are submitted in flat stacks, not folded, and bear the
name of the sponsored, CH ID, sponsor's name, and subproject code.

b. All letters are reviewed prior to scanning and sending to the coordinating unit (CU).
In case scanning does not take place in the subproject, the staff prepares and submits
handwritten letters to the coordinating unit which are bundled according to type with attached
checklist/transmittal form.

c. Acknowledgement letters with pending speed letter requests are prepared separately, follow
the specific speed letter process, and sent to the coordinating unit.

d. Scanned letters are labelled either in the subproject or coordinating unit using Portal Label
Page or local Digital Correspondence Manager (DCM), instead of manual label attachment.

Typed/Contactless Letters

These are encoded letters prepared and submitted by a sponsored member using any available
messaging platforms such as email, messenger, text, etc.

It is open to all sponsored members and can be used for any types of letters; welcome, regular,
reply, acknowledgement including response to speed letter request, and farewell.

Typed/Contactless Letters Processing at the Subproject

a. The sponsored member should send their typed/contactless letters directly to their subproject
staff through their own email, messenger account, or mobile phone.

b. Staff should copy and paste the received typed/text messages of sponsored members directly
to the digital letter page in Portal for submission.

 In case a typed/contactless letter is rejected/returned, it is the responsibility of the

sponsored member to correct and improve the letter. The staff, on the other hand, can
only make changes or revisions if they are given consent to do so.

c. Sponsored members with no email or messenger account can be directly assisted by their
subproject staff through a phone call or socially distanced visit. Staff may create the
typed/contactless letter on their behalf who does not have the capacity to send.

 In the virtual visit, staff may write down the sponsored member’s message based on
their conversation. Staff may ask the family what they want to share with the sponsor,
how they are at this time, and how Unbound has assisted them in their needs.

 In writing on behalf of the sponsored member, the staff should clearly identify
themselves on the letter and indicate the reason why they are the one corresponding.

d. Personalized goals in correspondence and related updates are required in the letters of
sponsored members. They may speak of their plans, and what they look forward to in the future.

e. Sponsored members are highly encouraged to attach a photo on the letter whenever
possible. It can be a selfie, a photo with family and friends, artwork, achievements/awards,
pictures of them receiving benefits, or their day-to-day activities. A description should be
provided for the sponsor to learn the story behind.
  Photos should be of good quality and must follow the annual photo guidelines set by
Unbound. A maximum of 4 photos can be attached.

Digital Letters Mailing Process at the Coordinating Unit

a. The Communications Staff creates a batch of 30-50 digital letters per type and need not to be
separated by subproject.

b. Scanned letters that are uploaded to Child Letter Page in Portal do not need to be mailed in
Kansas, unless the sponsor requests for it. Staff may review a report of Original Letters Not
Received in Kansas in Portal for reference.

c. The first name of the sponsor should match on the information displayed on the review
screen. If it is of a different sponsor, the letter should be declined.

d. The correspondence history section on the review screen displays the list of the approved
digital letters. If any letter is completely the same with the one previously uploaded, the letter
should be declined.

e. History of sponsor mails can also be found on the correspondence history section. If such a
letter is replying to multiple mails/letters listed, the digital letter should be marked as reply.

f. Letters declined in Kansas appears on the Letter Declined Report in Portal. It should be
reviewed regularly to immediately address issues such as duplicate letters, etc.

2.5 Translation of Letters

The project allows submission of letters written in their local dialect which can be translated in
English in situations where families are not capable or having difficulty in sentence construction.
Translation process can be performed either by the leaders, service-scholars, or even the
subproject and CaRD staff to the selected families. There are instances where the sponsor
requests letters to be written in the local dialect of their sponsored friend, a translated copy
should be attached.