Kidsave International is a leading 501(c)3 child advocacy organization, founded in 1997 by marketing professionals Terry Baugh and Randi Thompson, after they learned of the hundreds of thousands of older children growing up without parents in institutions throughout Russia and Eastern Europe. Born as a direct response to the more than 100 million children languishing in orphanages and foster care around the world, Kidsave’s single focus is creating permanent families and connections for older children in need.
Kidsave works to draw attention to the plight of institutionalized children and the need for every child to have a family or a caring mentor. Through its innovative Family Visit Model, older children in orphanages and foster care – who are not able to return to their biological families and are not being picked for adoption – have short visits with families in the community, giving them an opportunity to find permanent homes and lasting connections with adults. Kidsave programs operate in Russia, Colombia and the US. So far, we have found permanent families and mentors for more than 2,000 older children, ages 5 - 18.
The organization maintains U.S. offices in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C., and international offices in Moscow and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia and Bogota, Colombia. A grass-roots organization that depends on the generosity of its donors as well as the incredible energy and hard work of its volunteer network of child advocates, Kidsave is committed to keeping its overhead expenses to a minimum. At least $.89 of every dollar donated to Kidsave goes directly to programs to help children in need. Kidsave was recently awarded the highest 4-star rating by Charity Navigator for fiscally responsible management.
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