Download Sparrow Application here.
Sparrow Family Guidelines
1. A Sparrow is a child who, at the time of “adoption”, is 17 years old or under, who is experiencing a life-threatening or seriously disabling medical condition and whose family is facing a level of financial and/or emotional difficulty because of it.
2. A Sparrow Project is a kids-helping-kids learning activity where a school (or youth group) “adopts” a Sparrow and does community service and fundraising on behalf of that child. It is primarily NOT about the money these students and their communities raise. Rather, it is a charitable cause to infuse compassion, courage, character and conscience into youth and school culture. Sparrow families should see themselves in giving roles--expressing love, dignity, courage and appreciation to the youth who learn positive life-lessons as heroic young helpers. Sparrow Projects normally last from a semester to a school year.
3. A Sparrow Club is not necessarily a small or exclusive group of students—rather it is a label we prefer to place on an entire school that unites to help a child in a Sparrow Project. Sparrow Clubs form in elementary schools through colleges. Schools that are Sparrow Clubs will typically adopt a new child as their “Sparrow” each year as a new project.
4. Sparrow Cash is money that is pledged by a business sponsor (or individuals & organizations) to be raised or earned by the school Sparrow Club to provide assistance for your family. If your Sparrow Project is fully sponsored $2,560 in Sparrow Cash is awarded. The Sparrow Club must then complete a minimum of 256 hours of community service in your child’s name and document those hours on Sparrow Check™Service Vouchers. We cannot guarantee full sponsorship but we encourage each sponsor to give the full award of $2,560. Additionally, for un-sponsored Sparrow Projects, we encourage students to set that amount as a minimum goal for their fundraising and community service efforts on your behalf.
5. Additional funds may be raised by the school and/or other community members for any particular Sparrow Project, but this should not be expected or assumed by the Sparrow family. Additional donations for a specific Sparrow or Sparrow Project should clearly identify such Sparrow of Sparrow Project: ie.“Sparrow for (child’s first name)”.
6. A Sparrow Account is a designated, tax-exempt fund for a particular child’s Sparrow Project. Sparrow Account funds are not held as legal trust funds, but rather, are gifted to Sparrow Clubs™USA for the purpose of providing assistance for that Sparrow’s medical expenses and his/her family’s maintenance during their time of need. Medical expenses include, but are not limited to: medical bills, insurance premiums, deductibles and prescriptions. Family maintenance includes, but is not limited to, ancillary expenses such as: family travel costs, lodging, meals, as well as support for day-to-day expenses such as groceries (no tobacco or alcohol), housing, utilities, etc.
7. 100% of the principal dollars designated to a Sparrow Account are temporarily reserved for that particular Sparrow and/or his/her family’s basic needs. Sparrow Clubs™USA applies interest accrued from Sparrow Accounts to the general fund to help offset administrative costs. If fundraising for a particular Sparrow Account continues past the first year of “adoption” by a school, Sparrow Clubs™USA will assess up to a 10% administrative fee on all additional donations received after the first year.
8. Sparrow families must not contact the school/club or sponsor to request funds or to solicit fundraising. The Sparrow parent must submit a Check Request Form to request funds from the Sparrow Account allocated for their child. After filling out the form, copies of bills, receipts, mileage and expense log or cancelled checks for approved expenses should be attached. To receive advance monies from a Sparrow Account, send copies of bills, statements or an itemization of expected costs. Advanced funds should be followed by copies of receipts or cancelled checks. Prior advances should be accounted for with documentation before new advances of funds are made. Disbursement checks are issued in the name of the Sparrow Parent who signs this Application unless payment is made directly to a service provider such as a hospital, physician, utility bill, etc.
9. Sparrow Parents should use reasonable foresight and discretion in making Check Requests, keeping their Sparrow’s immediate medical needs and well-being as top priority. However, it is recognized that relief of pressing day-to-day expenses from parents releases them to focus on and better care for their child as well.
10. Sparrow Clubs™USA requests that each Sparrow family submit no more than one Check Request per month. The undersigned, including Sparrow Parent, acknowledge and agree that Sparrow Clubs™USA is the sole owner of all funds held in Sparrow Accounts and shall have exclusive ownership, control and access to such funds. Sparrow Clubs™USA shall have sole discretion to determine the best use of Sparrow Account funds. Sparrow Clubs™USA may deny or seek additional information for questionable Check Requests to preserve the spirit and integrity of kids-helping-kids funds. Submission of a Check Request Form does not guarantee payment of monies or access to funds held in a Sparrow Account.
11.. Sparrow Account funds are usually expended before the Sparrow’s medical needs and family expenses are fully met. These funds are meant to “bless” the family as a gift of support, not to meet all financial needs. Sparrow Clubs offer short-term relief, not long-term reliance. Our Sparrow kids and families will always have a special place with Sparrow Clubs™USA. We encourage each family’s ongoing involvement as volunteers, spokespersons, etc. after your Sparrow Project is completed.
12. Sparrow families are often inspired and want to do something special to help other children on behalf of their own child and in honor of the young people who have impacted their family. Sparrow Clubs “Pay-it-Forward” Program allows our families a way to give back and voluntarily transfer any portion of Sparrow Cash on Check Request Forms that they submit in order to help Sparrow Clubs help other kids in need of adoption as Sparrows.
13. A designated Sparrow Account can remain open and active for an undetermined amount of time. However, if the Board of Directors for Sparrow Clubs™USA, in its sole discretion, determines that a Sparrow Account is no longer necessary or the monies in a Sparrow Account could be put to better use by serving other pressing needs such as un-sponsored Sparrow Projects, Sparrow Cash for other children or such other purposes or needs as may be determined by the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors may, notwithstanding any restriction(s) imposed on the Sparrow Account under this Application or other document, close such Sparrow Account and reallocate the monies therein as provided for above. Sparrow Accounts that have been dormant or not accessed by a Check Request for one year or more will also be subject to reallocation.
14. If your family is enrolled or planning to enroll for Medicaid, SSI and/or any state-funded insurance program, please be advised that monetary gifts or checks directly given to you may jeopardize your status for any of the above programs. In this case, Sparrow Clubs™USA can disburse checks to your service providers upon request, rather than give funds directly to your family. However, it is not the responsibility of Sparrow Clubs™USA to monitor or protect your family’s status with Medicaid, SSI or any state-funded insurance program.