Claudia has been a child sponsor with SOS Children’s Villages for almost 20 years, and when she became a mother, she developed an even deeper connection to SOS Children’s Villages. 

“Every child deserves to grow up with the love and protection only a family can offer,” she said. “I deeply respect and admire all the wonderful women who dedicate their lives to their SOS families as SOS Mothers.” 

She worked hard to pass down a sense of compassion and generosity to her own children, and when Claudia’s daughter Jane turned 13, she decided to carry on the family tradition of sharing powerful acts of compassion. As part of her Bat Mitzvah project, Jane chose to organize a fundraiser for SOS Children’s Villages. Her goal: to make a difference for children her own age. 

“I believe there’s nothing more impactful than children helping children,” Jane said. “I am so fortunate to be in a position where I am able to try and help [those my age who] should be experiencing a carefree childhood but aren’t.”  

Eighteen years ago, Dana’s eldest daughter came to her with a heartwarming request: “I want to sponsor a child.” Her daughter, Rachel, felt incredibly grateful for her life but knew other children didn’t have the loving family or basic needs she did. Dana and Rachel researched organizations and chose SOS Children’s Villages, where the pair were matched with a young girl named Rokhy.

“My commitment to SOS over the years was first encouraged by the joy on my daughter’s face, knowing she could help someone across the globe.”

Now, Rachel is a mother and Rokhy has transitioned into adulthood, but Dana is still sponsoring. “Being able to show children that they deserve and are worthy of love, education, healthy food and safe water is something I’m still passionate about.” 

Photos and handwritten letters fill James and Anne Carroll’s home in Nebraska, a vibrant collage of cherished memories from their three children—and the many children they’ve sponsored with SOS Children’s Villages. 

“We’ve adopted and raised three children of our own,” James said. “So for us, it was a no-brainer to sponsor a child.” 

 Since 1973, the Carrolls have joyfully watched as the children they’ve sponsored grew up in safe, loving homes, equipped with the support and resources they need to build brighter futures. 

“I moved every year growing up, so that long-term stability is something I didn’t know,” James said. “It’s really nice to be a part of that experience for someone else. We started sponsoring some children when they were in preschool, and we’ve seen them graduate high school.” 

But the Carrolls’ transformative impact doesn’t stop at sponsoring.

They continued their legacy of love by including SOS Children’s Villages in their estate plans—creating a ripple effect of generosity that lasts for generations!

After a solo backpacking trip to Cambodia, Melissa was determined to invest in the education and lives of young girls in Siem Reap to prevent them from being sexually exploited. When she arrived back at the United States, she immediately signed up to sponsor a child with SOS Children’s Villages.

“After meeting her when she was around 11 years old, I left the village and cried,” she said. “They were tears of joy and relief, knowing I had been able to make a difference.”

Although her first sponsored child has transitioned into adulthood, Melissa’s sponsorship story is far from over.  

“I’m currently sponsoring my second child. There is just nothing better than knowing you are giving a child a better life, and that the difference you are making in that child's life impacts their children, and their children, and will continue to ripple outward indefinitely,” she said. “I feel so much gratitude towards SOS Children's Villages for creating such a beautiful and loving environment for her to grow up in.” 

In the late 1960s, Mieke and Hendrik Smit were living in Frankfurt, Germany, when a passionate speech changed the future of their philanthropy.

The speaker told of children without parents to protect them—and of SOS Children’s Villages, a young, international organization that was giving these children something life-changing: a safe, loving home. 

“He was so inspiring,” Mieke remembers. “We were discussing whether we would have a fourth child. We decided we could do more good by caring for children [who didn’t have parents], who needed us.”

That decision led the Smits to sponsor a child with SOS—and to continue transforming children’s lives for more than five decades. Although Hendrik passed away in 2024, his compassion lives on, and Mieke continues to honor their 55-year legacy of love.  

“After his death, I continued my support, and I am encouraging my children to do the same,” Mieke said. “I have said to my children, ‘When I die, don’t plant a tree in my memory. Sponsor a child with SOS.’”