UK: 0113 276 5060 USA: 423-239-9525
info@thesmilesfoundation.org

Family Care and Housing

smiles200 family care project

Donate via PayPal to Family Care £

Donate via PayPal to Family Care $

Family Care has been the Cornerstone of the Smiles Foundation’s Project work in Romania since 2001. It was the first project with a commitment to visit and support families who had specific needs within their home and family life.

The project is underpinned by Sponsors who enable Smiles to provide the service of care, advice, encouragement and support.

The restructure of several projects in the early months of 2018 has seen our future work with Families become part of the new Field Project established within the Smiles Foundation.

The Family Care Project supports families living in very poor and difficult circumstances. Under the caring supervision of the Field Project Team along with a qualified Social Worker – families in special need have Smiles and Sponsors as their ‘Special Friends’.

The core support for most families is food, but additional support is often provided on social issues, educational help for children, construction work on the home and most important for many families is having someone to talk with concerning the difficulties and challenges they face. Between the Field Project Team and the Social Worker – they will consult with the family on their special needs and see how we can best help.

The Smile’s Team will often assist with legal paperwork to ensure the family receive any state benefit due and where possible, assist with obtaining employment. Smiles will also monitor the family as to how they are responding to the assistance we provide. We do not want the family to become dependent on Smiles where it is possible to get the family back into self-sufficiency. We always want to avoid becoming a ‘Hand-Out’ for people to become reliant on. We remain committed to being a ‘Hand-Up’ wherever possible.

Based on our experience, we recommend support of £30/$40 per month as part of the Smiles 200 Hope Club. Any amount can be given towards the Family Care Project and all will be used to support those families we serve.

Family Care - TulcaThrough the Family Care Project, the Foundation has discovered the desperate needs of many Romanian families, living daily life without running water, electricity or even heating fuel for the harsh winters. Many are facing eviction onto the streets due to economic pressures they have no hope to overcome.

Often the authorities will take children into State Care when family life becomes so bad that the welfare and safety of the child is at risk. Seeing families in this situation inspired The Smiles Foundation to begin the Housing Project, getting houses sponsored, then renovated and turned into Homes for families to live in the peace and security of not facing eviction or loss of this basic requirement in life.

As that security and stability is restored, so the Foundation can approach the authorities for the return of children to their family and the family unit can begin to re-build their lives once more.

House Sponsoring begins at £7,500 / $9,750.
The average price being £12,000 / $15,600 to purchase.

A great Fund-Raising Challenge for any team!

House renovation costs depend on the initial price paid for the property. Average costs could be up to £6,000/$7,800.

Often mud floors and/or mud walls need replacing with concrete and then plastering. Electric wiring often needs updating and outside rendering can be in need of repair. The costs vary subject to size of the house, but on average, a further £3,500/$4,550 is budgeted for such costs.

Generally £18,000/$23,500 can purchase and adequately renovate a house, providing a wonderful home for a family to live in.

Please support a Family or a Home and ‘Change the World for Someone’!

“IF I WAS HUNGRY ………… WOULD YOU FEED ME?”

Please help with supporting our Project Operating Costs which are £2,450 / $3,185 per month.

Donate via PayPal to Family Care £

Donate via PayPal to Family Care $