We raise school fees separately from the monthly budget three times a year. Each school year is made up of three terms. We have primary (elementary), secondary (middle school & high school) and post secondary levels (university & vocational/trade school). You can also make a one time gift of any amount.

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There are five ways you can make your monthly payments:

1) Checks can be sent directly to Carol John our treasurer at 11832 Quince Mill Drive – North Potomac, MD 20878 or to our stateside office at Raining Hope Inc. c/o Poinsettia Pavilion – 3451 Foothill Road #206 - Ventura, CA 93003. Sponsorship money goes into our regular budget. If you would like to make a designated donation, just mark your check with the area of need such as SCHOOL FEES. COMPLIANCE etc. If multiple donations come in for a designated need, excess funds will be placed in the budget to cover the overall needs. If there is no designation it will go into the budget to use at our discretion.

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2) *Credit Card: You can go to our website (www.raininghope.org) and click on “Donate by credit card” The site is set up to accept both one-time gifts and recurring monthly gifts. Raining Hope pays a small processing fee for online donations. This is standard practice for all credit cards and payment services. If you prefer for Raining Hope to receive 100% of your donation, you may write a check.

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3) *TEXT-TO-GIVE: On your phone send a text to 844-544-7171 and text the phrase RAININGHOPE.

Follow the prompts to give by credit card.

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4) ZELLE: If your bank uses Zelle for money transfers you may send money instantly to Raining Hope.

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5) *QR CODE: Scan this QR code to the right. Follow the prompts to give by credit card.

 

NOTE: * These methods of donating require a credit card. Raining Hope pays 2.5% to 3% on these gifts. There is an option for the donor to pay all or some of the credit card fees.

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Will I be sponsoring a specific child?

No. Instead of having multiple sponsors per student, we shifted from a one-to-one sponsorship program to a “Beacon of Hope Family Sponsorship.” You will be sponsoring the ministry as a whole. Raining Hope has looked into other faith-based organizations who are successfully following this model.

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What is a Beacon of Hope Sponsorship?

Because our students live together at our home, our goal is for you to get to know all of our students that make up our Raining Hope family. We have watched these students grow up since Eydie’s first mission’s trip in 2006/2007. Most of our students are now high school and post secondary school age.

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Each one of our students has a powerful story to tell. In order to get to the heart of Raining Hope and our mission, this model is the way you can be more acquainted with our students who are Raining Hope.

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What does my money provide?

All money given to our sponsorship program is put into a fund that allows Raining Hope to cover housing, food, clothing, medical care, supplies, and spiritual discipleship for all the children. School fees are raised separately from the monthly budget.

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How long of a commitment is my sponsorship?

We do not have an end date to your sponsorship donation. Your Raining Hope sponsorship will continue until you contact us. We understand that life has its seasons, and circumstances change. If you are not able to financially continue your sponsorship on a monthly basis, we request you simply contact us to let us know.

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Can I write a letter to the students in the sponsorship program?

Yes, with specific guidelines and frequency. You may write letters that are addressed, “Dear Raining Hope Family”. They love to hear from sponsors and friends. You will receive a letter back that will be written by one of the students on behalf of all of them. As a sponsor you will receive more detailed information on guidelines for writing letters.

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Can I give gifts to my sponsored student/Raining Hope?

If you would like to give a gift to the home in general, we currently accept monetary gifts only that will be used at the discretion of the staff. Our students live together as a family. This is different from other organizations whose children don’t live together. We can only give gifts when every student can receive one, and the gifts need to be equal. Our Uganda staff has requested that specific gifts not be sent. Eydie will notify sponsors when donations are needed to buy gifts for all the students. Normally this is at Christmas time and when she travels to Uganda.

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Your gifts and letters are deeply appreciated. Our goal is to keep the unity of the family in the home. Your words of encouragement as they continue to advance in their education and goals is what they need the most to give them hope.

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Can I make a trip to visit the students at Raining Hope?

We are in a season in which Raining Hope is not currently hosting or offering any short-term ministry trips both team and individual. That may change in the future as we enter into the next phase for the ministry.

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What if I don’t have email?

You can request that the monthly newsletter be sent to a home or office address.

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Is Raining Hope an orphanage? Do you take more children in?

We have never been categorized as an orphanage. We began as Living Hope Children’s Home in 2007. We changed our name and registered as Raining Hope Children’s Home in 2009. In 2015, we officially changed our registration in Uganda to Raining Hope Ministries to encompass the growth in spiritual discipleship and reaching out to the community.

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The definition of an orphanage is “a place where children whose parents have died can live and be cared for: a home for orphans.” (Webster’s Dictionary). Most of our children still have a parent or guardian in their lives. We have only had a few who no longer have both parents. Raining Hope also encourages the truth that none of our children are orphans because we are a part of the family of God. Many parents and guardians cannot care for their children. By allowing them to be a part of a home such as ours, they are giving them the chance to succeed in the future.

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We are committed to these students that we have watched grow up since we began in 2007. The cost of schooling in Uganda increases as students continue from primary to secondary school. Post-secondary education has greatly increased our school fee budget. Since COVID-19, there have been changes in the educational system which is a major cause of the increase. Raining Hope is committed to helping our students through university or vocational school and then launching them in their new careers. Most organizations have to send students out of their programs once they reach 18 years old.

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We have been given special permission to keep our children under this special program. We have successfully graduated students from seminary, hotel management, journalism and broadcasting, social work and nursing. Our first graduate left us after finishing secondary school. He moved back to Rwanda and put himself through law school by working three jobs and graduated top male in his class!

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We are not accepting any new children in the program due to the new rules of compliance set by the Ugandan system. We are shifting to Community Based Programs that effectively will help more students in the community with school supplies, mentoring & tutoring. Our goal is to open a community center that will help meet needs in our surrounding community.

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I have more questions. How do I get those answered?

For further questions, you can email Eydie at signinghands49@yahoo.com or leave a message at 805-340-7612 and we will be in touch as soon as possible. If you have any questions concerning billing and donations, please contact Carol John at carol@raininghope.org or 805-377-7387.

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Is Raining Hope a non-profit organization?

Yes. In 2009 Eydie Miskel founded Raining Hope Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent the law allows.