Nearly twenty thousand Polish children live in children’s homes (dom dziecka).  They are boys, girls, and sibling groups.  Most are healthy, though some have special needs ranging from minor vision problems to more complex disabilities.  Some children have lost parents to illness, but most are victims of poverty and its various consequences.

The children in our hosting program may range in age from 6 to 16 years including boys, girls, and sibling groups.  These children are often labeled hard to place because of their ages or because they are part of a sibling group.  Boys are also generally harder to place as there is a western preference for girls.  Most children are healthy, though some need minor medical attention such as eyeglasses.