Yes! Host programs are rather involved and we are trying to give everyone as much time as possible to be prepared.

No, by no means is this a complete FAQ. We will update and revise this page as time goes on. We will post some information now and add answers to your questions as you submit those questions.

The purpose of this Program is to bring children ages 6 and older from Eastern European and Asian orphanages to the United States for an enriching two week experience. This program enables the children to learn everyday social skills, to be a part of a family, to receive an introduction to American culture and to find new friends in America.

Families who want to host a child will receive an information packet, which contains a checklist of required material to be submitted. These include: Home Study, host family agreement and application. To accompany the application, four family pictures and a 1-page autobiography need to be attached.

Once the family is approved and matched with a child (or children), the family will have an opportunity to attend a number of orientation meetings before the children arrive for the program. These gatherings offer an avenue to learn from the experiences of other families who have previously hosted children.

You will be provided with a photo and brief social and medical information. However, such information is quite limited and parents should be aware that some issues might not be apparent during the child’s stay with the host family.

Surprisingly, the language barrier is not a major issue. Families who have already hosted children say they were able to overcome communication limitations quickly. The children learned a great deal of English from the other kids and adults, and quickly learned words around the house.

For additional support to our host families, World Links provides a glossary of familiar terms in child’s native language and English. Volunteer translators are also available 24 hours a day to interpret and help families communicate with their children.

The children will travel to the United States accompanied by an escort from the orphanage. Host families will pick up their children at a designated location (appointed at an earlier time) and take them home to live as apart of their family during the program period. At the end of the program, host families will return their child to the same designated location and a bus will transport them back to the airport along with the escorts.

In addition to participating in normal day-to-day family life, the children will attend activities sponsored by the World Links International Adoption Agency and volunteers.

Sometimes unexpected things happen within a family that will prohibit them from continuing to host the child for the length of their stay. World Links arranges for a number of back-up families who will be able to take the child if something unexpected happens with the host family.

We need volunteers to get the word out, solicit donations, and to find host families for each of the children. We need people and organizations willing to provide financial support to help bring the children here.. We also need volunteers who understand the challenges these children are facing as they transition from institutional life, to be available to answer questions and provide support to host families and the children.

Get started by signing up on this page and we'll guide you from there.