Each year, we receive dozens of heartwarming notes from our SOS children and their parents. Many are beautifully decorated, and written with the frankness and sincerity you might expect from a child. Here is a sampling from our recent letters:

KIDS SAY THANKS

Emily has decorated a beautiful card with her new crayons, and writes:

"Thank you for all our things, we love them very much. Love, Emily"

Stephanie has prepared a neat, printed note:

"Thank-you for the things that you bought for me. I really like my running shoes. They are my favourite colours. Thank-you for everything. I will use them at school and at home. I will also share them with my older sisters."

"S" sends a note carefully printed with his new pencils:

"Thank you kindly for giving me all this neat back-to-school stuff. I feel really lucky to get these cool gifts and it really helped my mom, it even made her cry but happy tears. I really appreciate what you did."

Cameron writes with his new red pen:

"I thank you for the backpack full of supplies and clothes. You are very nice to people. The clothes were nice, I like the Nike shirts. The supplies helped me by making me perpared and ready to work The shoes were good, I liked them. Sunserly, Cameron"

One girl plans her first day of school:

"Thank-you for the backpack, stretchy pants, top, socks, shoes and all the other stuff as well. I am going to have one of my sister's notebooks and one of her packs of paper also. Also, my Mom is going to buy me a binder. I will be wearing the clothes and the pair of shoes that I got from you on the first day of school. Sincerely, Lizzy"

PARENTS SAY THANKS

From a mother struggling to support her family in a new country:

"The words don't be enough for we express our thankfulness. We thank to you and our sponsor who shopped outfit for my son and spent their time thinking what he would like. Everything received for us did so happy my son in his first day of classes. Since that we came to Canada, we have had many surprise, it have been always so good and we have felt like at home, because the Canadian culture is so differnt. All time they are thinking about how they could help to other people. My son always says "this is the best country...."

Another mother writes:

"There are no words to use to express what your help has meant to our family. Thank you so much."

The faces of children light up when their package arrives:

"Just to let you know your kindness was very much appreciated. There should be more people in the world who would care like you people. Everything bought was great and put smiles on my kids faces. I feel somewhat bad asking for help, but I guess we all need it sometime. Thank you very much, and keep up the great job you do."

"Thank you so much for my son's backpack overflowing with school supplies. It was great to see his face light up when he opened it up. The clothes were 'awesome!' and 'cool!'. He promises to do well in school this year. Thanks again for sending my son back to school smiling."