Volunteer in China with Lotus

Lotus Travel has made arrangements with the Philip Hayden Foundation and (other non-governmental organizations are pending approval) to allow adoptive families to return and “give back” and volunteer. It is important to prepare your family and understand the uniqueness’s of volunteering in your child’s country.  There are important considerations as you prepare your family to return and volunteer as well as planning and logistical decisions.

How does it work?
Customized programs for groups occur throughout the year.  These will typically include:  sightseeing, accommodation planning, volunteer activities as well as hands-on cultural activities designed according to children’s ages and interests and a full range of activities appropriate for family fun and memory making.  Trips can include or exclude a visitation to a child’s orphanage visit, depending on the family’s desire.  Families may plan to volunteer for a day; or multiple days, depending on family’s time available.  

Our key partner volunteer organization is the Philip Hayden Foundation with its Shepherd’s Field outreach near Beijing.  More than 100 children are currently beneficiaries of the Philip Hayden Foundation’s work at the primary facility, Shepherd Field Children’s Village.  These children receive:

• 24 hours care by experienced Chinese “nannies”
• Nutritious meals prepared for them by the Shepherd Field staff;
• Medical care by full-time Western physicians on staff
• Physical therapy (as needed) provided by staff and volunteers;

Click Shepherds Field to read more details about  their work.

One Day Volunteer Assignment with the Panda Heritage Tour:   Departs June 27
Click Panda Heritage and Volunteer tour to view the itinerary departing June 27 which includes a day volunteerassignment at Shepherds Field of the Philip Hayden Foundation.

China Heritage Tour with Three Day Volunteering: Departs any Tuesday
Click HERE to view the China Homeland Heritage Tour itinerary departing any Tuesday. You can visit Beijing, /Xian Chengdu, and Guangzhou as well as your child’s orphanage on this varied tour.  We also allow you to add a three day volunteer assignment and an opportunity to stay on site at the orphanage of Shepherd’s Field at the Philip Hayden Foundation near Beijing.  Visit the “Hands of Hope” wall, which was erected to honor adoptive families and their children.  

What else is available?  “Flex” Volunteer Scheduling
One day, two day or 5 day volunteer assignments are also available.  This “Flex Volunteer Schedule” allows you to choose any tour itinerary.  Click Heritage Tour Schedule  to see a slate of tour options.  Then add your desired additional days of volunteering assignment with Shepherds Field.  Contact louie@lotustours.net with your desired tour and volunteer requests and questions.

Volunteer Activities
Some sample activities volunteers may be asked to handle include but are not limited to: folding laundry, cleaning, taking children on an outing,  assisting with physical therapy,  assisting staff members with assigned duties,  or other duties as assigned. 

If you wish to volunteer for more than a day, you may stay on-site at the  “Eight Inn Happinesses” with the following options:

• Bunk Room: 6-8 people:  $650RMB
• Two bedroom suite:  4-5 people: $ 800 RMB per night
• One bedroom suite: 2-4 people:  $600 RMB per night
• Standard room: 2-4 people:  $400 RMB per night

Lodging for Philip Hayden volunteers volunteering for 2 days or more is on-site at the “Inn of Eight Happinesses”.  There are four choices of room options available. Click here for details and photos.   We will customize your itinerary accordingly.   Contact louie@lotustours.net for assistance.

What will I do?
Volunteering can be playing with children, holding babies or taking older kids on an outing to a local park.  However, the guiding factor will be what is needed by the orphan care organ organization.  As volunteers we ask our families to understand that volunteers are assigned to do things according to the needs of the organization, not according to families’ preference.  Being a volunteer requires flexibility and we ask that volunteering families consider the organizations needs as the first priority.  One might be assigned to fold laundry, help with gardening, cleaning or other duties.  Please remember that being a volunteer requires flexibility to carry out the duties assigned to you and that critiquing staff or an organization’s practices or policies is not useful.  

Additional Guidelines  and links to volunteer organizations
General Lodging:  One may stay on-site at the orphan care organization or in hotel, as preferred.   The Philip Hayden Foundation makes modest, dormitory style accommodations available for volunteers.  Hope Foster Home has on-site dormitory type rooms built in a style of a Mongolian yurt available for volunteers on an extended assignment.  And, Habitat for Humanity arranges modest housing nearby to the worksite for volunteers. Contact info@lotustours.net regarding additional lodging questions.

Philip Hayden Foundation 　 　Hope Foster Home　　Habitat for Humanity

Note: Please be aware that Philip Hayden, Hope Foster Home, Habitat for Humanity or other organizations with which we work, have their own rules and requirements for volunteers.  Volunteers are required to abide by the decisions and regulation of each organization. We reserve the right to refuse clients for volunteer service.

A portion of the volunteer time may be tax deductible.  If your volunteer site is a US 501c3 registered organization, you may be able to deduct international airfare, as well as hotel, meals and transportation on volunteer days.  Sightseeing and other cultural travel are not considered to be tax deductible.