Our coordinators and Children, Incorporated trainer extraordinaire Whitney Smith, standing on the right.
Per Children, Incorporated’s new strategic plan, many things are changing in the way Volunteer Coordinators operate the program. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, we will be providing pictures and progress reports on a yearly basis. We know how much sponsors enjoy seeing their sponsored children grow and learn in school and we hope sponsors will enjoy this extra correspondence.
Staff and Volunteer Coordinators also discussed the recent changes in Children, Incorporated’s policy on additional gifts for children- called “Designated Funds.” Coordinators shared that while they were simply overwhelmed by the generosity of sponsors in sending these additional gifts, they are relieved that Children, Incorporated has set a maximum and minimum amount for gifts to individual children. This means that Volunteer Coordinators no longer have to explain to a child why his or her friend received a very large additional gift and that child did not. Along the same lines, coordinators were excited that sponsors now have the option to give additional gifts- with no maximum- to benefit all the children at their child’s project. With the budget crunch experienced by many local and state governments, there is little funding left over for field trips, drug awareness programs, and even food for children awaiting sponsors. Volunteer Coordinators are truly grateful for sponsors’ generosity in helping meet these needs. And although these gifts will benefit all of the children at the project, the sponsored child will continue to write his or her sponsor a thank you letter- learning a value many of our sponsors already appreciate-that of sharing with others.
Our coordinators in Kentucky and the US are looking forward to another school year of helping each child grow and learn with the assistance of sponsors like you. Thank you for all your kind support!