On a recent trip to visit Children Incorporated projects in the United States, our U.S. Sponsorship Manager, Chuck Smith, and our U.S. Project Specialist, Shelley Oxenham, stopped by the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arnett, a couple who has been married for 54 years. They are currently raising their three Children Incorporated-sponsored great-grandchildren, Francis*, Alex, and Tracy.
Mrs. Arnett is in her eighties now, and suffers from a variety of health conditions, including a heart condition. Due to her ailments, she finds herself constantly in and out of doctors’ offices. Last February, Mrs. Arnett had a fall down her porch steps that has complicated her health conditions even further; the fall was so severe that its effects continue to take a toll on her mobility still today.
The ramp has changed Mrs. Arnett’s life.
As a result of her fall, stairs became especially difficult for Mrs. Arnett to maneuver. So Genevieve, Children Incorporated’s on-site volunteer coordinator at the school where Mrs. Arnett’s great-grandchildren attend, requested that Children Incorporated provide the funds necessary to build a ramp for Mrs. Arnett’s porch. If we were to provide the funds, the local high school vocational students would build the ramp, free of charge.
Funds were allotted for this construction from Children Incorporated’s Hope In Action Fund. Through their hard work, the students were able to successfully complete the construction of a ramp at the home, thereby dramatically improving Mrs. Arnett’s quality of life – and ultimately, her ability to raise her great-grandchildren, as she is now able to do so in a less physically strenuous environment.
Through their hard work, the students were able to successfully complete the construction of a ramp at the home, thereby dramatically improving Mrs. Arnett’s quality of life.
Mrs. Arnett maintains regular contact with Genevieve, who has expressed that Mrs. Arnett’s gratitude runs deep, as Mrs. Arnett conveys just how thankful she is each and every time she and Genevieve speak with one another. Thank you, contributors to our Hope In Action Fund, for helping to make such a life-changing impact on this family, and for facilitating the action in this community.
Children Incorporated’s Hope In Action Fund supports children, families, and communities in three primary areas: education, health, and livelihood. Donations from this fund can meet a variety of needs, including the purchase of food, clothing, or other necessities, as well as providing aid after natural disasters or fires, or supplementing weekend and summer feeding programs for children who would otherwise go hungry. Any contribution – large or small – can help to satisfy urgent needs in families like the Arnetts’.
* Children’s names have been changed for their protection.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN Kentucky?
You can sponsor a child in Kentucky in one of two ways – call our office and speak with one of our sponsorship specialists at 1-800-538-5381, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.