The remote town of Newcomb is situated on the Navajo Indian Reservation, amid the incredible desert beauty of northwestern New Mexico. The Reservation comprises more than 27,000 square miles of spectacular but inhospitable countryside, extending into both Utah and Arizona. Despite its massive scale and rich cultural history, residents of the Reservation are desperately poor. Newcomb is no exception. A trading post (which includes an impressive Navajo artifact museum) and a fish hatchery offer the only steady employment opportunities.
“She recalled how the impact had been profound, and she wishes all principals would give their staff the encouragement and time to manage the sponsorship program.”
Where the water comes out
Due to widespread, debilitating unemployment, area families struggle to afford even the most basic necessities as they grapple with the effects of poverty. For this reason, the Tohaali’ Community School (whose name means “where the water comes out” in Navajo, due to the creek flowing nearby) is essential to this area of New Mexico. Here, children receive nutritious meals, encouragement, and a quality education — the key to breaking the cycle of poverty so that students may rise above the difficult economic circumstances from which they come.
“Tohaali’ Community School’s closest post office is in Newcomb, New Mexico, which is about 16 miles away. There are 149 students in grades kindergarten through eighth. Almost all of them come from impoverished families,” said Children Incorporated Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube.
Making an incredible difference
Renèe with our volunteer coordinator, Delores
“While I was visiting the school in 2019, the principal, Delores , greeted me with a great deal of warmth. Delores has been principal at several schools over her long career, and it was at one of her former schools where she first became familiar with our sponsorship organization. She recalled how the impact had been profound, and she wishes all principals would give their staff the encouragement and time to manage the sponsorship program.”
“She told me about how, at her former school, one of the families was provided for through our Hope In Action Fund, which was life changing for them. The mother wrote her a long note inside a greeting card, and Delores keeps that card in her office desk drawer to this day. Whenever she needs a special boost after a rough day, she will read that note and know that we can, working together, make an incredible difference,” said Renée.
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How do I sponsor a child in the United States?
You can sponsor a child in the United States in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in United States that is available for sponsorship.