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Stories written by Shelley Callahan

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An Open School in Eastern Kentucky

West Whitesburg Elementary School embraces a culture of acceptance among students

*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work. *** Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Eastern Coal Region, […]

Moms Helping in Our Schools

Mothers of our sponsored children gain work experience through the Family Resource Center

*Note: The school visit mentioned in this blog occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we are currently conducting school visits virtually, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinators’ work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work. *** Located in rural and mountainous eastern Kentucky, Breathitt County is one of […]

Meeting Virtually with Our Volunteer Coordinators

COVID-19 restrictions have meant that we are checking in with our affiliated projects online

Although in-person meetings with our volunteer coordinators were halted due to COVID-19, our amazing staff made sure they were still able to check in with our projects around the world to ensure children in our program continued to receive the care and support they needed. Today, hear from U.S. Sponsorship Specialist, Shelley Oxenham, about her virtual meetings with coordinators in Kentucky and how your support has made an impact through the pandemic. Louisa Elementary School […]

Never Forgetting Where She Came From

An interview with sponsor Norah Quinn McCormick

When Norah Quinn McCormick reached out to us in the New Year about sponsoring a child, she told us a heartfelt story about how her grandmother first got involved with our work many years ago, largely due to the fact that she grew up in Appalachia and “never forgot where she came from,” and why now Norah wants to carry on the legacy of helping children in need. To hear more about Norah’s story, we […]

Bringing Joy to Children All Over the World

Thanks to our sponsors, children in need had a reason to celebrate the 2020 holiday season

Our sponsors and donors are often the only reason children in our program receive holiday gifts and for that, we are incredibly grateful — especially after an exceptionally difficult year for kids around the world. After receiving photos and stories from our volunteer coordinators about how much the Christmas gifts you provided meant to children living in poverty, we wanted to share with you some of their heartfelt thanks for the gratitude you show through […]

A Year-End Thank You to All Our Sponsors and Donors

Our volunteer coordinators express their thanks for all the support they received in 2020

As a very difficult year comes to an end, we couldn’t be more grateful to our amazing sponsors and donors who ensure that children in our program continued to be supported through school closures as their families struggled to make ends meet during a global pandemic. It is not a simple task to put into words what your support does for children in our program, so we want to share with you success stories sent […]