News

Stories written by Shelley Callahan

Filter by Subject:

The Light of Sponsored Children’s Lives

Thank you for your support of children in need

For children in our program living in poverty, their sponsors are more than just providers of basic needs — they are often the light of their lives in an otherwise dark world. Blake* is a young girl who suffers from several mental health disorders that cause bursts of anger and social defiance in school. Her grandparents are raising her because her parents are incarcerated. According to our volunteer coordinator who works closely with Blake, her […]

No Money for a Librarian at Red Rock Day School

In Arizona’s Navajo Nation, lack of funding means lack of adequate staffing

*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. *** The remote community of Red Valley — home to Red […]

A Need for New Bedding and Clothes in Arizona

Bedbugs and lice create difficulties for children and administrators at Page Middle School

*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. *** The town of Page is located amid the stark […]

Transforming Mothers in Medellín

Centro Primavera in Colombia offers many different programs to help women who need support

When our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and I first arrived in Medellín, Colombia, I noticed a striking difference from our visit to the capital city of Bogotá. Unlike many other cities that I have visited in South America, Medellín’s level of poverty and destitution was present even in the most well-off areas of town. As we drove from the airport to downtown Medellín, I was surprised to see homeless people living on the […]

Changing Lives through Garment Making in Colombia

At the Rondon Center, mothers of sponsored children generate income at Creaciones Miquelina

Situated in the northwestern corner of South America, Colombia is rich in natural beauty, comprising rugged Andean mountains, lowland plains, sprawling Amazon rainforest and coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Its modern history begins at the end of the fifteenth century, when Christopher Columbus and the first Spanish explorers arrived in the region, subsequently establishing the area’s first successful Spanish settlement in 1508. Spanish colonization continued for over 400 years until […]

Our Work Around the World

Highlighting our international special projects and funds in 2020

Throughout the year, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, communicates with our affiliated projects in 20 countries around the world about the needs of children, their families, and the communities in which they live. In working closely with roughly 150 individual volunteer coordinators, Luis is continuously updated about the thousands of children we support through our sponsorship program – and how our projects could use additional support. We want to highlight some of the […]