Inside the Backpack Lies Choice, Agency, Style, and Self

Providing children with school supplies makes a world of difference for them and their families

Eastern Kentucky is a hotbed of hand-me-downs. We do a lot of work in the region, and this time, we’re here to drop off school supplies and check on the children as they begin the new school year. The thing I’ve noticed most is that children here have nothing new – unless it’s something we just handed them. When […]

Fitting In with the Crowd

Our program has kept one special student from feeling different from other kids

Situated in the hilly rural Eastern Kentucky Coalfield region of Appalachia, Leslie County is an area of stark contrasts. Its breathtaking rugged beauty and veins of coal drew its first residents there more than a century ago; and for generations, coal mining served as a primary source of employment for its residents. With the rapid decline of that industry, however, employment opportunities have drastically diminished, resulting in the need for many families to move away […]

High Enrollment and High Hopes in Kentucky

Valley Elementary School serves nearly 1,000 children in Pike County

Nestled in picturesque mountains and steeped in a rich cultural heritage, Pike County is situated in the very heart of Appalachia – an economically depressed area that stretches from the Virginias to Tennessee and Kentucky. This was once a thriving region, as a result of the success of its then bustling coal and lumber industries. In 1994, however, the Eastern Division of The Pittston Company closed its coal mines. Unfortunately, rugged terrain has effectively blocked […]

A Lack of Transportation in Kentucky

In Lawrence County, many children and adults don’t have the means to leave their homes

In late August, Shelley Oxenham, U.S. Projects Specialist for Children Incorporated, and I traveled to Lawrence County, Kentucky to visit Louisa Middle School and Lawrence County High School. The two schools are located in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field region in a very rural part of the state. The county is one of the largest in the state, meaning the distances between stores, homes, schools, and businesses are vast. There is no quick trip to […]

Stocked Up for Now

Why we keep our Back to School Fund open all year round

Most parents are familiar with the ubiquitous school-supply shopping list: two boxes of crayons, nine jumbo pink erasers, 47 glue sticks, one box of tissues, three boxes of markers. But when your children run out of pencils halfway through the year, you just buy more. When the backpack inevitably falls apart by January, you buy a new one. One of our sponsored children creates a thank-you card for his sponsor. In […]