Appreciating the Sweetness in Life

An interview with sponsor Kathy Niles

After hearing story after story from her friend Hilary about child sponsorship through Children Incorporated, Kathy Niles decided she wanted to sponsor a child of her own. Little did she know that sponsorship would lead to unforgettable travels with her friend, getting to know several children – and an even deeper understanding of and appreciation for Native American culture. We caught up with Kathy to find out about her experiences as a child sponsor, and […]

A New Playground and New Supplies for Students in Richmond

Donors pitch in to provide fun items to G.H. Reid Elementary School

Last November, Children Incorporated staff members Renée Kube, Shelley Oxenham, and Chuck Smith helped rebuild a playground at G.H. Reid Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia, where we partner with Communities in Schools of Richmond (CIS) to support sponsored children in the Richmond area, near our headquarters. Just a few months prior, over summer break, the old playground was set on fire, and it spread around the equipment, melting and disfiguring most of it, and leaving […]

Hoping for a Future for Today’s Children in Magoffin County

Whether or not industry will return to Kentucky is a concern for many

The first question Shelley Oxenham, U.S. Projects Specialist for Children Incorporated, asked Michael Helton, our volunteer coordinator at Magoffin County High School, on her recent visit was what he saw for the future of the county and region. Shelley was meeting with Michael as a part of her trip to Kentucky, in conjunction with Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube’s, visit to Martin County schools. Michael sighed and quietly said, “No matter what anyone says […]

Hard Decisions for Parents in Eastern Kentucky

When it comes to paying bills and feeding their children, parents in Martin County have to choose

In May, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, visited Martin County in Kentucky, where she met with many of our sponsored children at our affiliated schools, as well as at some of their homes. The breadth and depth of the poverty in Martin County is staggering. Over the many years that Renée has been visiting Eastern Kentucky, she has seen the homes of the impoverished on the sides of main roads; but it still […]

Visiting Counties in Need in Kentucky

Kids in Kentucky face similar challenges with poverty in Martin and Magoffin Counties

In May of this year, Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs, and Shelley Oxenham, U.S. Projects Specialist, traveled to Kentucky together to visit two counties that Children Incorporated serves. Once they arrived in Kentucky, they split up – Renée in the direction of Martin County, and Shelley to Magoffin County. Both counties are close to each other in proximity, east of Lexington, and are two of the poorest counties in our nation. In Martin […]

The Long, Hard Summers

Summertime is more difficult for families who struggle to afford food

I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I looked from the practically empty refrigerator before me to the precious little girl standing by my side. I was on a project visit in Eastern Kentucky with one of our volunteer coordinators, and she had arranged for me to see first-hand the conditions in which many of the youngsters in her school are forced to live. On this particular day, we accompanied a beautiful little […]