Phelps Elementary School is on the far eastern side of Pike County, almost to the border between Kentucky and West Virginia, and about 45 minutes from the county seat. On a recent trip to Pike County, our U.S. Projects Specialist, Shelley Oxenham, met with our volunteer coordinator at the school, Brandi, who talked with Shelley about the level of poverty among families in the area, and why many of them are having a hard time making ends meet.
Even as a young boy, Danny is very aware of the poverty in which his family lives, and he knows that he would go without so much in his life if he weren’t receiving help from his sponsor.
Phelps Elementary School serves children from preschool through the sixth grade, with an enrollment of about 350 students. Brandi explained that many families of sponsored and unsponsored children who attend the school have an income that is 200 percent below the Federal Poverty Line. Jobs in the area are mostly for minimum wage; local businesses include Family Dollar, Dollar General, and a few independently-owned companies and stores.
Some members of the community travel to Pikeville for work – but only if they can earn more money by doing so, to make the commute back and forth worth their time and effort. A few parents are employed at the local Kellogg Company factory, but many of those jobs require long hours away from home, which is not ideal – especially for single parents.
Many of our sponsored students feel that sponsorship has changed their lives.
Meeting Danny
During Shelley’s visit, Brandi took her on a tour of the school, where she was able to meet a few students enrolled in our program. Shelley recalls that one student in particular, Danny*, really stood out to her.
Even as a young boy, Danny is very aware of the poverty in which his family lives, and he knows that he would go without so much in his life if he weren’t receiving help from his sponsor. While Shelley talked with Danny, he told her, “Having a sponsor has changed my life. She has helped me with so much. I need so much. That is what my sponsor is for, thankfully.”
After meeting with Danny, Shelley learned from Brandi that without his Children Incorporated sponsor, Danny would never have decent clothes, shoes, school supplies, or hygiene items, which are all so important to him – as they are to all children – while he’s growing up.
*Name changed for child’s protection.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENTUCKY?
You can sponsor a child in Kentucky in one of two ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.