Jennifer is a former program manager with Communities In Schools of Washington, D.C. During her time in this position, she became very familiar with the Children Incorporated sponsorship program, and the impact that it has on students and their families.
Jennifer took some time to write to our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, with special stories about just how our sponsors and donors are changing the lives of children enrolled in our program for the better.
We work with Communities In Schools (CIS), a school dropout prevention organization, not only in our nation’s capital, but also in Richmond, Virginia; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Detroit, Michigan. Thanks to our partnership with CIS, we are able to support sponsored and unsponsored children in four schools in Washington, D.C.
Jennifer took some time to write to our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, with special stories about just how our sponsors and donors are changing the lives of children enrolled in our program for the better.
Jennifer wrote, “Thanks to your remarkable network of sponsors, we were able to provide required school uniforms, socks, underclothes, and winter coats, hats and gloves to children in need. We also provided a countless number of school supplies, personal care items, emergency food and more.”
Hope In Action working for kids
Thanks to Jennifer, so many children are receiving help in D.C.
Jennifer continued, “In addition, through the Hope In Action Fund, with which Children Incorporated provides additional help in education and health matters, we were able to do three very different and significant things: At Lucy Ellen Moten Elementary School, where the neighborhood streets are not deemed safe enough for trick-or-treating, the volunteer coordinator was able to provide an in-school Halloween celebration, featuring a visit from a clown, and a pumpkin for every student.
At Charles Hart Middle School, a family lost their medical coverage during a government shutdown, and one child could not receive her life-saving kidney medication. Children Incorporated stepped in and made it possible, and after several sleepless nights from worry, her mother wept with relief, knowing her daughter would be alright.
At the Cardozo Education Campus, a bright student could not read the board, and her grades were suffering. Her mother was struggling to make sense of the system that would not allow her to get eyeglasses. The coordinator worked with the teacher and nurse to clarify the extent of the vision impairment, and through Children Incorporated, the coordinator was able to get the student a proper eye exam and a pair of glasses.”
So many children getting support
Jennifer had even more stories to tell. She continued by writing, “This generous and consistent support provided to our students by Children Incorporated has literally been the factor that made the difference in their lives when it came to basic needs — and so many children are impacted in such positive ways by the sponsors in their lives. We were able to assist with student fees for individual students so that three fifth-grade students could join their classmates on a trip to Philadelphia.
Thanks to Children Incorporated, four high school students were able to get their caps and gowns for graduation, and four eighth-graders had their class dues paid so that they could attend a boat trip and a picnic. Participation in these events is so important for kids to feel involved and connected.
“At the Cardozo Education Campus, one of our eighth-grade students was repeatedly being put out of school for not complying with the uniform policy; but with Children Incorporated’s support, we were able to provide him with three school uniforms —and he had excellent attendance for the rest of the school year. Two of our students at Charles Hart Middle School were removed from their biological families this year and placed in foster care. Without the support of Children Incorporated, which provided them with uniforms, socks, underclothes, and coats, as well as school supplies, their return to school would have been significantly delayed.”
On to higher education
“I cannot overstate the tremendous impact of Children Incorporated on our work, and most importantly, on our students. Thank you so much to the amazing sponsors and donors who make this possible.”
Jennifer concluded with a few more heartwarming stories. Jennifer said, “At the Cardozo Education Campus, two students were literally able to graduate because of the generosity of and care from the Children Incorporated program. Nick* and Leslie* both had huge personal obstacles to overcome. Nick had been caring for his ill mother — on his own — and money was extremely tight.
Without support, he could not pay for consistent transportation to get to and from school, and he could not afford uniforms, school supplies or weekly food. But thanks to your program, he graduated and was awarded the Strive for Success scholarship and the Pure and Perfect Empowerment Ministries Award, and will be enrolling in Virginia State University.
“Leslie also faced significant challenges. She and her mother had unstable housing, so their address frequently changed – and her mother could not afford the school uniforms. We were able to get Leslie shoes, basic clothing items, and her first pair of pajamas. We also provided her with a backpack full of school supplies, and checked in regularly with her teachers. Now, Leslie looks forward to beginning an Associate Nursing program in Baltimore as a high school graduate!
“I cannot overstate the tremendous impact of Children Incorporated on our work, and most importantly, on our students. Thank you so much to the amazing sponsors and donors who make this possible.”
*All names changed for individuals’ protection.
***
HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN WASHINGTON, D.C?
You can sponsor a child in Washington, D.C. 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.