On the Road
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 […]
Repairing a Smile and Self-esteem
Our Hope In Action Fund steps in to fix a student’s teeth
It goes without saying that our Hope In Action Fund, which allows Children Incorporated to provide for sponsored children and their families in emergency and special circumstances, comes to the rescue quite often. Whether funds go to purchasing cleaning supplies after families have been affected by flooding, or to replacing a pair of eyeglasses when a child falls and breaks them on the playground, Hope In Action is such an important part of how Children […]
A Future for Children in a Kentucky Without Coal
With the loss of jobs in Eastern Kentucky, many families worry about how they will support their children
Nobody’s better at wearing a brave face than a kid — whether they know it or not. If you drive around Eastern Kentucky, you’ll see children at school playing outside and laughing. At first glance, it’s not likely that you’ll truly understand the impact that increasing poverty is having on their families. It’s coal country here, with mining dominating Kentucky’s industries since 1820. The Western Coal Fields, part of the Illinois basin, and the Eastern […]
A Chance at the American Dream
A sponsor story in Kentucky
When Ann and Bob Underwood first signed on as sponsors through Children Incorporated in 2006, they were looking for an opportunity to help poor children in the U.S. Ten years and 27 sponsored kids later, they remain steadfast in their commitment to helping give underprivileged children a chance at the American Dream. To date, eleven of the children sponsored by the Underwoods have successfully graduated from high school. We contacted the Tennessee couple to find […]
Paying It Forward: Life After Sponsorship
A story from a former sponsored child in Kentucky
Aimee learned a lot of things too early in life as she watched her father nearly succumb to leukemia, his resulting painkiller addiction, and the financial and psychological quicksand her family struggled in as a result. Growing up in a small town in Eastern Kentucky, Aimee was surprised to find herself and her family staying with neighbors while her dad suffered in a nearby hospital. It seemed so sudden, the onset of his illness, and […]
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 […]