Themes from Childhood: A Classic Concert for All Ages will feature Children Incorporated Board Member Theresa P. Steward along with special guests and will benefit our COVID-19 Response Fund.
We hear from Children Incorporated President and CEO, Ronald H. Carter, who discusses more about the event:
“Theresa P. Steward is a member of the Children Incorporated Board of Directors. She is a classically trained musician; she holds a Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Theresa also serves as pianist and organist at Grace (American) Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, which is also the church that I attend.
Grace Baptist has been a loyal supporter of Children Incorporated for more than a decade, supporting our work each December with funds raised from their mission market. They have also partnered with us on our work to support families in need in Puerto Rico.
Theresa and various other musicians have staged four previous concerts at Grace Baptist for charitable purposes. Those concerts, which were held in person, have been great successes, raising thousands of dollars in support of various missions and ministries. Themes from Childhood is the first of these concerts to be held virtually, and Theresa has designated that all profits from it will be donated to Children Incorporated in support of our COVID-19 Response Fund.
I have had the pleasure of attending all of Theresa’s concerts at Grace Baptist Church, and I have been astounded by the talent she and the other musician’s display. I have been blown away by what Theresa shares. She chooses music that is familiar, fun, and uplifting, and her performances are warm and welcoming. I encourage all fans of good music, whatever their tastes may be, to tune in and share in this event.”
Please plan on tuning in on Saturday, September 12th at what will surely be an unforgettable event!
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How to attend the event
Please visit either the following Facebook or YouTube link on Saturday, September 12th to watch live:
Although much of the world is living in some type of isolation for the foreseeable future, the support from our sponsors helps our sponsored children and their families feel loved and taken care of in these uncertain times.
Our volunteer coordinator at our affiliated project, the Recanto Esperança Center in Brazil, writes to us about how the support of our donors is making an impact on children in need.
Although much of the world is still living in some type of isolation for the foreseeable future, the support from our sponsors helps our sponsored children and their families feel loved and taken care of in these uncertain times.
“We are fine, still in isolation. Thanks to you and the sponsors, we can buy food basket items and hygiene products for children. Many families are without income and are very grateful for this help.
Last week we launched a milk campaign, and we have already achieved a lot. We will continue to provide as much as we can for the families, as we probably need to help them for a long time to come.
Thank you so much for everything you are doing to help children in our program at this time.”
About Brazil
Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world – both geographically and in terms of population. It is truly massive, sharing borders with every other country in South America except for Ecuador and Chile. The Amazon rain forest — recognized for having the greatest biological diversity on the planet — sprawls over the country’s northern half, with rugged mountains to the south. Despite its wealth of natural resources and beauty, Brazil suffers from staggering poverty, rising inflation, unemployment, and lack of social development.
About our affiliated projects
Recanto Esperança Curitiba-Paraná, Brazil
Located in the Urebaba District of Curitiba, where many families lack the resources to provide for their children’s education and basic needs, Recanto Esperança is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support children and their families to rise above the difficult socio-economic circumstances from which they come.
CARITAS-Novo Milênio Center Lages – Santa Catarina, Brazil
Thanks to donations to our COVID-19 Response Fund, sponsored children in Brazil are receiving food and hygiene items regularly.
In the city of Lages, located in the south of Brazil, many families are forced to live in urban developments like Novo Milênio, which lack electricity, drinking water, and even sewage service. Job opportunities here are extremely limited, and area public schools are ill-equipped to provide a quality education to the ever-increasing number of students. Children here roam the streets, sad, neglected, and vulnerable to the threats of crime, drug abuse, and worse. The plight of these children aroused the compassion of CARITAS, a non-profit organization run by the Catholic Church. As a result, the CARITAS Center in Novo Milênio was established to help these children and community members.
Casas Lares–ACRIDAS Curitiba, Brazil
Curitiba’s city slum neighborhoods inspired ACRIDAS (Christian Association of Social Assistance), a non-profit organization of business and civic leaders, to establish several orphanages to assist these deserving young ones. Many children are placed in Casas Lares–ACRIDAS by court order, to protect them from the threats of abuse, drugs, violence, and malnutrition. Casas Lares–ACRIDAS serves as a safe haven, offering underprivileged and vulnerable children the opportunity to live in a safe home environment.
Nossa Senhora Das Graças Lagas, Brazil
The plight of children living in Lagas aroused the compassion of a charitable civic organization called Nossa Senhora Das Graças (Our Lady of the Graces) who founded the Nossa Senhora Das Graças daycare center to provide assistance, support, and hope to the needy children in this region of Brazil.
CADI CENTER Fazenda Rio Grande – Curitiba, Brazil
In Fazenda Rio Grande, a town on the outskirts of Curitiba in southern Brazil, many families struggle to afford even the most basic of needs, let alone education-related expenses for their children. What began in 1994 as a soccer school to motivate and assist the children of these low-income families has now become CADI (Centro de Assistência e Desenvolvimento Integral) – a national nonprofit that maintains a center of holistic development in Fazenda Rio Grande. The CADI center’s mission is to motivate and equip these deserving children with an education and the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN BRAZIL?
You can sponsor a child in Brazil in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our donation portal, create an account, and search for a child in Brazil that is available for sponsorship.
All over the world, our volunteer coordinators are taking on the massive responsibility of providing for children in our program outside of our affiliated projects — and for some, that means traveling quite a long distance to give aid to them and their families at their homes.
Our volunteer coordinator, Sister Deo, at Hogar Medalla Milagrosa in Paraguay, recently drove over two hours to deliver food and clothing to some very needy families. Accompanied by a social worker, they also spoke with the families about the sponsored children’s health, emotional states, and their virtual learning assignments. Sister Deo found that all of the girls who attend the Hogar Medalla Milagrosa Girls’ Home are doing well during COVID-19 restrictions.
Sister Deo wrote Children Incorporated an email about how she is helping kids in our program thanks to donations from our COVID-19 Response Fund.
Sister Deo wrote Children Incorporated an email about how she is helping kids in our program thanks to donations to our COVID-19 Response Fund.
A message from Sister Deo
“Good Morning!
We hope you are well and that this difficult situation we are going through will soon pass. I want to share with you photos of how we are working thanks to the valuable help of Children Incorporated. We bought food that we are sending to every girl and family. We purchased books so that the girls can follow their studies remotely in a virtual way with the teachers.
We also buy much needed personal toilet items for our girls.
Thank you for the support,
Sister Deo”
About Paraguay
Sister Deo delivers food to families in need in Paraguay.
Nestled in the heart of South America, Paraguay comprises an area roughly the size of California and is characterized by semiarid grasslands, forested highlands, marshlands, and rivers. Paraguay boasts a well-preserved indigenous identity and heritage, but a wide range of ethnicities call this small, landlocked nation home, including immigrants from Australia, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, and Spain. Paraguay’s rich cultural diversity and wealth of natural resources, however, belie the abject poverty in which the majority of its residents live. Many areas of the country remain underdeveloped, with inhabitants relying on subsistence farming for livelihood.
Today, Paraguay is one of South America’s poorest nations and is plagued by a history of bloody wars with neighboring countries as well as internal political instability, corruption and deficient infrastructure.
Our affiliated projects
Asunción School Asunción, Paraguay
Established by the order of St. Vincent de Paúl, the Asunción School (or, as it is known locally, Santa Luisa de Marillac) serves the impoverished children of one of Asunción’s poorest neighborhoods. Many of these children suffer from neglect and malnutrition as a direct result of their parents’ poverty. The Asunción School truly serves as a beacon of hope, providing these deserving children with the basic needs, moral guidance, and well-rounded education that may help them rise above the difficult socio-economic circumstances from which they come.
Hogar Medalla Milagrosa Asunción, Paraguay
Just as with the Asunción School, Hogar Medalla Milagrosa was established by the order of St. Vincent de Paúl to support children of Asunción, most of whom come from the streets or from broken homes where even affording food is a daily struggle. Founded in 1895, Hogar Medalla Milagrosa serves as a primary school and a boarding home for orphaned or abandoned children. It not only strives to provide for these deserving children’s immediate, basic needs but also instills moral guidance while equipping each child with a sound education.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN Paraguay?
You can sponsor a child in Paraguay in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our donation portal, create an account, and search for a child in Paraguay that is available for sponsorship.
Thanks to donations to our COVID-19 Response Fund, our affiliated projects in India are able to provide food and hygiene items to children to take home to their families.
Like many countries around the world, COVID-19 infection cases have risen in India despite a strict lockdown that began in late March and was partially lifted at the end of May. Currently, India is the fourth worst-hit nation in the world behind the United States, Brazil, and Russia — and the worst-hit Asian country to date.
In India, most of our affiliated projects are group homes for children, in which they live throughout the year. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown, our sponsored children and their families are at home and receiving food, hygiene items, clothes, and any other necessities, as they cope with the situation.
We recently heard from our volunteer coordinator at the J. Calvitt Clarke Home in Dornakal, India regarding the support we have provided to children in our program at this time.
“Dear Children Incorporated,
Thanks to donations from our supports, families in India are receiving much-needed food.
The parents of the children [in the Children Incorporated Program] were happy to receive the given items to support their daily nutritional needs in the middle of this time. We have distributed items such as rice, oil, onions, and soap to the families, among other food items, and the beneficiaries convey their heartfelt thanks to the organization for the support.”
About India
From the snowcapped Himalayans to tropical beaches, India is truly a nation of contrasts. It boasts a rich history spanning tens of thousands of years. In fact, the earliest known civilization in South Asia once called India’s fertile Indus Valley home. Today, with the world’s second-largest population, India includes a staggering variety of ethnicities, languages, religions and cultures. Its wealth of natural resources and vibrant cultures, however, belie the abject poverty in which so many of India’s citizens live.
Our affiliated projects
Like many countries around the world, COVID-19 infection cases have risen in India despite a strict lockdown that began in late March and was lifted at the end of May.
Auxilium School Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Founded in 1981 and run by members of the Salesian Sisters, the Auxilium School provides the poorest children of the Guntur slums — as well as children from surrounding rural areas — with shelter, nutrition and education. As a caring sponsor, you are coming alongside these dedicated Sisters and providing these students with the hope, education and opportunity they need to rise above the difficult socio-economic circumstances from which they come.
Parikrma Home Bangalore, India
The Parikma Home was founded in 2003 as an extension of the Parikrma Humanity Foundation, a local nonprofit that strives to provide education to over 1000 children from slum neighborhoods across Bangalore. This “end-to-end” program serves children from the youngest ages all the way through to higher education and job placement. The home’s four core areas of focus are education, nutrition, health care, and family care. Its mission is to “unleash the potential of under-served children in urban India, which will provide them with equal opportunities and make them valuable contributing members of society.” Children who stay at the home receive their education at one of the nonprofit’s four “Centers of Learning” schools.
English Medium School and Hostel
Dornakal, Andhra Pradesh, India
Situated within the Cathedral compound in Dornakal, the English Medium School is run by the Church of South India. It offers impoverished children of this region shelter, nutrition and education.
St. Mary’s Girls’ Hostel Khamman, Telangana, India
The St. Mary’s Girls’ Hostel boarding school was open in 1980 with a mission to address the poverty facing many of the families in this community. The hostel serves as a safe haven where these deserving young women receive immediate, basic needs, a well-rounded education, and the opportunity to reach for a better future.
Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel Yadagiri, Karnataka, India
The Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel provides boarding, nutrition, and a quality education for area girls who come from impoverished families. At the Hostel, deserving young women receive the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult circumstances they face.
Dornakal Girls’ Hostel Dornakal, Andhra Pradesh, India
Since its founding in the 1970s, the Dornakal Girls’ Hostel has provided countless girls from surrounding tribal settlements with education, encouragement, and a window into the outside world. Its mission remains to provide for these deserving girls’ immediate needs, while also investing in their future.
Kothagudem Girls’ Home Kothagudem, Andhra Pradesh, India
Located in Andhra Pradesh, India, the Church of South India established the Kothagudem Girls’ Home to provide underprivileged girls basic needs along with a well-rounded education with the support of Children Incorporated sponsors.
Grace Aaron Childcare Center Burgampahad, India
Founded by the Church of South India, the Grace Aaron Childcare Center provides shelter, nutrition and educational support for girls from the region’s poorest families. In this way — and with your support — the Grace Aaron Childcare Center offers these deserving young women the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances.
Thanks to donations to our COVID-19 Response Fund, our affiliated projects in India are able to provide food and hygiene items to children to take home to their families.
Chandrakal Boarding Home Chandrakal, Telangana, India
Founded in 1950 by American missionary Lillian Woodbridge, the Chandrakal Boarding Home has provided education for thousands of impoverished children, many of whom have since made valuable contributions to their towns and villages in the fields of education, medicine and commerce. Due to the severe poverty in this area, most of the children’s parents are unable to pay tuition each month. Knowing that contributing to their child’s education gives the parents a great sense of pride, the home accepts whatever amount the parents can afford, and sponsorship donations cover the rest, along with other basic needs.
J. Calvitt Clarke Home Dornakal, Telangana, India
Named in honor of the father of Children Incorporated-founder Jeanne Clarke Wood, the J. Calvitt Clarke Home serves impoverished children in this region by providing for their basic, immediate needs while also investing in their futures by way of a well-rounded education.
Durgi Home Durgi, Andhra Pradesh, India
Originally established by the Catholic Diocese of Guntur in 1982, the Durgi Home began as a health center; ten years later, it expanded to include a boarding home, which provides area children with a place to stay while attending local schools. In 1998, brothers and sisters of the Order of the Sacred Heart opened a school nearby to further benefit the children of this community.
Stambalagaruvu Boys’ Home Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Founded in 2010, the Stambalagaruvu Boys’ Home provides the poorest children of the Guntur slums and children from surrounding rural areas with shelter, nutrition, and education.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN India?
You can sponsor a child in India in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in India who is available for sponsorship.
It’s hard for people to ask for help in many situations — especially when it involves a person’s ability to care for their own family. But for families living in poverty, it is often a necessity for them, which is why our Hope In Action Fund exists to provide support when they need it the most.
Today we hear from our volunteer coordinator, Genevieve, at Sebastian Elementary School in Eastern Kentucky, about how Children Incorporated has been able to help families through our Hope In Action Fund thanks to our donors:
“As director of the Sebastian Elementary School Family Resource Center for the past fourteen years, let me say that no program does so much to help so many as Children Incorporated.
I am so thankful I work at a school Children Incorporated serves. It is a blessing, especially for the aging 61-year old grandmother struggling after surgery to raise her 6 and 7-year-old grandchildren, who attend my school. Children Incorporated stepped in and sent them money for laundry along with food boxes just to help out, blessing them with basic needs until the grandmother could get back to work. In the past, a home was devastated by fire in the dead of winter leaving seven of our students with nothing. Again, Children Incorporated stepped in and gave them clothes, shoes, and coats.
In the past, a home was devastated by fire in the dead of winter leaving seven of our students with nothing.Children Incorporated stepped in and gave them clothes, shoes, and coats.
Recently, a struggling mother asked for help, as she could not provide her daughter with an Ipad for educational support. Children Incorporated gave the blessing for that to be made possible. Thank you for helping her provide that need for her child. Her daughter was so happy as she looked at the Ipad and was absolutely jumping for joy!”
About Sebastian Elementary School
Located in rural and mountainous eastern Kentucky, Breathitt County is one of the 100 poorest counties in the United States. The economic prospects of Breathitt County are, at best, bleak. The coal mining industry that once dominated this area and provided employment for the majority of its population has been declining.
Today, there are few job opportunities for the area: three small factories, a community college, a grocery store, a department store, a small medical center, a juvenile detention center, and the county education system. Many families who once relied upon mining jobs for income now depend upon part-time employment at minimum wages and/or federal assistance such as welfare checks and food stamps. Tragically, drug and alcohol abuse are common, both stemming from and further contributing to these difficult socioeconomic circumstances. Children here, therefore, not only struggle with lack of basic needs, such as food, clothing, and school supplies; they are also often in dire need of encouragement and positive interaction with adults — positive role models who teach them how to maintain strong moral values and to be and have friends of good character and caliber.
For this reason, Sebastian Elementary School serves as a beacon of hope for the surrounding community. The school’s caring and dedicated staff is thrilled to partner with Children Incorporated sponsors to better equip students with the basic essentials, positive influence, and well-rounded education they need to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult circumstances they face each day.
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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.
This story was originally written before the COVID-19 outbreak and has been updated for publication.
In late February, I had the pleasure of not only attending the concert of one of our sponsors, Mary Wilson (of the legendary Supremes), but she also let me set up a table at the venue to let her fans know about Children Incorporated’s work. As concertgoers entered the building, they passed right by me, and many stopped to pick up literature about our sponsorship and special gifts programs.
Lynetta’s gift to Ms. Wilson was a testament to the value of our sponsorship program and the importance of what we, through our kind and generous sponsors, offer to children around the world.
Once the concert started, I took my seat for Ms. Wilson’s performance. Ms. Wilson, who turned 76 years old just a few days later, was at the top of her game that evening. She sang not only her classic Motown hits, but also a variety of other styles of music. She kept the crowd engaged from the first to the last note she sang, not only with her music, but also with her warmth and humor.
After the show, I returned to the table I set up prior to the show, and again, many people stopped to chat with me as they waited for Ms. Wilson to come out and sign autographs. When she did arrive, she was seated right beside me, and as people came to her for an autograph or to get a book or photo signed, she pointed to me and said repeatedly, “This is my friend, Ron. You need to talk to him. I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated, and you can too.”
I was so pleased with the way she encouraged people to talk to me, and many did. Interest in Children Incorporated’s work was high.
Ms. Wilson pictured with Mr. Carter.
After Ms. Wilson greeted her fans, she moved across the room to take photographs with many more of them. Once the photo-taking was over, I presented her with a lovely card and handmade bracelet that her sponsored child, Lynetta*, had created just for her. When she saw the bracelet, she immediately took off her silver one and replaced it with Lynetta’s heartfelt gift. As she did, I was able to tell the guests who were still assembled about Children Incorporated and our life-changing work in the United States and in 20 additional countries.
The whole evening was perfect. Lynetta’s gift to Ms. Wilson was a testament to the value of our sponsorship program and the importance of what we, through our kind and generous sponsors, offer to children around the world. It was magical to be able to share that experience with Ms. Wilson and her fans.
*Name changed to protect the child.
*** Ms. Wilson recently created a video to share, asking that others join her in supporting children through our sponsorship program. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication to Children Incorporated.
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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?
You can sponsor a child in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.
Theresa also serves as pianist and organist at Grace (American) Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, which is also the church that I attend.
