Tag Archives: children in poverty

Shelley Callahan | January 4, 2024En Español

Although all the schools we work with in Bolivia were large, serving hundreds of children from neighboring communities, the La Inmaculada School was by far the largest I had seen during my time in Sucre.

Our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and I were scheduled to visit the school on a Thursday morning, but come to find out, that was a day that was scheduled for a city wide teachers strike, in which schools were closed and teachers and parents blocked off sections of the city streets with banners painted with brightly colored letters spelling out the names of their respective schools.

The strike was intended to draw attention to the need for more government support for the schools in Sucre, and as we saw on that Thursday, was very calm and peaceful. It only barely interrupted the regular hustle and bustle of the town, as students stayed at home, and usual car traffic used alternate routes around the city center.

Meeting with Lucia

Luis moved our meeting with our volunteer coordinator, Lucia, to Friday afternoon, with a plan for us to return again on Saturday for a celebration with our sponsored children and their parents – all 125 children who planned on attending to welcome us to the school. We met with Lucia in the auditorium before we took a brief tour of the expansive school.

Like many of the families living in the area, parents struggle to make ends meet and any support with basic needs was really appreciated.

Lucia explained to us that our sponsorship program was really helpful to the children here because, like many of the families living in the area, parents struggle to make ends meet and any support with basic needs was really appreciated. We ended our meeting knowing we would see Lucia the next morning, and it was apparent she was very excited about what she had planned for the celebration that we would be attending.

A great celebration

When we arrived early the next day, the empty school was now bustling with hundreds of people, patiently awaiting our arrival. Students lined the walkway into the courtyard, holding balloons and signs. Chairs had been lined up for parents to sit, and students stood ready to perform songs and dance for us, all wearing their school uniforms, even though it was the weekend.

After their performances, a few students read thank you letters to their sponsors, wanting to show their heartfelt gratitude for everything they were receiving throughout the year. I too felt that same gratitude for our sponsors, knowing how much they are doing for these special children, who were receiving a well-rounded education thanks to the La Inmaculada School.

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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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | January 1, 2024

I am a big believer in the idea of maintaining “an attitude of gratitude.” I have discovered over the years that I can weather crisis, hardships, trials, and difficulties much better when I remind myself of just how blessed I am. Even during my most trying days, I am aware that there are always others who perhaps struggle more, face greater challenges, and lack many things that I daily take for granted. I try very hard, even when I am frustrated, disappointed, or disillusioned to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, and I constantly work to hold on firmly to my “attitude of gratitude.”

I want you to know that Children Incorporated appreciates each and every one of our sponsors and donors. Thank you for allowing us to serve those in need.

As we begin yet another year – Children Incorporated’s 60^th year of assisting those living in poverty – I want to clearly express my thanks to each of you who contributes to our special funds and sponsors our beautiful children. Your generosity over the decades is what has allowed us to feed, clothe, and help educate children and youth in many varied locations around the globe.

Children Incorporated would not and could not exist without your financial support and the trust you place in us to use your gifts for good. We take this responsibility quite seriously and constantly work to make each dollar go as far as possible in meeting the huge volume of needs before us.

I am grateful – truly thankful! – for your generous support, and I want you to know that Children Incorporated appreciates each and every one of our sponsors and donors. Thank you for allowing us to serve those in need.

From the heart,
Ronald H. Carter
President and Chief Executive Officer

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Children Incorporated | December 17, 2023

We talk about our Hope In Action Fund a lot — and for good reason. This special fund, which provides for children and families in emergency situations, when natural disasters strike, and due to extreme hardship, allows our volunteer coordinators to support their communities beyond what sponsorship provides.

Thank you for all you have provided to children in need this year through our Hope In Action Fund. We couldn’t do our life-changing work without you.

As we get closer to the end of 2023, we would like to share with you, our amazing donors, just some of the many ways your donations to Hope In Action have helped this year, from the rural areas of Eastern Kentucky to our affiliated sites in the Philippines.

Hope in Action Internationally

Just in this past year, donations to Hope In Action have:

Provided funds for the purchase of projection screens for ten school classrooms
at the La Immaculada School in Bolivia
Provided funds to purchase new summer uniforms for children at the Armenian
Evangelical Secondary School — Anjar in Lebanon
Provided funds to support heart surgery for a sponsored child in the Philippines
who has been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease
Provided funds to purchase eyeglasses for sponsored children at the Santa Rosa
School in Bolivia
Provided funds to purchase band equipment for students at the Santa Rosa
School in Bolivia
Provided funds to purchase shoes for children at the Escuela Santa Lisa in
El Salvador
Provided funds to repair the study room used by students at the La Recoleccion
School in Nicaragua
Provided funds to repair the refrigeration room in the kitchen at the La Luz Home
in Mexico which provides daily meals to our sponsored children who live in the home

Hope in Action in the United States

Just this past year, donations to Hope In Action have:

Provided reading books and arts and crafts supplies for children in the dorms at the
Mariano Lake Community School in New Mexico
Provided materials and supplies for a clothes closet, field day, and field trips
for students at Broad Rock Elementary School in Virginia
Provided mattresses, food and clothing for a child who had been relocated to the Children
Incorporated affiliated school, East Valley Elementary in Kentucky, and was in need of
emergency support
Provided funds to purchase backpacks and school supplies for the annual back to school
bash at Martha Jane Potter Elementary School in Kentucky
Provided emergency support after a house fire for a family at Menifee Central Elementary
School in Kentucky

Hope In Action donations allowed us to fill a vending machine full of free books for kids in Kentucky.

Additionally, just in the U.S, alone, your support has:

Provided funds to help a sponsored child at
Lewis County Middle School in Kentucky
participate in a state-wide athletic competition
Provided funds to buy shoes, backpacks,
and school supplies for students at Gouge
Elementary School in North Carolina
Provided funds for a Summer and Arts Camp
at Belfry Middle School in Kentucky
Provided funds for students at Sparta Middle
School in North Carolina to visit an interactive
children’s museum and zoo
Provide disaster relief funds for two children
enrolled in our program at Menifee Central
Elementary School in Kentucky after their house
caught on fire
Provided funds for students at Perry Central High School
in Kentucky to attend a cheerleading camp

And, you have also:

Provided funds to purchase materials, supplies and food for a Family Literacy
Initiative at Flat Gap Elementary School in Kentucky
Provided beds, bedding, pillows, blankets, and journals to children in need at Menifee Central
Elementary School in Kentucky
Provide funds to stock the Family Resource Center with nutritious snacks at
Herald Whitaker Middle School in Kentucky
Provided funds to purchase clothes and shoes for the Youth Services Center at Phelps High School
in Kentucky
Provided three new books each to all children at Catlettsburg Elementary School in Kentucky
Provided funds to improve health and sanitation by providing water bottles to students at
Salyersville Grade School in Kentucky when the school added refillable water bottle stations

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | December 10, 2023En Español

Bolivia is a country known for its tumultuous history, dating back decades, in which a series of coups and countercoups have made the country unsafe for residents and tourists alike. And although in more recent times, with a democratic ruling party, Bolivia has seen less civil unrest than previously, the country is still facing problems with violence due to modern-day political interference.

For now, our sponsors help them with school fees, such as funds for books and meals, as even public-school education in Bolivia isn’t always free.

Being smaller in size than the larger Bolivian cities of La Paz and Santa Cruz, Sucre has a feeling of being sheltered from many dangers of the outside world. With its small cobblestone streets, colonial buildings and quaint atmosphere, Sucre is the polar opposite of a major metropolitan city.

Giving families peace of mind

Having been to La Paz and Santa Cruz before on a previous trip with Children Incorporated to Bolivia, Sucre felt manageable and easy to navigate comparably. The city was bustling with families, tourists and students walking around at all times of day and night with an obvious feeling of security that might not be present in a more major city.

And — for families living in poverty, where employment might not offer parents the opportunity to be available to escort their children to school, or be at home when the school day is over — this sense of security is so valuable in giving them peace of mind when they already have to worry about providing for their children on limited incomes.

On our third day in Sucre, Luis and I were scheduled to visit our affiliated site, Colegio Don Bosco, a short walk from our hotel in the city center, where boys and girls from impoverished backgrounds attended school in a large, two-story building with forty classrooms, a dining hall, kitchen, and laboratories for physics, chemistry and computer classes. After taking a tour of the school, we met with our sponsored children as our volunteer coordinator explained to us that the school was very prestigious, and many of the students go to study in universities after graduation.

A well-rounded way to help children in need

For now, our sponsors help them with school fees, such as funds for books and meals, as even public-school education in Bolivia isn’t always free. This support helps to reinforce the feeling of security that these students need to grow up healthy and happy — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | December 4, 2023

Our volunteer coordinators, Alicia and Marlena, at Eden Elementary School in Kentucky are well aware of just how much our donors do for the children they support. Today, we hear from Alicia and Marlena about the particular projects that Children Incorporated has been able to fund at their school, and how our thoughtful donors are making big changes for families in need as a part of our December 2023 Impact Report.

“We want to give you many thanks for helping us better our community by offering support to those in need.”

An amazing amount of accomplishments

“Nestled in the hills of Appalachia is our school, Eden Elementary. Here, in our small town of Inez, our families are strong, proud and tough. In our area, when coal was king, our citizens and communities flourished. But as our country moves away from the resource that is so abundant in our area, it has left our families to struggle. We lost steady high paying jobs and coal severance tax, both which have impacted our area negatively. It is both an honor and a blessing to help our families make ends meet. Children Incorporated has allowed us to serve our families in a way we would not have been able to otherwise.”

“As we approach the end of the 2023 school year and we look back, it is amazing what we have been able to accomplish with the support of Children Incorporated. One of our pride and joy projects made possible from our Hope In Action grant is ‘Planting Seeds of Hope.’ With this project we are able to supply over 75 families with the knowledge, how-to, and supplies that allow them to grow organic food at home. Gardening increases family involvement as well as encourages self-sufficient skills in growing and home food preservation, skills that can be passed down from generation to generation.”

Alicia is pictured with one of our sponsored children, who is beaming from the gifts she received from her sponsor.

“Another project made possible by our Hope In Action grant is our outside classroom ‘Wildcat Korner.’ We purchased metal outdoor benches, umbrellas and garbage cans to match the metal tables previously purchased. This outdoor classroom supports positive student social interaction and provides a space for hands on activities like the ‘Gaga Ball Game’, which promotes inclusivity, motor skills, and self-perception skills. Our kids love getting to spend time in our Wildcat Korner. It gives them a break from the traditional classroom setting and provides an alternate learning environment.”

“The Bedder Homes Project has continued to fund our families in need with beds, washers, dryers, furniture, etc. This year we have provided a number of beds to our little community, but one family in particular sticks out. Twin boys who are being raised by their aunt were so thankful to receive beds for their room. They are in 6^th grade and had been sharing a bed. As you can imagine, these growing boys were thrilled to be able to have their own place to sleep. We also were able to purchase bedding, curtains and a rug to complete their room.”

A huge impact on many lives

“In our area, we have an abundance of grandparents raising their grandkids. Hope In Action allows us to host monthly meetings to bring these grandparents together for support. We provide a meal and share it together; we also involve the grandparents in discussions and games where we give prizes as an incentive to participate. We also highlight resources made available to them that they may not know about. The Spence family in particular, has learned of resources available that truly help their family make ends meet. This is a family of six, and the grandparents are disabled. These programs have been a blessing to this family, as we also have enrolled the Spence children into the Children Incorporated sponsorship program. They have one of the most kind and generous sponsors. He regularly sends large directed funds to this family for health and general needs.”

“The grandmother tells us and writes the sponsor to let him know just how thankful she is, and she honestly does not know how they would make it without his generosity. It truly makes a huge impact in their lives. His sponsorship helps this family buy additional food, cleaning supplies, and other household items. It is so touching to see this family have a better life because of Children Incorporated and this kind sponsor.”

“As part of our Hope In Action grant, we also participate in our ‘Snack Attack’ program. This allows us to provide a consistent food pantry with food items for weekend backpacks or in case of an emergency; it also assists students with snacks during and after school, and is also used for student activities. As you can see, we are forever grateful for Children Incorporated Hope In Action grants. We put all allocated funds to good use to make an impact in our community. We want to give you many thanks for helping us better our community by offering support to those in need.”

Best wishes with appreciation,
Alicia and Marlena

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | December 2, 2023

Dear Friends,

December is an important month. For some, it is the end of yet another year, a time to wrap up loose ends and bring matters, personal and professional, to closure. For others, both religious and otherwise, December is the season of advent, of fresh starts, of hope, peace, joy, and love. Sprinkled throughout the month are all sorts of days of special recommendation. For example, December 4th is “Wear Brown Shoes Day,” December 6th is “Bartender Appreciation Day,” and December 13th is “Ice Cream Day.” Of course, the majority of us celebrate Christmas on December 25th.

Children Incorporated, as a business, operates on a fiscal year calendar (July 1 through June 30), so December is definitely not a month of endings for us, though the end of the calendar year is crucial for us as far as contributions go. As our financial supporters bring their annual contributions to an end, we always anticipate the generosity of those wishing to support our work with monetary gifts before the close of the calendar year.

Our Annual Fund is what drives our mission and vision and allows us to plan for the future of our organization — one in which we can help more and more children each and every year.

This year is no different. As always, we need your support and ask that you seriously consider what you may give to help us continue our life-changing work around the world. The needs of those we serve are ever-present and ever-real as children and families struggle with food insecurity and poor nutrition, the high cost of education, a lack of adequate clothing and hygiene items, and sub-par housing and shelter.

We do all that we can with the funds we receive from sponsorship and general contributions, and our honest efforts are recognized by the major charitable monitoring groups — Charity Navigator recently awarded Children Incorporated a score of 99 out of 100! — but the needs always seem to outweigh the dollars collected. This December, we ask for your help once again by considering making a donation to our Annual Fund. Our Annual Fund is what drives our mission and vision and allows us to plan for the future of our organization — one in which we can help more and more children each and every year, while keeping up with meeting the needs of the children we already support.

Yes, December is an important month. I’d like to designate it as “Children Incorporated Thanks Its Incredible Sponsors and Donors Month” and share my gratitude to each of you for allowing our small but dedicated staff and me, personally, to do the work of helping and improving the lives of children and families. You make it all possible. Thank you.

From the heart,
Ronald H. Carter

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