I last visited New Orleans, Louisiana, in the summer of 2007. As I do now with my work with Children Incorporated, I worked with a nonprofit that supported children’s education. I visited local schools to provide free books to students living in low-income neighborhoods all over the city, and it was a rewarding and eye-opening experience.
At the time, New Orleans was still recovering from the devastation of the 2005 hurricane and subsequent flooding caused by the breaking of the leaves that occurred. As my co-worker and I made our way around town, we saw more closed schools than open ones and realized how much the devastation was really affecting children’s ability to get an education. When I started working with Children Incorporated 7 years later, I understood firsthand how our sponsorship program was greatly impacting students in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina thanks to my previous work there, and then had the opportunity to learn even more from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube. According to Renée, our volunteer coordinators are incredibly supportive of our program, and find it invaluable to the success of their students daily. When I found out I would be returning to New Orleans in December 2024 to visit our affiliated sites with Renée and our Assistant Director of U.S. Programs, Kristen Walthall, I was delighted to know I would be able to hear more about how our sponsors are changing the lives of children in need directly from our volunteer coordinators.
As Renée, Kristen, and I prepared for our trip to New Orleans, I took some time to read letters from our volunteer coordinators in New Orleans from this past year that I wanted to share and reflect on before meeting them in person, as they express their deepest gratitude for all our program can do for children at their schools.
Langston Hughes Charter School
Over the past year, the Children Incorporated program has continued to support students and families in the Langston Hughes School community. Funds from the program have been instrumental in meeting various needs, including food, clothing, school supplies, and technology, ensuring students have the necessary resources to succeed at school and in their communities!
One of the most memorable and impactful supports we received from Children Incorporated this year was providing bi-monthly fresh food deliveries to an LHA family. This initiative was supported by a Hope in Action grant. The family had recently migrated to the USA and struggled to find support for their basic needs. The students were experiencing health issues and not attending school regularly. Partnering with Children Incorporated to provide food deliveries significantly improved the student’s attendance, engagement, and health. The school translator noted the substantial positive difference this support has made, and the family was very appreciative of the delicious food they received. Funds were used to supply uniforms, outside-school clothing, and raincoats. We also purchased rain gear and umbrellas for students and families that walk to and from school, ensuring they are prepared for all weather conditions.
The Children Incorporated program at LHA has been highly appreciated by families, students, and school staff. The support provided has addressed needs that might otherwise have gone unmet, fostering a stronger connection between families and the school. The feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the program’s effectiveness in improving students’ well-being, self-confidence, and academic performance. The Children Incorporated program remains a crucial support system for our school community.
We look forward to continuing our partnership to meet the needs of our students and their families, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive both academically and personally. Thank you, Children Incorporated!
Sincerely,
Nicole
Samuel Green Charter School
Samuel Green Charter School has been privileged to partner with Children Incorporated. With generous support from Children Incorporated, Theressa was able to purchase new computers and tablets for the Green graduating 8th graders. These devices are essential for their future academic journey, ensuring they are well-prepared for high school and beyond. Before graduation, several Children Incorporated students expressed concern over attending high school unprepared and without the needed supplies. Theressa saw this as an opportunity to use Children Incorporated funds to help alleviate their worries. The students were so excited and proud when they received their last CI bag from Theressa, who reported that it was an excellent way to end their time enrolled in the Children Incorporated program.
Theressa also used Children Incorporated funding to purchase winter coats for all Children Incorporated students. These coats were immensely beneficial, as they kept the children warm and allowed them to attend school regularly without being hindered by New Orleans’s ever-changing weather. Parents reported being incredibly grateful for the coats, noting the significant relief this support has brought their families this year and in years past!
One family in the Green community faced a challenging situation with their power bill before the winter holidays in 2023. They were in danger of having their power shut off right before Thanksgiving. Thanks to the funds from Children Incorporated, we could cover their power bill and ensure that their home remained warm and safe. This assistance provided much-needed stability for the family, allowing the children to focus on enjoying their time off from school with their family in a warm home.
This support was crucial in providing the family with a safe and healthy living environment. The new beds and bedding have contributed to better sleep and overall well-being for the children and given them comfort and security during a time of immense change and uncertainty.
The funding from Children Incorporated. has been instrumental in transforming the lives of our students and their families! Children Incorporated has allowed us to create a more supportive and conducive learning environment by addressing critical needs such as education and technology items, summer and winter clothing, utility bills, and other critical basic needs support. Our students perform better academically and are more enthusiastic about attending school when they have support from Children Incorporated!
Best wishes,
Theresa
Phillis Wheatley Charter School
Phillis Wheatley Community School has greatly benefited from the support provided by Children Incorporated over the past school year! This report outlines the impact of the generous partnership, which helps support our student’s needs and remove barriers to their success at school and in their community.
Children Incorporated funding allowed us to purchase school and summer shoes, winter clothing, rain gear, uniform pants, and polos for Children Incorporated students. Proper footwear and clothing helped ensure that all Children Incorporated students could attend school comfortably and confidently daily. Site Coordinators have also supplied high-quality hygiene products to many students and families. This initiative has dramatically improved our students’ personal hygiene and self-esteem, which positively impacts their overall well-being and classroom participation. Site Coordinators can ensure Children Incorporated students have the hygiene supplies they need at home and school, thanks to Children Incorporated!
We also utilized the funding throughout the year to provide necessary school supplies. This consistent availability of supplies has been crucial in ensuring that students are always prepared for their classes as the school year progresses. Many students have supplies early in the year but need help replenishing items as they need replacing. Children Incorporated ensures students have access to what they need from the first to the last day of school!
One family was significantly impacted by the generosity of their son’s sponsor this year. Sponsor-donated funds allowed us to purchase furniture items for the family after they recently moved into a new home and the siblings got their own rooms for the first time. Thanks to the generosity of their sponsor, their rooms are now equipped with new dressers, toy chests, bedding, and a few toys, too.
The support from Children Incorporated. has been pivotal in addressing the diverse needs of our students, from essential supplies and hygiene products to improved living conditions and community engagement. We are deeply grateful for the continued support from Children Incorporated and our community partners, and we look forward to furthering our mission to provide a supportive and enriching educational environment for all our students.
Thank you,
Odina
In the next few weeks, I will be sharing my stories from the schools we visited in New Orleans, which reflect the important work we are doing together to help some of the most vulnerable children in Crescent City receive an education.
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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 in that is available for sponsorship.
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