Tag Archives: Children Incorporated

Renee Kube | September 2, 2024En Español

During my visit to Letcher County for the first time since the historic flooding that struct southeastern Kentucky in July 2022, I first visited Jenkins Independent Schools. Jenkins Independent Schools comprises two schools: Burdine Elementary and Jenkins Middle-High. Several years ago, at the request of our coordinator, Angela, Children Incorporated “administratively merged” Burdine Elementary into Jenkins Middle-High. They operate as one affiliated site. Angie looks over both schools; they share one Family Resource Youth Services Center. Angie travels between the two regularly.

After the pandemic learning loss, the students are slowly gaining ground. The middle school children are still struggling, but most high school students have hit average benchmarks.

After the flooding

Burdine Elementary School was damaged during the floods in July 2022, but officials agree it could have been worse. There were 3 feet of water outside, but all the doors held. About 4 inches of water was pushed in throughout the building. However, the flood did destroy the separate preschool building. Outside, all the fencing and playground equipment was destroyed and swept downstream.

When elementary school children first enroll, many are not school-ready. The pandemic years also caused learning loss. At present, elementary school children are not performing well in state standardized tests. The children are struggling not only academically but also financially. 82.3% come from low-income families.

Hearing about the students

After a tour of both campuses, Angie and I met at her high school office. She said the enrollment at the elementary school is about 203, and at the middle school, it’s about 236. Angie plans to add more children in the new school year and may include the preschool children, too.

Angie (pictured) shows Renée the Resource Center during her visit.

Angie shared that her students are dealing with persistent poverty. 86% come from low-income families. There are no more active coal mines in Jenkins. The best jobs are with the school system or the small regional hospital. The remaining available work is small retail or service jobs, such as at dollar stores, gas stations, and fast-food restaurants.

After the pandemic learning loss, the students are slowly gaining ground. The middle school children are still struggling, but most high school students have hit average benchmarks.

On to college for Jacob

Angie likes to do much of her Children Incorporated shopping at Sam’s Club. She mainly purchases clothing, hygiene items, and food. Then, she called a student named Jacob into the room for me to meet.* Jacob is polite and very well-spoken. He is ready to graduate from high school and is still thinking about what he wants to do for his future. Jacob said he is frankly tired of the school routine and is ready for a break and a change. A part of him wants to take a “gap year,” where he can work and get a paycheck. Another part of him wants to plow through and get college done and behind him. When we spoke, Jacob had applied to a couple of places but hadn’t heard back.

Happily, in mid-May, Angie called me with the very good news that Jacob had just received an acceptance letter from Alice Lloyd College, which is adjacent to Knott County. The college is tuition-free! The costs are funded by donations from across the country. However, there are costs for room and board, textbooks, fees, and other miscellaneous expenses. Angie asked if she could nominate Jacob for our Higher Education Program. I gave them an extension, and they told me to get the application to me soon. I am thrilled for Jacob to have this opportunity.

*Name changed to protect the child.

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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

Children Incorporated | August 27, 2024

Our volunteer coordinator, Katarina, at Cardinal Elementary School in Virginia, wrote to us recently to thank our sponsors for their invaluable support.

Katarina’s Letter

“For the third consecutive year, I’ve had the privilege of working with the Children Incorporated program. The impact of this program on the lives of the 25 children we serve is truly remarkable. Each child received clothing for the winter and summer, ensuring they were appropriately dressed throughout the school year. However, a few instances truly underscored the importance and impact of the monthly contributions.”

“I will forever be in awe and sing the praises of this program made possible by our dedicated sponsors.”

“One in particular that stood out was when a 5^th-grade boy spent the first two weeks of school without clothing. I contacted their guardians and explained that the child did not have clothing to start attending school. He had gone through a growth spurt over the summer; whereas he was in boys’ sizes at the end of last school year, he was now wearing men’s clothing. I could purchase him clothes that fit well, and he began to attend school the day after they were delivered.”

“This is a testament to the consistent success of Children Incorporated, a success that would not be possible without the steadfast support of our sponsors. Their contributions, both financial and moral, are what make it possible for us to provide children with clean, well-fitting clothes. This restores their dignity and alleviates the fear of standing out or being bullied. It eliminates a barrier to their education, and relieving this burden from their young shoulders brings back the joy of childhood. I will forever be in awe and sing the praises of this program made possible by our dedicated sponsors.”

your impact through hope in action

Sponsorship is one of many ways you, our loyal supporters, help impoverished children every month. Additionally, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and donors who have made contributions to our Hope In Action Fund in the last month, we have been able to:

– Provide nutritious meals for children at Sagrada Familia in Guatemala
– Provide funds to purchase school supplies for children at Phelps Elementary School in Kentucky who are yet to have sponsors
– Provide funds to purchase clothing and shoes for children to start the school year at Fallsburg Elementary School in Kentucky
– Provide funds for the daily meals for 25 children for an entire month at Kids’ Hope Ethiopia
– Provide funds to offer nutritional meals to 40 children for an entire month at the Visayans Center in the Philippines
– Provide classroom supplies for the new school year for students at Arile Boggs Elementary School in Kentucky
– Provide funds to purchase new backpacks for students at Hindman Elementary School in Kentucky
– Provide funds to purchase nutritious meals for 25 students at the Dandora Center in Kenya for one month

Thank you to our supporters for all that you do! We couldn’t do our life-changing work without you.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 19, 2024En Español

Today, we hear from our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, who visited the Dornakal Girls’ Hostel as part of his recent trip to India, where the girls in attendance are thrilled to be at such a lovely establishment.

Visiting the Dornakal Girls’ Hostel

“The next day in the morning, I was scheduled to visit the Dornakal Girls’ Hostel. This is located within the Dornakal Diocese compound in Dornakal. To counter the two boy’s hostels I visited earlier, there is this one hostel for girls only here in Dornakal to balance the provision of support to the children. This is perhaps the largest facility that Children Incorporated supports within the Dornakal Diocese compound. The hostel has three buildings within the hostel compound,” said Luis.

“One of the buildings is the dorm, completed with support from Children Incorporated some years back. Then there is the dining hall, and the third one is the meeting/classroom area. The toilets are adjacent. A new coordinator, Ms. Indira Mercy Salavadi, runs the Dornakal Girls’ Hostel.”

“Many of the sponsored girls staying at this hostel attend the English Medium School, which is a plus for them, as they learn English from a young age,” said Luis.

Getting the chance to learn english

This hostel supports over 50 girls, of which 42 are on the Children Incorporated sponsorship program. As usual, within the Dornakal Diocese, the girls are supported with boarding, food, clothing, and educational support with the help of their sponsors. Mr. Salavadi was familiar with the program, as she learned from our former coordinator, Mrs. Jesantha, all our program’s intrinsic issues. Many of the sponsored girls staying at this hostel attend the English Medium School, which is a plus for them, as they learn English from a young age,” said Luis.

Getting to see the hostel

“During the visit, the girls showed us their dorms and cots and were very proud of being at the hostel instead of at their own homes, as they would probably be helping their parents to work in the fields instead of getting an education. The coordinator mentioned that parents tend to rely more on their children to help increase their household income after the pandemic since everything is now more expensive and complicated to get. The children at the hostel have the opportunity for an education instead of working in the fields and following the circle of poverty of their families.”

“The home has shown significant improvements from my last visit, with the dorm undergoing repairs and demolishing old unused buildings. The compound seems cleaner; I could even see a small plot with flowers and trees here now. Meeting the girls was great; they wanted to take pictures and did a small presentation of local dances and culture,” said Luis.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Renee Kube | August 12, 2024En Español

Letcher County is in the southeastern part of Kentucky. It is bordered by four other Kentucky counties and Wise County, Virginia. The county seat, Whitesburg, is located in the middle of the county.

As European explorers and the earliest settlers made their way into Kentucky, the Native American populations of the area (Shawnee in the north and Cherokee in the south) were steadily displaced. Kentucky became a state in 1791, and what became Letcher County was a beautiful but sparsely populated area. Its scattered families made their living by farming. These were very small farms due to the mountainous terrain, which also made road building and maintenance difficult. The main crop was corn, and the primary livestock was pigs.

The flood caused an immediate disaster but also resulted in long-term negative impacts on the children and their families. Thankfully, Children Incorporated has been able to help.

These made a modest “cash crop” possible, as corn was primarily distilled into alcohol and moved by barrel, and hogs were driven through the mountains into a market town. Most of these small homesteads also had a few horses, milk cows, sheep, and chickens. Some men supplemented the farm income by cutting and selling timber. A few men had salt licks on their land – salt was an important resource in settling the Commonwealth – and they were glad to sell it.

Finding Coal in Kentucky

But of course, the extensive resource that changed everything was the discovery of coal and, later, the ability to mine it on a commercial scale. The discovery of coal in Kentucky is credited to Dr. Thomas Walker in 1750, who was the first known person to find and use coal in what would become the Commonwealth of Kentucky. By 1790, coal had begun to be produced commercially, albeit on a rather small scale, in Lee County. Small quantities continued to be mined across the state, but it wasn’t until 1855 that annual production exceeded 100,000 tons.

The start of the Civil War in 1861 interrupted production. However, soon after the end of the Civil War in 1865, agents from eastern corporations poured into Kentucky’s mountain region. They were eager to secure extraction rights, and many farmers signed away their rights for a few cents per acre.

Letcher County had rich veins of coal. Company towns sprang up, and the coal was mined and hauled away, enriching the absentee owners. At first, the existing families and newcomers who came for work were happy with the chance for better incomes and provisions for their families. But many were swindled. Many owners paid the men in scrip, not cash, which could only be exchanged within the company town, where charges were so high for the food, clothing, and work equipment that some residents were perpetually in debt. [The song “Sixteen Tons” by Merle Travis was about the scrip system and contained the famous line “I owe my soul to the company store.”]

Changes for Letcher County

For years, many families made a good life by working in coal mines. But gradually, the coal industry went into a decline. This was primarily due to mechanization – as mines grew their machine capacity, they didn’t need as much workforce. The thick, easily accessible coal seams in eastern Kentucky have mostly been mined. What remains is harder and more expensive to mine. Meanwhile, there is more competition from coal mines out west in Montana and Wyoming. Finally, there is less demand for coal as more industries look for cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

I am excited to share with our sponsors and donors stories from my travels to Letcher County, where, thanks to our volunteer coordinators, we have been able to help families in need.

This has left eastern Kentucky’s coal mining communities plagued by higher unemployment, a rise in low-wage service jobs, and poverty. Furthermore, as coal companies left, the communities lost their main tax base. The communities’ infrastructure is fragile. These communities are left to deal with the fact that many coal companies did not reclaim the land.

Coal mine owners and operators often ordered the stripping of hillsides and the blasting of mountaintops to get at even more coal. After a company’s mining operations stop, the company is supposed to rehabilitate the land. It is a requirement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977.

The companies that cease mining operations are supposed to reshape the disturbed area, prevent soil erosion, and, based on the soil’s needs, fertilize and replant with appropriate vegetation. Erosion prevention is important for clean creeks and streams. Regional water tables are important, as many rural families use wells. Reclaimed land can be used for agriculture, forestry, wildlife habitation, and recreation. The cost of reclaiming the land was to be factored into the mines’ costs.

The problem is that many mining companies pulled out without reclaiming the land. The 1977 law is having problems working as envisioned because regulators set the amount of money for reclamation bonds too low, and they are not strictly enforcing the requirements that the companies reclaim land and water contemporaneous with the coal removal. Coal companies postponed reclamation for as long as they could – often for many years. The issue has been made worse as many coal companies have gone bankrupt before doing any reclamation.

Unless land is reclaimed with new grading and planting, then the surrounding communities are more vulnerable to flash floods. And that is what has been happening more frequently.

VisIting our affiliated sites Again

As we came upon the second anniversary of the horrendous and devastating floods that struck southeastern Kentucky July 26-30, 2022, I made plans to visit all our affiliated schools in Letcher County. The flood caused an immediate disaster but also resulted in long-term negative impacts on the children and their families. Thankfully, Children Incorporated has been able to help.

In Letcher County, three people died. Two were a married older couple who worked as janitors at Letcher County Central High School. They died when their car was swept off a bridge, and their deaths grieved the students and the community. (The third was an older lady who had a heart attack as she was trying to escape.)

In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing stories from my visit to Letcher County, highlighting just how much our sponsors and donors have been able to do to help families in this area of our country.

A very large number of people were left homeless. There was already an affordable housing shortage, and the flood worsened the situation. This forced many people to move, at least those who had the skills and the ability to leave.

Looking at the schools, Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass said of the 25 school districts in the Commonwealth that were affected by the flooding, Breathitt County, Jenkins Independent, Knott County, Leslie County, Letcher County, and Perry County schools were impacted the worst, with significant damages to school operations and buildings. Several schools were inundated and damaged too badly to open after the summer break in August.

It has been a long road to rebuild and recover. I am proud that Children Incorporated was able to respond immediately to the flooding. Our Hope In Action Program helped with grants in August 2022 to our affiliated sites in the impacted areas. Another round of grants went out in September 2022 to the hardest-hit counties. In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing stories from my visit to Letcher County, highlighting just how much our sponsors and donors have been able to do to help families in this area of our country.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 11, 2024

As she continues visiting our affiliated sites in New Mexico, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, visits the Mariano Lake Community School, where she meets with Barbara, our volunteer coordinator.

VISITING MARIANO LAKE

“During my visit, Barbara had just received Hope In Action Program funding based on a request where she told me she could use things for the dorm, such as books and arts and craft supplies.”

“Mariano Lake Community School is located about 60 miles south-southwest of Lake Valley. Whereas the Lake Valley area is rocky and has become more arid, the Mariano Lake area has sandy soil and more vegetation. There are several types of grasses, as well as shrubby plants and bushes.”

“The eponymous lake is across the road but is down a hilly area and is not readily visible from the school. At one time, people came from all over the area to fish, but now the lake is more of a marsh and is no longer suitable for fishing,” said Renée.

Barbara is pictured with one of our sponsored children at Mariano Lake Community School.

“This area was originally settled by the Navajo because of the abundant vegetation and because it is an ideal area to raise sheep, which is still the case hundreds of years later. Prized for their adaptability to the land and for their overall health and hardiness, Navajo-Churro sheep have a long history with both Navajo and Hispanic families in the region. The sheep’s ancestors were originally from Spain and were quickly acquired through trades and raids by the Navajo.”

“Today, they are important to the Navajo culture and economy. The meat sustains many families, and the wool is used for weaving. Mariano Lake is no exception; like other communities, many families keep at least a few sheep,” said Renée.

“Some families also came to the area years ago to work in the uranium mine, which, unfortunately, was closed in 1982 and is now a highly contaminated site full of hazardous waste. As a result of the mine’s closure, there are few job opportunities in the area. Most adults travel to work low-wage jobs in nearby Gallup or Crownpoint.”

Meeting with Barbara

“When I arrived at Mariano Lake Community School, I was met by our wonderful, long-term volunteer coordinator, Barbara. We strolled around the school so I could get reacquainted with it since my previous visit. Then we went into the teachers’ lounge for our meeting. Barbara said that, like so many other schools, the pandemic caused disruptions,” explained Renée.

“Barbara was so excited and grateful about the most recent donation from Children Incorporated donors and was happily making her spending plans.”

“When the lockdown began in March 2020, the dorm was shut down along with the school. Children struggled with remote learning at home, and many families experienced severe illness and death, which added further trauma for the children. Eventually, the school reopened to hybrid instruction, and then during the 2022-2023 school year, the school returned to fully in-person instruction, and masks were required. Masking is optional this school year, but many choose to continue, especially households with elders or people with chronic health conditions. Barbara kept on her mask throughout my visit, and so I did too.”

“Our coordinator told me that all the children enrolled at Mariano Lake have parents and grandparents who can scarcely make ends meet, and our sponsors’ support is deeply appreciated. During my visit, Barbara had just received Hope In Action Program funding based on a request where she told me she could use things for the dorm, such as books and arts and crafts supplies. Barbara was so excited and grateful about the most recent donation from Children Incorporated donors and was happily making her spending plans,” said Renée.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Renee Kube | August 5, 2024

Stuart-Hobson Middle School is located in Ward 6. This ward is truly the heart of Washington, D.C.’s history. It is the only ward situated within the original city’s boundaries as outlined in the L’Enfant Plan. The southeastern tip of Ward 6 is also the confluence of the city’s two rivers, the Potomac and the Anacostia. The ward has an extensive collection of historic resources. Its communities range from industrial to military to residential houses – and houseboats. The ward also has public housing projects and a lot of struggling families.

Angeline emphasized that school is seen as a stable haven. The entire staff is supportive of the children.

The school is part of the Capitol Hill Cluster School, a unique D.C. public school spread across three Capitol Hill campuses spanning pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Stuart-Hobson Middle School serves sixth through eighth-grade students, combining the warmth of a neighborhood school with a full range of academics and extracurricular activities. The school is a Title I school with a student population of about 508 that is predominantly black.

The demographics are 80% black, 12% white, 5% Hispanic/Latino, and 3% other. 17% receive some kind of special education services, and 36% come from low-income families.

Stuart-Hobson offers Honors English and accelerated math classes and the chance to earn high school credits. All students create projects for History Day and the Science Fair. Wellness/fitness offerings include a variety of athletics, including baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, soccer, track, volleyball, and wrestling. Arts and cultural offerings include art, band (orchestral, funk, and jazz), chorus, and drama. There’s an after-school extended day program that provides tutoring as well as enrichment opportunities such as camera and cooking clubs.

Angeline is seen showing Renée supplies during her visit to Stuart-Hobson Middle School.

This is a uniform school. Students are required to wear red polo shirts with the school logo and khaki pants.

Our coordinator here is Angeline. She is new and full of energy and enthusiasm. Our visit started with a presentation by Angeline on Communities In Schools (our implementing partner in Washington, D.C.) and its proven model of providing a community of support for the children. We were joined by Assistant Principal Taylor. After the presentation, Angeline called several Children Incorporated-enrolled students to her office. While we waited for them, she showed us her stock of hygiene items, backpacks, and school supply kits. After we met with the students, it was time to take a tour of the school.

Dr. Taylor’s pride in his students was apparent as we walked and talked. He explained that while many of Stuart-Hobson’s students come from Ward 6, a significant percentage are from other wards. Parents may apply for their students to attend schools outside their neighborhood boundaries so long as there is room. Stuart-Hobson is seen as a “destination middle school.”

The school has been in existence since the 1920s, although, as Dr. Taylor mentioned to me, until 1954, it was for whites only. Students have helped with archiving old records and artifacts for posterity, and the faculty has been able to help the children appreciate their school’s history and the importance of Brown versus The Board of Education, which brought about school desegregation in the United States.

The school also has an excellent sports program and robust music and drama programs, where the students are involved in every aspect, from acting to stage management to lighting and sound. The school is also known for having better-than-average standardized test scores. Many of the students get into the more desirable high schools.

We are grateful to be able to support students at this middle school, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

Dr. Taylor told us that many of the children come from difficult backgrounds and have to cope with adult-level problems. They wake their younger siblings and get them ready for school, and they are coping with transportation issues, too. Many are often tardy and are regularly absent.

Angeline emphasized that school is seen as a stable haven. The entire staff is supportive of the children. There are a lot of offerings to keep them occupied during regular school hours as well as during the after-school program, such as with clubs include art, cooking and photography. Overall, this is a great affiliated site for Children Incorporated, and we are grateful to be able to support students at this middle school, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD