Tag Archives: children need help

Children Incorporated | En Español

We are happy to share with you our Spring 2023 Newsletter, highlighting our work around the world thanks to you, our sponsors and donors, and your generosity and dedication to helping children in need. Enjoy!

Expanding Our Efforts in the Philippines 

After many years, we are getting the chance to visit our affiliated sites around the world to meet with our volunteer coordinators and sponsored children again.

In early January, our Director of Development, Shelley Callahan, visited the Philippines, where she met with our volunteer coordinators, sponsored children, and their parents to find out more about how their lives are impacted by the support they receive from their sponsors. Her visit not only marked the first time that Children Incorporated was able to visit the Philippines since 2018, but it was also the first time that we were able to see our newly added affiliated sites in person! 

“In 2022, we expanded our sponsorship program in the Philippines to include the Cangumbang Center and the Santo Nino Center, both located in Tacloban within driving distance of the Visayans Center at Bliss, which we have been affiliated with since 2005,” explained Callahan.

“It was so incredible to see the work that we have been able to do in the Philippines first-hand, especially in the specific areas where Typhoon Yolanda devastated the area in 2013.”

“Since then, with the help of Children Incorporated, residents of Tacloban have rebuilt and restructured their lives to be more prepared for natural disasters,” said Callahan. “The support from our sponsors and donors is so vital to the well-being of children here who sometimes can’t leave their homes due to flooding or extensive rainstorms. Our coordinators are on the ground making sure our sponsored children are being fed and have hygiene items and school supplies every month so they don’t have to worry about how and when they can get the resources they need.” 

We are happy to share with you our Spring 2023 Newsletter, highlighting our work around the world thanks to you, our sponsors and donors, and your generosity and dedication to helping children in need.

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VISITING THE PEARL OF THE ORIENT SEAS

HELPING JORDAN ACHIEVE HIS DREAMS 

Our Higher Education Fund supports our sponsored children who are interested in pursuing university or college degrees once they graduate from high school.

Recently, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, received an update about former sponsored student, Jordan, who has been receiving support from this special fund. 

“Jordan was enrolled in our sponsorship program at Sparta Elementary School and then Alleghany High School in North Carolina. During his high school years, he took honors and dual-enrollment classes. Due to his academic achievement, our coordinator recommended him for our Higher Education Program,” said Renée.

Jordan was accepted, and he began his university studies at Western Carolina University in 2019. However, as a first-generation college student, Jordan found the transition to college challenging. The pandemic made things increasingly difficult for Jordan and his family. He decided to take a leave of absence in Spring 2022 in order to de-stress and to think about his options.”

“Jordan then chose to transfer to Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. He contacted me last September to let me know he had re-enrolled. He is now working on a bachelor’s degree in music, and he is in good academic standing. His major is in Instrumental Music Education, and he wants to be a music and band teacher.

Our President and CEO, Ron Carter, is celebrating 20 years with Children Incorporated in 2023. Read more about his time with our organization in the full newsletter!

When Jordan contacted me last fall, he told me, ‘Children Incorporated has done so much for me through the years. I’m so glad I was able to stay a part of it while in college. You all are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for letting me be a part of this, and for being the people you are.’” 

We are so proud of you and your hard work, Jordan! If you would like to find out more about our Higher Education Fund or make a donation, please contact us today. 

Making Christmas Special in New Mexico — and Around the World

Our sponsors make Christmas special for so many children around the world every year — and often times provide them with the only gifts that they receive. 

Our volunteer coordinator, Cecelia, from the Tohaali Community School in New Mexico, wrote to us after the 2022 holiday season to express her gratitude:

“I want to thank all of the Children Incorporated sponsors for all their support. I purchased items for the students at our school in the sponsorship program before the winter break, and my shopping trip included not only basic items, but Christmas presents, too. I wish the Children Incorporated staff and sponsors could have seen the faces of these children when they received the gift bags — it was priceless. Some of them were completely speechless and in awe. You are truly making a huge difference in their lives.” 

Every holiday season, our sponsors and donors make the holidays special for children in our program. From India to El Salvador to Arizona, your donations bring cheer and joy to so many families who otherwise might not have the means to celebrate. 

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER

 

Community Support, Stories of Hope

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written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 235 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories
Children Incorporated |

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.

Your support makes all our work possible to help children in crisis in Brazil.

The Amazon rainforest – recognized for having the greatest biological diversity on the planet – sprawls over the country’s northern half, with rugged mountains to the south. But despite its wealth of natural resources and beauty, Brazil suffers from staggering poverty, rising inflation, unemployment, and a lack of social development.

Challenges for Children in Brazil

In Brazil, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as they struggle with poverty and a lack of educational resources. Right now, children in Brazil need your help.

  • Forty-five percent of children in Brazil live in poverty
  • About 18 million children live in households that are surviving on less than $90 a month, or around $3 a day
  • Roughly 8.8 million children in Brazil are deprived of an education
  • Approximately 7.6 million children lack access to clean water and sanitation


Our Work in Brazil

You can change the life of a child in Brazil. Consider becoming a sponsor today with Children Incorporated.

Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of children living in poverty in Brazil since 1964.

We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.

Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.

Your support makes all our work possible to help children in crisis in Brazil.

***

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 sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Brazil that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

SOURCES:

https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/business/2022/09/45-of-children-in-brazil-live-below-the-poverty-line.shtml

https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/direitos-humanos/noticia/2018-08/six-every-ten-children-brazil-live-poverty

Education, Stories of Hope, Brazil

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written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 235 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories
Children Incorporated | En Español

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.

When you sponsor children in need in Paraguay, you provide them with the resources they need to stay in school and get an education.

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 their livelihood.

Today, one of South America’s poorest nations, Paraguay is plagued by a history of bloody wars with neighboring countries, as well as internal political instability, corruption, deficient infrastructure, and poverty.

Challenges for Children in ParaguaY

In Paraguay, children’s very lives and futures are at risk, as they struggle with poverty and lack of educational resources. Right now, children in Paraguay need your help.

– Paraguay has an estimated population of 7.3 million, with 35% comprised of children and adolescents

– About 27% of the population in Paraguay is living in poverty

– About 54% of children 15 and older do not finish high school or get a higher education

– Out of all the children not attending school, 47% report that the main reason why they did not attend was economic


Our Work in Paraguay

Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of children living in poverty in Paraguay since 1964.

Your support makes all our work possible to help children in crisis in Paraguay.

We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.

Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.

Your support makes all our work possible to help children in crisis in Paraguay.

***

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 sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Paraguay that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Education, Stories of Hope, Paraguay

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written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 235 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories
Children Incorporated |

We are happy to share with you our Fall 2022 Newsletter, highlighting our work around the world thanks to our sponsors and donors and their generosity and dedication in helping children in need. Enjoy!

Children Incorporated Responds to Major Flooding in Eastern Kentucky 

Historic thunderstorms struck southeastern Kentucky in July, producing 16 inches of rainfall within a five-day period and triggering flash flooding throughout the region. Buildings, homes, and roads were damaged due to high water, and the aftermath of the storms was devastating for both our affiliated schools and families in these communities, some of whom lost everything and were forced to live in tents on their property or move into hotels or shelters. 

We are happy to share with you our Fall 2022 Newsletter, highlighting our work around the world thanks to our sponsors and donors and their generosity and dedication in helping children in need.

In early August, our volunteer coordinators started reaching out to us requesting support, and we began sending emergency relief funding — all thanks to our amazing donors.

To date, we have sent over $65,000 to help families with immediate needs such as bottled water and nonperishable food, cleaning supplies, antibiotic ointment, band-aids, and clothes. We are so grateful for donations made to our Hope In Action Fund for our Kentucky flood relief efforts! 

Read more:

OUR DONORS TO THE RESCUE

The Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation Supports Our Work in Costa Rica 

In June, Spirit Airlines marked fifteen years of flights to San Jose, Costa Rica, and wanted to celebrate by giving back to children, families, and communities in the area, so they contacted Children Incorporated. 

“Lanie Morgenstern, the Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility & Strategic Partnerships with Spirit Airlines, was very enthusiastic about our work in Costa Rica when we spoke about a potential partnership,” explained Children Incorporated Director of Development, Shelley Callahan.

In a time of crisis, we are able to support children in Sri Lanka thanks to our donors and sponsors.

“Lanie felt that our work directly lined up with the mission and vision of the Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation. The Foundation was interested in providing immediate educational and basic needs support to children living in poverty who attended our affiliated site, La Milagrosa, in the center of San Jose.” 

“I also felt that this partnership was ideal for the children in our program. The $10,000 donation from the Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation allowed our volunteer coordinator to purchase food items, hygiene items, mattresses, clothes, shoes and school supplies for the children we support,” explained Callahan.

“These items were especially important considering how difficult the pandemic has been for families.”

Thank you, Spirit Airlines, for your valuable partnership with Children Incorporated! 

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INVESTING IN THE YOUTH OF COSTA RICA

Helping Children During A Crisis in Sri Lanka 

This year, Sri Lanka has faced its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. Fuel shortages and inflation have left millions of Sri Lankans without kerosene and food, leaving many to borrow money or sell their personal items to feed themselves and their children. 

Thankfully, our sponsors and donors are able to offer support to children at our three affiliated sites in Sri Lanka — Chrishanti Lama Sevana, Touch a Life with Hope Center, and the Wijewardane Children’s Home. Monthly funding has allowed our volunteer coordinators to purchase food, mosquito nets and other basic needs items which the children desperately need.

We have children currently on our waitlist in Sri Lanka, waiting for a special person to sponsor them. If you would like to sponsor a child in Sri Lanka, please contact us today.

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER

 

Community Support, Stories of Hope

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written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 235 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories
Shelley Callahan |

 Dear Friends,

One of the most oft-asked questions for the staff of Children Incorporated is,“How can so little do so much?” People truly want to know how their dollars can change the lives of the children they sponsor.

I would like to share a few stories from our volunteer coordinators about how your donations are bringing joy to children and their families during some of the most difficult times of their lives.

For us, that answer is simple. For decades, our wonderful volunteer coordinators have shared incredible stories of how your donations can have life-changing effects on children in our programs. From offering children a pair of socks and clean underwear, or perhaps providing them with a new pair of shoes, to purchasing simple school supplies such as paper and pencils, Children Incorporated is there. From helping families have nutritious meals on their tables every day to providing them with special Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, Children Incorporated meets a vast array of needs. More often than not, the little amounts — those that may seem insignificant to many — can make the biggest difference, for collectively, they add up and allow us to provide services that change the lives of children and families in ways they will never forget. 

I would like to share a few stories from our volunteer coordinators about how your donations are bringing joy to children and their families during some of the most difficult times of their lives. 

“Because of your financial support we have been able to purchase clothes, backpacks, supplies for the entire school year, toiletries, books for the children to take home, as well as special gifts for birthdays and different holidays throughout the year. It is so exciting and rewarding to see the students when they are called to the office to receive their items. It is also exciting to see the students with their smiling faces as they come in the school with their new outfits on, and they make sure to come by to show us. We were also able to supply families with a nice gift basket of a country ham, biscuit mix, jams and jellies, and candies for the students and their families to enjoy over the winter break. We also purchased much needed hygiene and toiletry items such as shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste. As the families came by the office to pick up the baskets, they expressed their sincere gratitude. ”

Mandy
Sparta Elementary School 

“I would like to first of all say ‘Thank You’ to all of you, our sponsors. Without you, there would not be this wonderful program. This is a program that changes lives, and I am truly thankful to be a small part. The benefits that Children Incorporated brings to my small hometown is truly a huge blessing.

As you can see, small, as well as large, amounts matter. Please, will you consider contributing to our Shared Hope Fund?

The sponsors’ selfless monthly donations help to build young children with positive self-esteem and self-worth. Thank you, sponsors, for faithfully sending your generous donations for these deserving youth. You are helping build a confident child who is more prepared to face life’s challenges. Sponsor donations help provide academic resources that are necessary to a child’s learning. You provide them with school supplies to help them learn in today’s competitive curriculum. Sponsor donations also provide clothing and health items that most often take for granted. You provide warm socks and sturdy shoes, under garments and outerwear. You also provide new, stylish clothes and book bags so the child can be confident heading out to school each day. You help promote good attendance. 

As an educator, I have actually been told that a parent kept a child home from school because they didn’t have clean clothes to send the child in on that day. You provide a helping hand for struggling families. Because of your thoughtfulness, children do not have to suffer due to a family’s economic situation. All families you serve here at Dunlow Elementary are thankful and grateful for your donations.” 

Tracy
Dunlow Elementary School 

These are just two of the many stories we receive from our volunteer coordinators each year; testimonials of the effectiveness and impact of your generosity in supporting our work. As you can see, small, as well as large, amounts matter. Please, will you consider contributing to our Shared Hope Fund? Your gift will allow us to purchase much needed, often life-changing items for children who are currently enrolled and awaiting individual sponsors of their own. A few dollars can make a world of difference. 

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

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Education, Stories of Hope

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written by Shelley Callahan

Shelley is the Director of Development for Children Incorporated. She is also the lead social correspondent, regularly contributing insights through the Stories of Hope blog series. Sign up for Stories of Hope to receive weekly email updates about how your donations are changing the lives of children in need.

» more of Shelley's stories
Shelley Callahan | En Español

Spanning over 2,000 miles of South America’s western coastline with deserts in the north, rainforests in the south, and the snowcapped peaks of the Andes Mountains ranging throughout, Chile is truly a nation of contrasts. Although politically progressive when it comes to human rights, Chile suffers from excessive inflation and an ever-increasing unemployment rate. Due to these economic realities, millions of Chileans are desperately poor.

Chile suffers from excessive inflation and an ever-increasing unemployment rate. Due to these economic realities, millions of Chileans are desperately poor.

Facts about Chile

  • The capital of Chile is Santiago
  • The currency is the Chilean Peso
  • The population is 18 million
  • The official language is Spanish
  • Chile is the world’s longest country
  • There are approximately 90 active volcanoes in Chile
  • Easter Island officially belongs to the country of Chile


Facts about poverty in Chile

  • Although Chile has a relatively low poverty rate of 14%, the problem lies in high rates of income inequality.
  • There are approximately 75,000 Chilean children who do not attend school.
  • Healthcare inequalities among the poor are a big issue in Chile meaning poor families often get low-quality services or none at all.
  • Due to high rates of domestic violence in Santiago, many children flee their homes to live on the streets, where they struggle to find adequate food and water.

Where we work in Chile

In Chile, we are affiliated with three sites: The Handicapped Children’s Center, the Maipu Center and the Santiago Day School, all of which are located in Santiago.

Read more about our affiliated sites in Chile

Impacted for a Lifetime 

New Teachers with Fresh Ideas in Chile

Easing the Burden on Families in Santiago


How you can help children in Chile

You can help a child living in poverty in Chile in a few different ways. One way is through our child sponsorship program. Sponsorship provides an underprivileged child with basic and education-related necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies and school tuition payments.

This vital support allows impoverished, vulnerable children to develop to their full potential — physically, emotionally and socially. Sponsors positively impact the lives of the children they sponsor through the knowledge that someone cares about their wellbeing. This gives children in need hope, which is powerful.

Our policy has always been to consider the needs of each sponsored child on an individual basis. We work closely with our volunteer coordinators at our project sites in Chile, who are familiar with the individual circumstances and needs of every child in their care. Sponsorship donations are sent to our sites — orphanages, homes, community centers and schools — at the beginning of each month in the form of subsidy stipends. Our on-site volunteer coordinators use those funds to purchase items for children in our program, to ensure that they have what they need to do their very best and succeed in school.

We work closely with our volunteer coordinators at our project sites in Chile, who are familiar with each individual circumstance and the needs of every child in their care.

You can also help children in Chile by donating to one of our special funds. Our special funds offer a variety of giving options for sponsors who wish to further their support, as well as for donors who wish to make a difference without making a commitment. In the past, thanks to donations to our Hope In Action Fund and our International Feeding Program, we have been able to further support our projects in Chile beyond sponsorship.

***

How do I sponsor a child in Chile?

You can sponsor a child in Chile 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 Chile that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Education, Stories of Hope, Chile

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written by Shelley Callahan

Shelley is the Director of Development for Children Incorporated. She is also the lead social correspondent, regularly contributing insights through the Stories of Hope blog series. Sign up for Stories of Hope to receive weekly email updates about how your donations are changing the lives of children in need.

» more of Shelley's stories