*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.
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Built to consolidate three existing high schools into a single school, Letcher County Central High School opened in 2005 with a profound and straightforward mission: “to provide a quality education for every student in Letcher County, ensuring each student will achieve his/her full potential to make a positive contribution in our community, nation, and world.”
“I was thrilled at the thought of Children Incorporated helping Laura to make her dreams come true,” said Renée.
Thanks to its dedicated staff and administrators, Letcher County High School has received a bronze rating from “U.S. News Best High Schools” and has received similar recognition for its sports teams, clubs, and marching band. The school also offers Advanced Placement courses and vocational training to help support children and encourage them to pursue academics or jobs of their liking.
A proud volunteer coordinator
While visiting Letcher County High School, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with our volunteer coordinator, Jennifer.
“Jennifer was proud to show me her Children Incorporated notebook where she organized all of the paperwork for our program. Her and her assistant, Paula, expressed their excitement to grow our program at the school, and even mentioned recruiting some parent volunteers to help,” said Renée.
Meeting Laura
Jennifer and our sponsored child, Laura
Renée then had a chance to meet one of the students in our sponsorship program.
Jennifer invited Laura* into her resource room to introduce herself to Renée. Laura is in the ninth grade and is interested in becoming a cosmetologist. She and her best friend are always practicing hairstyles on each other, and they’ve been talking about cosmetology school for about a year.
“After Laura left the office, Jennifer shared that, as is the case with many of the families of children in our program, Laura and her two siblings are being raised by their grandmother. [Her gradmother] lost her job and has been having a great deal of trouble stretching her limited benefits to provide for the household. Our program is a godsend to Laura’s grandmother,” explained Renée.
“I then told Jennifer about our Higher Education Program that could assist with tuition for vocational and technical institutes — just like the one that Laura would attend to become a cosmetologist.”
“I was thrilled at the thought of Children Incorporated helping Laura to make her dreams come true,” said Renée.
*Name changed to protect the child.
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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.
Students all over the world have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the United Nations, nearly 1.4 billion children are out of school.
Today, we hear from our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, about how our affiliated projects, volunteer coordinators, and our organization are reacting to the challenges that children are facing globally due to the pandemic.
“As a result of school closings, some of our affiliated projects around the world are having a difficult time, especially when it comes to our many projects where children are boarding at the school,” said Luis.
Helping children who can’t go home
“As a result of school closings, some of our affiliated projects around the world are having a difficult time, especially when it comes to our many projects where children are boarding at the school,” said Luis.
“For many of these children, there is no option to return to their families’ homes. The children come from impoverished households in undesirable conditions that would increase their risk of infection. Due to a lack of the means for adequate sanitation in their own homes, they must continue to reside at the boarding homes, where the necessary facilities exist for the practice of proper hygiene.”
“The projects are willing to help children, but they are very overwhelmed. At the Maria Reyna Home in Honduras, for example, where Children Incorporated recently established an apartment for the higher education students that live there, more than seventy children and young people are housed. As a result of the current COVID-19 crisis, it has become difficult for the staff to manage the care of such a large population while under quarantine,” explained Luis.
Young girls at the Maria Reyna Home wash their hands thoroughly amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Much of the school’s personnel has returned to their own homes, so they are short-staffed. The older children in higher education are helping by cooking in the kitchen and tutoring the younger students while still studying and taking online classes.”
“With the local universities closed, the older students are doing everything they can to help at the Home. Children Incorporated has been able to offer some assistance. The Home had a bakery that they wanted to re-open, and we offered support for supplies. The older students are now running the bakery and making bread every day,” expressed Luis.
“I am so happy to start to hear these uplifting stories from our projects. Maria Reyna is still in need of food supplies such as milk and meats as well as some medication. We will offer support through our Hope In Action Fund that is [purposed for emergencies] just as these.”
“We are so grateful for the support of our sponsors and donors who make it possible for Children Incorporated to help projects such as Maria Reyna when they need it the most,” said Luis.
Moving forward together
We will continue to keep you updated with information about the children in our program as information comes to us weekly from our projects. Thank you for your continued support during this time. Together, we will move forward and do everything we possibly can to help vulnerable children today and in the future.
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We have created a COVID-19 Response Fund so that we can support children in crisis in the upcoming months. Donations will be used to provide food and emergency supplies to the children in our program who are in immediate need.
*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.
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Amid the incredible desert beauty of northern Arizona, the remote community of Kayenta lies situated on the Navajo Indian Reservation, along the southern edge of the spectacularly beautiful Monument Valley.
Monument Valley is a major tourist attraction in the area, located only 25 miles from Kayenta and our affiliated project, Kayenta Community School. The town has several lodging options to accommodate tourists who are traveling to see the gorgeous scenery and dramatic rock formations, where some of the parents and guardians of children in our sponsorship program work seasonally.
Unfortunately, for these families, when the tourist season ends, so do many of the jobs at hotels and motels, and parents find themselves scrambling to find work — an annual routine that keeps them in abject poverty.
Unfortunately, for these families, when the tourist season ends, so do many of the jobs at hotels and motels, and parents find themselves scrambling to find work — an annual routine that keeps them in abject poverty.
Serving hundreds of children in need
The Kayenta Community School is funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and operated by the Navajo Nation through a BIA tribal grant. The school has a dedicated faculty that provides children with a quality education.
The school itself is large, serving 450 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. One hundred of those children live far away from Kayenta and reside in the school’s dorms throughout the year. The children go home during summer and winter break, as well as most weekends during the school year.
During a visit to Kayenta Community School, our U.S. Director of Programs, Renée Kube, and Children Incorporated President and CEO, Ronald Carter, met with our volunteer coordinator, Gloria.
Gloria is a teacher’s aide at the school. She met with Ron and Renée in the school’s library, where they talked about the community, the school, and how our sponsorship program is helping the community’s children.
“Although many visitors to this area of the U.S. get to see the incredible natural beauty that it has to offer, according to Gloria, they don’t often see the difficult poverty that families face,” said Renée.
Getting to visit with our sponsored children
After their meeting, Gloria invited a few of our sponsored children to the library to speak with Ron and Renée.
An exterior photo of the school
First, they met with Jenny.* Jenny is an outgoing fourth grader and the middle of three sisters who are being raised by their grandmother. The grandmother is a homemaker who struggles to provide for the household on a very limited amount of tribal public assistance. Jenny told Ron and Renée that she loves to draw, and she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She also loves having a sponsor because it makes her feel good to get new clothes and shoes during the school year.
Next, they met Bethany. Bethany is a happy and active fourth-grader who likes volleyball and playing outside. She and her little sister live with their parents. Their dad is unemployed, and their mother has a low-paying job at a local fast-food restaurant. Bethany thinks being sponsored is very cool, and it makes her proud to know someone cares about her.
Luke’s special guest
Lastly, Renée and Ron met with Luke — who is Renée’s sponsored child!
Luke is in fifth grade, and he likes learning about Navajo culture and watching scary movies. He is the youngest of five siblings (two brothers and two sisters) who are being raised by their mother and grandmother. Their mother is out of work at this time, and the grandmother has a low-wage job in town.
“Luke was pretty surprised to learn that I, the lady from Children Incorporated who was visiting his school, was his sponsor,” laughed Renée.
“He took it very well after the shock wore off. I think he couldn’t believe he was meeting his sponsor. He is a great kid, and I really enjoyed getting to meet him in person.”
*Names changed to protect the children.
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Due to the generosity of our sponsors, all of our enrolled Native American children are currently matched. However, we have many other U.S. children who are in need of a sponsor’s encouragement and support. You may also wish to consider a donation to our Covid-19 Response Fund or one of our other special funds at this time. Please feel free to contact us for further information.
HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?
You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated 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 that is available for sponsorship.
Amidst school closures across the U.S., our concern has turned to how to best help children who are already living in vulnerable situations.
Many kids in our program rely on school lunches and our Backpack Feeding Program to ensure they are receiving adequate meals throughout the day and on the weekends. Additionally, many children living in poverty who we support don’t live in safe and comfortable environments, and the school day is often a refuge from harsh conditions.
We would like to share some stories from our affiliated projects and our volunteer coordinators to show how your donations are helping children and families through this difficult time.
News about the COVID-19 outbreak can be overwhelming and daunting, especially when the news is about parents losing jobs in retail and the service industry — jobs that often pay so little that families live paycheck to paycheck.
We want our donors to know that we, along with our partnering organizations, are continuing to do the most we can for children in need.
Bags of food for high school students
We received photos from our volunteer coordinator, Karen, at Knott County Central High School of her and another staff member making food bags for kids to pick up and take home while school is closed during the COVID-19 outbreak. Children would otherwise be receiving free or reduced-cost lunches at school — meals that may not be available at home because of the abject poverty in which they live.
Breakfast and lunch for children
A sponsored child in Arizona receives bags of food on her front porch.
Our volunteer coordinator, Jenny, of Catlettsburg Elementary School, shared with us a picture of herself with her school teammates. Their team had just returned from delivering breakfast and lunch to 53 children in the area who are from families that struggle to provide even the most basic needs to their children.
A countrywide response
Schools across the country have done a fantastic job of sending home educational packets and making schoolwork available online while our nation navigates the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also, in states where we work, school staff members are feeding children by coming into the school building each morning and preparing free breakfast and lunch for the students. Many counties have arranged pickup points for parents to receive food bags. Other districts are also going out into the communities, setting up in public spaces such as church parking lots.
Beds and linens for sisters
Donations to our Beds and Linens Fund were able to help two sisters in need before they weren’t able to return to school for some time. Our volunteer coordinator, Jackie, at one of our affiliated schools, became aware that two young girls enrolled in our sponsorship program didn’t have beds at home. With funding from Children Incorporated, she purchased blankets, sheets, mattresses, and bed frames and arranged for them to be delivered and set up in the family’s home.
Working together to make an impact
Together, we will do our best to ensure that children are looked after during this crisis. Thank you for all that you do for children in need through your sponsorships and donations. We are incredibly grateful for your support, especially during this difficult time.
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We have created a COVID-19 Response Fund so that we can continue to support children in our program in the upcoming months. Donations will be used to provide food and emergency supplies to the children in our program who are in immediate need.
*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.
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Situated in northern Arizona, the remote community of Tonalea (a Navajo word meaning “Red Lake”) is surrounded by a stark and mysterious landscape, created by sandstone mesas that rise from the barren desert floor.
It is here that a Navajo school called the Tonalea School, and our affiliated project, functions within the boundaries of a Navajo Indian reservation — a reservation rich in culture but desperately poor.
Today, there is virtually no employment in Tonalea. To develop economically, the community is trying to attract more tourism.
A history of Tonalea
Tonalea’s population has dwindled since 1974 when the U.S. government divided land in the region between the Navajo and Hopi tribes. Many Navajo families suddenly found themselves living on Hopi land without many rights. Navajo families were not allowed to even fix up their dilapidating houses without the approval of the Hopi Tribe or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Subsequently, Navajo families moved away to try to find a better life for themselves.
Today, there is virtually no employment in Tonalea. To develop economically, the community is trying to attract more tourism.
Tribal women weave beautiful “storm pattern” rugs that are favored by collectors and sell them at local trading posts. With permission from the Arizona Department of Transportation, Tonalea community members are working to gain the right-of-way to a natural attraction, a rock formation known as “The Elephant Feet,” that could easily bring more tourism and create jobs within the town. Although having the potential to generate income for locals, the slow progression of these options in building up the community means the community currently remains trying to strive while living in abject poverty.
The Tonalea School
The famous Elephant Feet rock formations
Located in an older school building that the maintenance staff works hard to maintain, the Tonalea School serves around 200 children from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Our volunteer coordinator, Linda, works as the school secretary. She knows the families of the students — including those of our sponsored children — very well.
“Linda is fortunate to have the support of the school’s principal, Mrs. Kaye, who appreciates the Children Incorporated program. Principal Kaye gives Linda time to handle the responsibilities of running our sponsorship program, and flexibility in her schedule to go on shopping trips for sponsored children,” said Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs.
While Renée was visiting Linda at Tonalea School, Linda gave her a tour of the building and grounds. She told Renée that in addition to shopping for the sponsored children, she also uses sponsorship funds at the school’s book fair. Otherwise, children wouldn’t ever have any new books to take home to read over winter or summer breaks.
A special lunch for Renée
Linda took Renée on a tour of the school, which ended at a trailer across the staff parking lot.
When they entered the trailer, Renée was greeted by our sponsored children sitting around tables waiting for her and Linda. Linda had surprised Renée with a special lunch with the kids. After they sat down, two staff members wheeled over carts of foil containers with fried rice, beef with broccoli, and pork lo mien.
During the lunch, Renée had a chance to get to know some of our sponsored children. She met with Nicole*, who is in the sixth grade. Nicole talked about how much she liked science and liked to draw.
About 40% of families do not have running water in their homes. Instead, they may travel many miles with five-gallon buckets and spare containers to a community well to collect water.
Renée also spoke to Rodney*, who is in the second grade. Rodney likes math and reading and is happy and funny. Renée could tell he was a bit of a “class clown.” After the lunch was over, Linda and Renée went to Linda’s office to talk.
Linda told Renée that Rodney has a brother and three sisters. His father is a welder and does not have steady employment. At the end of each job he gets, he is laid off until the next time there is work available. Rodney, his siblings, and his parents live in a small house that has electricity but no running water.
Too many families without water
Renée was discouraged to hear about Rodney’s family not having running water, but she also knew that it was not uncommon on the Navajo Reservation. About 40% of families do not have running water in their homes. Instead, they may travel many miles with five-gallon buckets and spare containers to a community well to collect water. In some cases, the families may have a water barrel or two for storage outside of the home, and they can arrange for delivery from a water truck, but they have to be able to afford to pay for the water.
“Most people in the United States take for granted their source for clean potable water for cooking, cleaning, bathing and drinking,” said Renée.
“For many of our families on the Navajo Reservation, every use of water must be weighed, and every use of water is stretched. For example, water used for rinsing clean dishes will be used again to wash dishes from the next meal.”
*Names changed to protect the children.
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Due to the generosity of our sponsors, all of our enrolled Native American children are currently matched. However, we have many other U.S. children who are in need of a sponsor’s encouragement and support. You may also wish to consider a donation to our Covid-19 Response Fund or one of our other special funds at this time. Please feel free to contact us for further information.
HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?
You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated 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 that is available for sponsorship.
*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.
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Greyhills Academy High School, located in Tuba City, Arizona, has been affiliated with Children Incorporated since 2006.
This unique school focuses on nurturing students who have the potential for higher levels of academic success but might struggle in other areas such as behavior or attendance — often due to the circumstances involving the impoverished households from which they come.
Helping students on a path towards success
Renée met with some of our sponsored children during her visit.
To encourage students to want to do well in school, Greyhills offers programs and activities in Navajo culture and language that foster pride in their heritage. Additionally, the school also provides a highly structured program called the Freshman Academy, where efforts are made to ease the transition from middle to high school for incoming ninth graders.
According to the Greyhills Academy website, “To help incoming freshmen ease into the rigors and expectation of our school, we have the Freshman Academy. This is a transitional program to give our incoming freshmen the support they need to be successful.”
Part of helping students transition into high school is also offering a residential program for those children who are coming from faraway areas. These students live in the Academy’s dormitories during the week and then go home on weekends and school breaks. During their stay, they enjoy athletics, clubs, and family engagement activities that help them get acclimated to their new environment, make friends and learn new skills and hobbies.
This unique school focuses on nurturing students who have the potential for higher levels of academic success but might struggle in other areas such as behavior or attendance.
It takes a village
While visiting Greyhills Academy last year, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with our volunteer coordinator at the school, Roger, as well as some other staff members who are vital to the success of our sponsorship program at the school.
“Roger had set up a committee specifically to manage the Children Incorporated program at the school,” explained Renée.
“With this system, he and three other administrators take turns going on shopping trips for our sponsored children. Many of the families meet them at local stores, or they will shop personally for those who cannot make the trip.”
“Thanks to the committee members’ support, Roger can handle the workload involved with providing for sponsored children regularly as well as ensuring that the children are given opportunities to communicate with their sponsors through letters,” said Renée.
Greyhills Academy is home of the Knights.
After meeting with Roger and the other committee members, Renée had the chance to meet a few of the students in our program.
Meeting Maria and Bradley
Maria* is in 11th grade and was enrolled in the Children Incorporated Program in the 3rd grade when she attended our other affiliated project, Tuba City Boarding School. She loved volleyball then, and she still loves it now. She lives with her mother, grandmother, and three younger siblings and wants to be a nurse when she gets older. Maria’s sponsor lives in Switzerland and has been part of our organization since 1975. Maria told Renée how appreciative she was for having her sponsor for so many years, especially as she transitioned from school to school while growing up.
Bradley enrolled in our program in 2016 when he was a new 9th grader. He is now a bright and funny 12th grader who jokes that he is always tired from the many activities and sports he participates in. His favorite sport is baseball. Bradley has taken welding courses in school, and he is also interested in auto mechanics. He is also thinking about becoming a carpenter or construction technician when he graduates. In his downtime, he enjoys drawing and listening to music. Bradley is the middle of three children who live with their single father. His father hauls and sells wood for a living, and he earns a meager income. Having a sponsor has helped Bradley to focus on his passions and interests instead of worrying about having clothes, shoes, and school supplies over the years.
*Names changed to protect the children.
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How do I sponsor a child in Arizona?
You can sponsor a child in Arizona 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.
