Tag Archives: children

Shelley Callahan | En Español

Built in response to the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in Honduras more than twenty years ago, our affiliated site El Refugio Welfare Center continues to support children in the rural town of El Progreso to this day.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch claimed thousands of lives, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. It remains the second deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, causing over 11,000 fatalities in Central America — 7,000 of those being in Honduras alone. The damage was so extensive that the Honduran president estimated that the storm set the nation’s economic development back 50 years.

Recovering after devastation

Over the last two decades, the progress of rebuilding homes and schools in El Progreso has been very slow. Residents still grapple with the aftershocks of homelessness, disease and heightened poverty.

Yet despite the difficulties, local children who attend the El Refugio Welfare Center can rely on support from administrators — as well as their Children Incorporated sponsors — for a consistent supply of food, clothing and educational materials.

Yet despite the difficulties, local children who attend the El Refugio Welfare Center can rely on support from administrators — as well as their Children Incorporated sponsors — for a consistent supply of food, clothing and educational materials.

A special thank-you

At our office in Richmond, Virginia, we often receive pictures and video updates from our volunteer coordinators about the impact that sponsorship has on children in our program. Sometimes, these personal communications from our affiliated sites are simply just a way to say “thank-you” to our sponsors for all that they do to help children in need.

Recently, our volunteer coordinator at El Refugio sent a short video of our sponsored children to thank us — as well as all of our supporters — for twenty-years of changing the lives of kids in Honduras. We at Children Incorporated are equally grateful that, thanks to our donors and supporters, we can hopefully continue to support children at El Refugio for the next twenty years.

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How do I sponsor a child in Honduras?

You can sponsor a child in Honduras 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 who is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Shelley Callahan | En Español

In the town of Santa Tecla, located six miles west of El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador, our affiliated project, the Marillac School, is providing children with the opportunity to receive an education — and a quality one at that.

Communities and schools around the world face barriers in providing children with a quality education.

Founded in 1940 by the Sisters of the Order of St. Vincent de Paul, the school serves as not only an escape from the harsh realities local students face growing up in poverty but an escape from poor public education or no education at all.

Considered a semi-private institution, the administrators of the Marillac School — with sponsorship support from the Children Incorporated program — work hard to ensure that kids are receiving basic needs and the best education that they can provide. This gives our sponsored and unsponsored children the opportunity to succeed.

What constitutes poor education?

Children at the Marillac School during recreation time

Communities and schools around the world face barriers to providing children with a quality education. Lack of adequate funding to educational institutions can lead to overcrowded classrooms with little or no resources for students. Untrained teachers, lack of proper food and improper classroom facilities can also significantly affect children’s ability to learn.

The consequences of an inadequate education

What are the consequences of inadequate education? Poor education can lead to illiteracy. It also inhibits children from qualifying for higher education or being prepared to join the workforce later in life. Children who aren’t properly educated tend to be less healthy than those who do and are susceptible to turning towards crime and remaining in poverty in adulthood.

A better chance at a future

For impoverished children around the world, like those at the Marallic School, the benefits of quality education are tremendous.

Higher quality of education is associated with positive outcomes such as better health and well-being and a greater interest in politics and social issues. Students who attend quality schools gain a competitive advantage at getting jobs upon graduation, which can lead to a higher income and the chance for a family to break the cycle of poverty. Quality education also can discourage crime because when educated, children feel a sense of hope and opportunity for a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones.

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How do I sponsor a child in El Salvador?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Shelley Callahan | En Español

Abundant in rivers, lakes and fertile, tropical farmland, El Salvador’s natural beauty traverses a vast central plateau bordered by Pacific coastal plains to the south and rugged mountains to the north. For centuries, several Mesoamerican nations called this land home, including the Lenca, Olmec, Maya and Pipil/Cutcatlec.

“Santa Luisa is blooming. They have added new classrooms for the children. There were new labs for skills training programs, and a small kitchen was built as well,” said Luis.

However, this small and densely populated Central American nation is particularly susceptible to natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and has been plagued by chronic political and economic instability for more than a century.

High unemployment rates, rising inflation, organized crime and a soaring birthrate leave many Salvadorans living in abject poverty. The border town of Sonsonate — where our affiliated project Escuela Santa Luisa is located — is one of many places affected by these afflictions.

A school to be proud of

Nearly a century ago, Sisters of the Daughters of Charity established Escuela Santa Luisa to provide a safe haven and sound education for the orphaned, abandoned and impoverished children of Sonsonate. The school continues its mission today helping children in need — including the more than 60 children our sponsors support at the project.

A sponsored child at Escuela Santa Luisa

On a recent visit to El Salvador, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, visited with our volunteer coordinator Sister Marta at the school. Sister Marta took Luis on a tour of the grounds to show him the renovations that had taken place at Escuela Santa Luisa that made her very proud.

“Santa Luisa is blooming. They have added new classrooms for the children. There were new labs for skills training programs, and a small kitchen was built as well,” said Luis.

While on their tour, Sister Marta took the opportunity to mention to Luis some additional improvements she would like to see happen — ones that the school did not currently have funding of their own to complete.

Our Hope in Action Fund to the Rescue

“The school’s biggest need now is to install a roof in the playground of the school, which they want to use to protect the children from rain and excessive sun. It will mean that the playground can be used all year long and that it can double as a place for students, parents and school administrators to hold meetings,” explained Luis.

Luis felt strongly that anything that could be done to improve the school would also help the children be more prepared, focused and active in their learning — all things that can lead to academic success. He made up his mind before their meeting was over that he would propose using donations to our Hope in Action Fund to help Escuela Santa Luisa continue with their important improvements.

A new roof for a special school

Not long ago, Luis received pictures of the new roof build at Escuela Santa Luisa. Luis commented by saying, “The cover is truly large, and will benefit the children during rainy days and very hot sunny days. The school can now also host large assembly activities with parents and students. I am glad Children Incorporated could provide this support for the benefit of so many children at the school.”

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How do I sponsor a child in El Salvador?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | En Español

For many children living in poverty, having a sponsor is their only means of receiving basic necessities such as food, clothing and educational assistance. Some may never receive brand new items such as blankets and shoes without the support of a caring sponsor.

Thanks to you, children, such as the girls from Hogar Medalla Milagrosa in Paraguay, and others around the world, are being provided for in ways in which their parents are cannot. We are incredibly grateful for your support to make sure children experience joy and receive items that are new and just for them.  

Your sponsorship support provides much-needed support to children in Paraguay.

Thank you for everything you do! 

Read more about Hogar Medalla Milagrosa

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. 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.

Thanks to you, children, such as the girls from Hogar Medalla Milagrosa in Paraguay, and others around the world, are being provided for in ways in which their parents are cannot.

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. Even the sprawling Paraguayan capital, Asunción, is no exception to these maladies. The Hogar Medalla Milagrosa serves as a beacon of hope to the impoverished children of Asunción, most of whom come from the streets or from broken homes where even affording food is a daily struggle.

Founded in 1895 and run by the nuns of the Order of St. Vincent de Paúl, Hogar Medalla Milagrosa serves as a primary school and a boarding home for orphaned or abandoned children. It not only strives to provide for these deserving children’s immediate, basic needs, but also instills moral guidance while equipping each child with a sound education — the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and rising above the difficult socio-economic circumstances from which they come.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN Paraguay?

You can sponsor a child in Paraguay one of three ways – call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; e-mail us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our donation portal, create an account, and search for a child in Paraguay that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Ron Carter | En Español

Each year — usually sometime in early September — I start listening to Christmas music.

Friends and family members scold me and make fun of me for it. They say it is way too early. As I walk into the Children Incorporated office many mornings singing the words to the most recent carol I listened to in my car, Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs, is quick to jokingly remind me that there should be no Christmas music and no Christmas decorations until at least after Thanksgiving or the start of the Advent Season.

Christmas music — and the entire Christmas season for that matter — encourages me to look forward, to dream and to embrace all the possibilities that lie ahead.

A sense of hope and promise

The fact is that I listen to Christmas music because it brings me incredible joy. I just love it! It lifts my spirit and fills me with a sense of hope, promise and anticipation of things to come. It challenges me to look beyond all of the negativity that is so prevalent in our world and to recognize the many ways I am blessed.

Christmas music — and the entire Christmas season for that matter — encourages me to look forward, to dream and to embrace all the possibilities that lie ahead.

Sadly, I am very aware that this is not the case for many children around the holidays. For young children, there is often the sad reality that a jolly old Santa will not visit their homes. For older children, the sense of wonder that is so associated with the Yuletide is sometimes replaced by cynicism and resentment as society celebrates all that they do not have.

Helping make Christmas wishes come true  

Thanks to our sponsors, children are receiving Christmas gifts this year in some of the poorest and most remote areas of the world.

Children Incorporated can help sponsored and unsponsored children during the holiday season. Your generosity fulfills many dreams and meets many needs that otherwise would go unattended.

Funds from our child sponsorship program allow our dedicated volunteer coordinators to shop for items that are given to impoverished children, not only at Christmas but all year round. Sponsors also give special money gifts for the children they assist that enable our coordinators to obtain items that children both want and need.

Packages containing books, clothing and toys arrive at our various affiliated projects, and children’s eyes light up when they realize that someone outside of their family members and friends actually does care about them.

In this way, our organization allows children to experience the magic and joy of Christmas.

May our kindness offer them a sense of encouragement and a recognition of the world of possibilities before them. May we help them replace some of the sadness in their lives with celebration.

Sharing our blessing with children in need

Together, may we work to offer the children we serve a sense of hope, promise, and anticipation of things to come. May we fill this holiday season with songs for the precious boys and girls whose lives we strive to improve with our generosity and caring.

May our kindness offer them a sense of encouragement and a recognition of the world of possibilities before them. May we help them replace some of the sadness in their lives with celebration.

It doesn’t require a great deal on our parts — just hearts that care and a willingness to share our blessings with them.

With a song in my heart,

Ronald H. Carter
President and Chief Executive Officer

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Education, Stories of Hope

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written by Ron Carter

Ron Carter is President and CEO of Children Incorporated. He is responsible for overseeing all operations of Children Incorporated, with a specific goal of honoring the original vision and mission of our founder, Jeanne Clarke Wood, who established the organization in 1964.

» more of Ron's stories
Ron Carter | En Español

Dear Friends,

We proudly present to you our annual report for the fiscal year which ended on June 30, 2019. We are proud of the fact that we are transparent in how we use the funds so generously entrusted to us by our sponsors and donors. We take financial responsibility seriously, and we willingly open our books to all of the major charitable monitoring groups, including Charity Navigator, which has awarded us a 4 Out of 4 Stars rating for the last three ratings cycles, and Charity Watch, which identifies Children Incorporated as a Grade-A, Top-Rated Charity.

We proudly present to you our annual report for the fiscal year which ended on June 30, 2019. We are proud of the fact that we are transparent in how we use the funds so generously entrusted to us by our sponsors and donors.

Furthermore, we are meticulously audited each year by the highly reputable accounting firm, Yount, Hyde, and Barbour, and they regularly report their findings to our Board of Directors, which then provides expert oversight as I lead Children Incorporated.

For this fiscal year, Children Incorporated ended with a net assets balance of $6,913,196, the highest for our organization since the economic collapse of 2008. Of this total asset value, nearly 35% of the funds are donor-restricted, which means that due to the specific way they were given to our organization, we may not use them as part of our operating budget. Those funds are reserved, per instructions from the donors, for purposes outside of our standard child assistance programs.

Thank you for your support of children in need over the last 55 years.

Of the unrestricted funds entrusted to Children Incorporated, I am happy to report that the organization has again exceeded all expectations for the amount that is actually used to benefit children, families, and communities. By being frugal, keeping our staff small, and paying close attention to what we spend, Children Incorporated allocated approximately 87% of the funds we received to support child program services. The funds not only supported child sponsorship, but also a host of individualized special needs as they came to our attention.

As Children Incorporated enters its 56th year of service, our vow to you is simple. We will do everything within our power to improve the lives of as many children and young people as possible. We will continue to offer them education, hope, and opportunity. We, as an organization, will remain focused on doing what we know and understand, yet we will be open to new possibilities so that more and more needs may be met.

Thank you for your loyal support.

From the heart,

Ronald H. Carter

President and Chief Executive Officer

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READ OUR FULL ANNUAL REPORT