Our Spring 2026 Newsletter is Here!

Working to Fight Food Insecurity

This past October, your compassion took a seat at the table for thousands of children. As global food insecurity continues to rise, our CEO, Liz Collins, mobilized an emergency boost of $25 per child across all our affiliated sites. The scale of your impact is staggering – over 7,000 children received the extra nourishment they needed to grow, learn, and thrive. You didn’t just send a donation, you sent a lifeline.

What You Helped Provide:

• A week of school meals for one child.
• One month of weekend food packages for a family in need.
• Supplies purchased for the sustainability of community gardens.
• Nutrition support for multiple unsponsored children in a high-need area.

Female Empowerment​ Opportunities ​in New Orleans

At Arthur Ashe Charter School, a remarkable group of young women is proving that with the right support, the future is bright. In “The Ladies of Tomorrow,” an 8th-grade sisterhood, students cultivate empathy and strengthen their emotional health.

Because of your contributions to the Hope In Action Fund, these young leaders had everything they needed—from project supplies to professional clothing—to make their mark this year.

Your generosity empowered them to:

• Speak Up: They wrote, directed, and filmed two anti-bullying commercials for the weekly school news broadcast.
• Give Back: The Ladies of Tomorrow mentored the next generation by hosting reading sessions for the first grade classes.
• Celebrate Culture: They choreographed and led a powerful performance for the school-wide Black History Program.

Seeing Impact Through Letters

Writing to your sponsored child is a fun and informative way to learn more about their life as well as see the progress brought by your generosity. Some children write more than others, and patience is essential in allowing children to express themselves. We ensure at least one letter a year is delivered to our sponsors.

Educational Therapy in Puerto Rico

Success for a few of our children at Iglesia Bautista requires more than just a standard classroom setup. Through your gifts to the Hope In Action Fund, we recently provided targeted educational and therapeutic grants to ensure every student has the tools they need to grow.

These grants are changing the daily lives of families:

• Consistency in Therapy: One student can now practice her therapeutic exercises at home with the same equipment used by her specialists.
• Advancing Education: A young boy was able to trade his “little kid” map for an advanced version that shows every country, matching his growing curiosity and skill level.

Your generosity transforms a child’s potential into real opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.

COORDINATOR SPOTLIGHT

Serving as the Family Resource Center Coordinator at Salyersville Grade School for the past three years, Kelly Simpkins has embraced her calling to support children and families in a rural community with limited resources. After being encouraged by the school’s principal to apply, she stepped into a role that allows her to make a meaningful difference each day.

She shares that Children Incorporated is an invaluable partner, providing essential support where few other resources exist and helping meet the needs of the most vulnerable students. Grateful for the ongoing encouragement from the Children Incorporated team, she remains focused on her hope that the children and families she serves will overcome generational poverty, achieve self-sufficiency, and grow into happy, healthy, and thriving members of their community.

Building Futures in El Salvador

Located near the Civic Center in San Salvador, El Salvador, stands the Laboure School, one of our affiliated sites. The school currently educates over two hundred of the capital city’s boys and girls from first through ninth grade. Due to damages from earthquakes over recent years, a large section of the school was condemned. The rest of the school, though safe, is in desperate need of improvements.

With the government’s increased focus on public safety and security, fewer funds have been available for health and education purposes. That meant we had an opportunity to help. We are thrilled to announce that with Children Incorporated supporters, like you, we secured funding for the remaining amount needed to build a new school.

Luis Bourdet, our Director for International Programs, has diligently worked with Laboure School administrators to obtain building designs and estimates, submit permits, and create project timelines. We are waiting on one more civic permit approval and hope to break ground early-to-mid-May 2026.

This is the largest building project that Children Incorporated has funded, and we are excited to partner with the Laboure School administrators and the San Salvador Civic Center community. We will keep you updated with the progress!

Maximize Your Impact with a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

Think of a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) as a simple and flexible way to support the mission of Children Incorporated. 

How do I contribute to Children Incorporated from my Donor Advised Fund?

1. Login to your Donor Advised Fund account through your DAF sponsor, such as Fidelity Charitable, DAFGiving360, or Vanguard Charitable.
2. Recommend a grant to Children Incorporated
3. Provide Children Incorporated’s tax ID (54-0761510) to your DAF sponsor or advisor

Have questions about how to get started or how to link your existing DAF to our mission? We are here to help! Please reach out to Steve Mitchell, our Director of Donor Development, at 800-538-5381 or via email at smitchell@children-inc.org  to discuss how a DAF can be a powerful tool for your legacy of giving.

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER

Exciting Changes At Children Incorporated!

2025 has seen many changed, and for us at Children Incorporated that meant the retirement of our CEO Ron Carter and the onboarding of our new CEO Liz Collins. In his transition letter, Ron spoke of the new leadership and how it is going to positively bring CI into a new stage. We all can’t wait to continue the longstanding work at Children Incorporated!

Letter from Liz

I am delighted to reach out to you as the new CEO of Children Incorporated. It is a profound privilege to lead this organization, which has been at the forefront of supporting children in need across the globe. Your unwavering commitment and generosity have been instrumental in our mission, and I want to personally express my gratitude for your support.

As I step into this role, my goal is to build upon the strong foundation established by Ron Carter, the staff, and our volunteer coordinators. With a background in process, risk, and product management, I am eager to bring fresh ideas and renewed energy to our programs. I am not new to Children Incorporated and have most recently had the honor of serving as Board Chair for the past ten years. Knowing the organization as I do, I am committed to honoring that special, personal touch that is our trademark.
Your contributions make a significant difference in the lives of countless children, providing them with essential resources and opportunities for a brighter future. Together, we can continue this important work, fostering hope and creating lasting change.

I look forward to engaging with you as we move forward, sharing updates on our initiatives, and exploring new ways to enhance our collective impact. This is a partnership. Thank you once again for your dedication and support. Together, we can change lives and inspire hope for the future – not just in the children, but each other.

Warm Regards,

Celebrating Partnership and Purpose

In April 2025, Communities In Schools of the Nation’s Capital (CISNCAP) celebrated a powerful milestone—20 years of service to Washington, D.C. students. At the heart of this celebration was a shared commitment: When schools support the whole child and their families and build strong partnerships, then those children will have improved learning outcomes.

To commemorate this incredible achievement, CISNCAP hosted a special 20th Anniversary Reception where they honored the many individuals and organizations that help make their work possible. Among those recognized were three outstanding partners whose dedication has left a lasting impact on local schools:

John and Ann Gardner, Impact Award
Principal Allen Richardson, Principal of the Year
Children Incorporated, Community Partner of the Year

We are humbled and honored that Children Incorporated was chosen for this meaningful award, especially during such a landmark celebration.
Accepting on our behalf was Liz Collins, our then Board Chair and current CEO, accompanied by U.S. Programs Director Renee Kube, who both attended the reception in Washington, D.C.Liz took the stage to accept the award, and she spoke from the heart:

Our missions are deeply aligned—and through our shared commitment, we’ve seen how caring adults can change the course of a child’s life.

The Community Partner of the Year award will hold a proud place in our office—and in our hearts—as a reminder of what we can achieve when we come together for kids.

Communities in schools: Creating new opportunities

During the evening, Dr. Rustin Lewis, Executive Director of CISNCAP, shared reflections on the organization’s journey. He spoke passionately about the importance of holistic support for students and families, and how strong community partnerships—like the one between CISNCAP and Children Incorporated—create real and lasting change. Since 2008, Children Incorporated has been proud to serve students in our nation’s capital—where, despite the city’s prominence, one in four children still lives in poverty. These children, full of potential, deserve every opportunity to thrive—and we are honored to play a role in supporting them., Our Hope In Action Fund has helped meet urgent needs, from disaster relief to providing tablets for students with extended medical absences. Most recently, through our Higher Education Program, a sponsored student was awarded a grant to attend Catholic University of America after graduating from one of our partner schools. Together with Communities In Schools of the Nation’s Capital and the generosity of our donors, we are creating brighter futures.

Hurricane Helene: One Year Later

Remembering the hardship and resiliency of those affected

It has been a year since Hurricane Helene caused massive and devastating destruction to areas of North Carolina and Kentucky. Eleven of our affiliated sites were hit in some capacity by Helene, four of them were intensely affected. Families who were already struggling lost everything; it was a crucial time for Children Incorporated to be involved.

Through our Hope In Action Fund, we were able to send immediate resources. Through our Helene Relief Fund, over $31,000 went to directly assist children and their families in our affected areas. We purchased clothing and distributed food, and families were given hope.

Several sponsors generously donated additional gifts, enabling us to provide long-term assistance. Throughout the winter, our volunteer coordinators received valuable resources to support program participants who still faced monumental hurdles on their path back to stability.

Every dollar donated by sponsors and donors went straight to meeting urgent needs during and after the destruction. Now, a year later, we remember that harrowing time with gratitude for those who gave their time, money, and care to support all those affected.

The Appalachian region, though hard hit, remains strong.

Visayans Volunteer Center: Hope in Action

The Visayans Center was the initial place of support for children on the CI program. This small center, built in the city of Tacloban, was a big effort to accommodate volunteers who would come to this area to provide assistance to this small and poor community.

With time, more and more children wanted to participate in Children Incorporated and benefit from the support provided. We came together to purchase a larger piece of land in the area and sparked the dream of a larger Center—a place with a library, soup kitchen, volunteer space, and rooms dedicated to education and connection.

With the collaboration of initial small savings, and the generosity of CI sponsors, construction was initiated for a new Center in August of 2023. And after much effort, some pains and frustrations, positive effort, and the unwavering assistance of Children Incorporated, construction was finished and the building opened in August 2025!

The other two Centers affiliated to CI are in different nearby locations, but will also utilize this new Center building for functions and further support.

ATTENDANCE IMPACT

The direct benefit of consistent sponsorship

Thanks to our dedicated volunteer coordinators, we have an incredible insight into the long-term impact of Children Incorporated. What is the biggest difference they see?
A dramatic increase in school attendance! Our data shows that consistent sponsor support leads directly to more time in the classroom and better academic progress.

PHILIPPINES

Improved Attendance: Sponsored students have maintained over a 90% attendance rate.
Academic Progress: Many are showing marked improvements in literacy, numeracy, and overall academic performance.
Comprehensive Support: Students received essential school supplies, uniforms, shoes, daily meals, and access to mentorship.
Personal Growth: Several have taken part in life skills workshops, leadership training, and extracurricular programs.

Your support helps me dream bigger. I want to become a police so I can give back to my community.”
Jonathon, 14 years old

Kentucky

Kenny is a kind and determined young man. Sadly his home life is far from what any child should have to experience, and though home life offers little support, he’s committed to making school a priority;
He dreams of becoming an engineer and moving to New York City.
Before being enrolled in Children Incorporated, he struggled with not having enough uniforms or school supplies. One of his biggest wishes was to have something as simple as an alarm clock to help him make it to school on time.

Thanks to his sponsor, Kenny received just that. Now, he proudly wakes himself up each morning, attends school regularly, and carries himself with newfound confidence. His dreams are no longer distant wishes—they’re goals he’s working toward every day.

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER

In December 2024, Renée Kube and Kristen Walthall of our U.S. Programs Division and our Director of Development Shelley Callahan traveled to Louisiana to visit five affiliated schools in New Orleans, where our sponsors are helping children with their most basic needs to ensure they can attend school ready to learn.

“Our coordinators are immensely grateful for the support that we provide to children at their school, especially when it comes to helping them purchase school uniforms and hygiene items.”

“It was amazing to get a chance to meet all of our volunteer coordinators and some of our sponsored children during our visit,” said Callahan. “Our coordinators are immensely grateful for the support that we provide to children at their school, especially when it comes to helping them purchase school uniforms and hygiene items.”

“New Orleans is the only city in the United States with a city-wide charter school system, and all children must wear expensive uniforms. Sometimes, because of these extra costs for families, children only have one uniform for 165 school days in a calendar year,” explained Callahan.

“Thanks to our sponsors, students have multiple uniforms to wear. Additionally, sponsorship provides children warm clothes during the colder months, rain gear, and much-needed hygiene items that these students would otherwise go without. It was amazing to hear such inspiring stories about how our sponsorship program is making such a difference.”

“Thank you to all our incredible supporters who make our work in New Orleans possible! You are truly helping so many lives by sponsoring a child. We couldn’t do it without you,” said Callahan.

Want to learn more about our work in New Orleans? Subscribe to our blog series, Stories of Hope, today! https://childrenincorporated.org/stories-of-hope/

REMEMBERING OUR DEAR FRIEND, MAGDA KEGLEY

Magda Kegley, a longtime employee of Children Incorporated, passed away quite suddenly on Saturday, March 8th, 2025. During her tenure with Children Incorporated, Magda served in various capacities, including over two decades as Director of our International Division. Many of our coordinators and sponsors became quite familiar with Magda and grew to love her, just as our staff did. She was a ray of sunshine, always smiling and always caring about others. Magda’s kind words touched many hearts, and her laughter challenged us all to find joy in life. Our staff will certainly miss our dear friend. Our heartfelt condolences go out to her children, Lisa and Scott, her granddaughter, Brynn, and her sister, Nayda, and the entire family.

Keeping Kids Cozy in the Winter

We want to say a huge thank you to Salisbury Presbyterian Church Preschool in Midlothian, Virginia, for donating pajamas to Children Incorporated through our long-time partner, the Pajama Program!

Each pair of the 233 new children’s pajamas was distributed to children at local schools in the Richmond, Virginia, area, along with a storybook, which the Pajama Program provided.

“Thank you so much for your very valued support! It means so much to all of us that you care so much about these children and their well-being.”

“This is such a fabulous program, and it was so thoughtful for Salisbury Presbyterian to think of students in our sponsorship program,” said U.S. Programs Director Renée Kube. “Knowing that these special children are going to go to bed warm and comfortable in brand new pajamas is very touching for the entire staff of Children Incorporated, our volunteer coordinators at the school, and the parents of these deserving kids. Thank you for your donations!”

Our CEO and President, Ron Carter, Visits Mexico

“Visiting our four affiliated sites in Mexico was quite inspiring for me. Having previously not been to Mexico, I was impressed by the rich heritage of this beautiful and historic country, but more than anything else, I was moved by the commitment and dedication of the sisters who oversee our programs. These women obviously care deeply for the children they serve, and this was never more apparent than at Hogar Casa Julia in San Miguel de Allende”.

“At this site, girls who have been removed from their homes due to various forms of abuse are provided with a safe place to live, nice clothes, and nutritional food, and they receive excellent education and guidance as they heal from their dysfunctional pasts. Sister Isabel, who has been serving at this school for more than a quarter of a century, is a parent figure to these girls, making sure that their needs are met each and every day. She manages funds provided by Children Incorporated sponsors with excellence and precision.  She and all of the sisters with whom we work in Mexico are simply incredible, and I was thoroughly impressed with each of them.”

– Ronald H. Carter 

New Shoes for Children in Kentucky

Not long ago, we received a letter from Jackie, our volunteer coordinator at Breathitt Elementary School in Kentucky, thanking us and our amazing donors for allowing Hope In Action Funds to purchase shoes and socks for every child in our sponsorship program at her school!

“I am writing in appreciation of the support shown by your organization on behalf of sponsored children at my school. In a school of four hundred students between three and eight years old, fostering independence is vital. Thanks to Children Incorporated Hope In Action Funds, each child in the sponsorship program received a pair of sturdy, name-brand Crocs shoes.”

“These shoes do not require tying, are easy to clean with soap and water, and, most importantly, are comfortable to wear.”

“The kids were thrilled to receive the shoes and loved the attractive colors. They wear them daily. Thank you so much for your very valued support! It means so much to all of us that you care so much about these children and their well-being.”

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER