Tag Archives: education

Shelley Callahan | February 16, 2016

Recently, the Children Incorporated staff in North Chesterfield, Virginia welcomed some visitors from Page, Arizona.

Our guests were Elouise Goatson and Evonne Yazzie, the Children Incorporated volunteer coordinators for the Page Unified School District, which includes Page High School, Page Middle School, Desert View Elementary School and Lake View Elementary School. They brought along with them a local parent representative, Stanley John.

The home of some of our sponsored children in Arizona

We were reminded in a very special way of the incredible importance of our sponsors and donors, and what their contributions mean to underprivileged children and families. We were humbled to hear the heartwarming story that Elouise so graciously shared with us that day, tears welling up in her eyes.

Not long ago, Elouise was contacted by a desperate mother of three who was struggling to provide for her kids what is often taken for granted — restful sleep. This family of five was sharing one bed in their tiny and dilapidated home, and the bed had become infested with bed bugs. Elouise contacted Children Incorporated, and our Hope In Action Fund provided new beds and mattresses to all three children.

Due to the urgency of the situation, the merchants at the mattress store provided Elouise and this mother with a huge discount, and Page school employees chipped in to purchase new comforters, blankets, and sheets for each bed. Elouise and her husband purchased new pillows for the family, and they delivered the mattresses to the home themselves.

There are so many children living in poverty, and it is difficult to begin to imagine all the hardships they face as a result. Sometimes, something as simple yet as necessary as restful sleep can get overlooked.

There are so many children living in poverty, and it is difficult to begin to imagine all the hardships they face as a result. Sometimes, something as simple yet as necessary as restful sleep can get overlooked. This is where Children Incorporated’s additional funds come in. The generosity of donors to our Hope In Action Fund has fulfilled such essential yet often forgotten needs.

The three kids are sleeping more soundly now than they have in years; they have more energy, and they are better able to concentrate in school. All of this is thanks to you. Your gifts to our Hope In Action Fund have changed the lives of countless children and have given them hope for a brighter future.

Thank you, sponsors and donors, for making stories like this one a reality, for helping us remember that it only takes one – one gift, one helping hand — to respond to a request for help. Your contributions called a community to action. What so many of us take for granted — restful sleep — is no longer a worry for these three children who have the world at their fingertips — and now, sweet dreams, too.

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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 and speak with one of our sponsorship specialists at 1-800-538-5381, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | February 4, 2016En Español

On a recent trip to visit Children Incorporated projects in the United States, our U.S. Sponsorship Manager, Chuck Smith, and our U.S. Project Specialist, Shelley Oxenham, stopped by the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arnett, a couple who has been married for 54 years. They are currently raising their three Children Incorporated-sponsored great-grandchildren, Francis*, Alex, and Tracy.

Mrs. Arnett is in her eighties now, and suffers from a variety of health conditions, including a heart condition. Due to her ailments, she finds herself constantly in and out of doctors’ offices. Last February, Mrs. Arnett had a fall down her porch steps that has complicated her health conditions even further; the fall was so severe that its effects continue to take a toll on her mobility still today.

The ramp has changed Mrs. Arnett’s life.

As a result of her fall, stairs became especially difficult for Mrs. Arnett to maneuver. So Genevieve, Children Incorporated’s on-site volunteer coordinator at the school where Mrs. Arnett’s great-grandchildren attend, requested that Children Incorporated provide the funds necessary to build a ramp for Mrs. Arnett’s porch. If we were to provide the funds, the local high school vocational students would build the ramp, free of charge.

Funds were allotted for this construction from Children Incorporated’s Hope In Action Fund. Through their hard work, the students were able to successfully complete the construction of a ramp at the home, thereby dramatically improving Mrs. Arnett’s quality of life – and ultimately, her ability to raise her great-grandchildren, as she is now able to do so in a less physically strenuous environment.

Through their hard work, the students were able to successfully complete the construction of a ramp at the home, thereby dramatically improving Mrs. Arnett’s quality of life.

Mrs. Arnett maintains regular contact with Genevieve, who has expressed that Mrs. Arnett’s gratitude runs deep, as Mrs. Arnett conveys just how thankful she is each and every time she and Genevieve speak with one another. Thank you, contributors to our Hope In Action Fund, for helping to make such a life-changing impact on this family, and for facilitating the action in this community.

Children Incorporated’s Hope In Action Fund supports children, families, and communities in three primary areas: education, health, and livelihood. Donations from this fund can meet a variety of needs, including the purchase of food, clothing, or other necessities, as well as providing aid after natural disasters or fires, or supplementing weekend and summer feeding programs for children who would otherwise go hungry. Any contribution – large or small – can help to satisfy urgent needs in families like the Arnetts’.

* Children’s names have been changed for their protection.

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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 and speak with one of our sponsorship specialists at 1-800-538-5381, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | June 7, 2015En Español

Swansboro Elementary School, founded in 1986, is located in the south side of Richmond, Virginia. For young students in the community, life presents many challenges. It is estimated that as many as ninety percent of the children who attend the school are being raised in single-parent homes with incomes far below what is needed to make ends meet. Numerous children there live transient, unstable lives, moving frequently between the homes of relatives and acquaintances. Thankfully, students have our volunteer coordinators not only to provide them with basic needs, but also to give them treats to celebrate their accomplishments.

Ms. Hines wanted the students to have the opportunity to spend time together socializing, but she also wanted each student to learn more about sponsorship and ask any questions they might have about it.

The scoop about our sponsors

A few years ago, our Volunteer Coordinator at Swansboro Elementary School at the time, Ms. Hines, hosted a Children Incorporated “Here’s the Scoop” ice cream social to celebrate the children finishing the school year. All of the students in our program attended. Ms. Hines wanted the students to have the opportunity to spend time together socializing, but she also wanted each student to learn more about sponsorship and ask any questions they might have about it.

Before the ice cream was served, Ms. Hines asked students to raise their hands if they had a question. One student raised his hand and asked, “What does the word ‘sponsor’ mean?”

Sponsorship from afar

Ms. Hines explained that a sponsor is, in most cases, a complete stranger who is caring and wants to make sure that his or her sponsored child has the things he or she needs, like warm clothes in the winter, school supplies, and clothing for summertime. This clicked with all of the students because each of them had received such items throughout the school year.

Another child raised his hand and asked, “Does my sponsor live in Richmond?” Ms. Hines explained that most sponsors do not live in Richmond – that they live all over the country, and some, even in other countries. This was very fascinating to all of them and they were very touched that someone who lives somewhere else would care enough to help them. Yet another boy raised his hand and exclaimed, “I got to meet and hang out at school with my sponsor!” He was so proud to share this with the others.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA?

You can sponsor a child in Richmond 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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | May 18, 2015En Español

Located just southeast of Mexico, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Its spectacular mountains boast a wealth of natural resources and stunning biodiversity. For centuries, this land served as the core territory of the renowned Mayan civilization. Following two centuries of Spanish colonization, Guatemala gained its independence in the early nineteenth century – only to endure another 150 years of political instability and civil unrest.

Our Skills Training Programs teach skills that participants can use to earn money in their communities.

Additionally, this area is prone to devastating natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes, which cause mudslides and flooding. Despite more recent economic growth and successful democratic elections, Guatemala still struggles with widespread poverty, illiteracy, crime, and high rates of unemployment and underemployment. The nation’s capital, Guatemala City, is no exception to these maladies.

For these reasons, our affiliated project, Santa Isabel Ana Seton, is not only vital to ensuring that children receive an education and are provided with basic necessities, but it also provides important skills training programs for our sponsored and unsponsored children’s families so that they can learn new skills to help generate income.

Sisters providing for children in need

Santa Isabel Ana Seton, located in Guatemala City, is named after a North American nun who was canonized in 1975. The center is now run by the Sisters of San Vicente de Paul and Santa Luisa de Marillac, who tend to the needs of impoverished families living nearby. Additionally, since Guatemala’s public education system suffers from overcrowding, numerous teacher strikes, and a general lack of school supplies, the Sisters also partner with a local private school, the Escuela Santa Maria, to ensure that children at the center are receiving an education. Together, the school and the center strive to provide sponsored and unsponsored children with basic needs and a sound education.

In addition to providing support to children through our sponsorship program at Santa Isabel Ana Seton, Children Incorporated has also established two skills training programs there for our sponsored and unsponsored children’s parents.

New skills for a better future

In addition to providing support to children through our sponsorship program at Santa Isabel Ana Seton, Children Incorporated has also established two skills training programs there for our sponsored and unsponsored children’s parents: dressmaking and tailoring, and a chef and culinary program. Since the implementation of the programs a few years ago, there have been over forty graduates from both. The graduates have reported that they feel confident that their new skills will provide them with the opportunity to earn additional income or to obtain more lucrative jobs so that they can better provide for their families in the future.

Before attending the chef and culinary program, one of our sponsored children’s mothers had been selling nachos from a small vending cart. Now that she has graduated from the course, she is expanding her business to include empanadas, mole, lasagna, pizza, pastries, and other elaborate dishes she did not know how to make before. She feels that the new additions to her menu will help her earn more money for her family.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN GUATEMALA?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | March 9, 2015En Español

Children Incorporated staff members flip through Roberto’s art portfolio – a stunning collection of photo-realistic, surrealistic, and abstract works – in awe, while the artist himself looks on with humble delight. Simple child-art drawings – his earliest masterpieces – occupy the first few pages.

Art wasn’t always a part of my life,” Roberto confesses in soft-spoken Spanish as he stands in the small office in Richmond, Virginia. He’s miles away from home, and yet among surrogate family. “In fact, I didn’t really start drawing until right around the time I got sponsored.

Roberto’s artwork on display in his home studio in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Once a child in Children Incorporated’s sponsorship program, Roberto Carlos Andrade Jijena is now an adult – and an accomplished artist. Several pieces of his art are currently on exhibit in the Jadite Galleries in New York City. The curator there, Marta Sossi, was so impressed by the artwork she saw on Roberto’s website that she invited him to fly from Bolivia to New York to participate in a group exhibition featuring a select handful of Latin American artists. Our International Programs Director, Luis Bourdet, joined Roberto and his wife, Verónica, in New York for the exhibit’s Opening Reception this past Tuesday. During his brief stay in the United States, Roberto requested to visit Richmond. When Luis asked what Roberto wanted to see here, the artist simply replied, “Children Incorporated.”

Roberto and Verónica recently spent a day at the Children Incorporated office, meeting some staff members for the first time and reuniting with others as though with family or long-lost friends. Now, Roberto addresses the small staff as a whole. He starts by telling how it all began.

Roberto was first enrolled in Children Incorporated’s sponsorship program at our Colegio Don Bosco project in Sucre, Bolivia when he was eight years old.

“I was so excited,” he reflects. “I couldn’t wait to have a padrino [a Spanish word meaning both ‘sponsor’ and ‘godparent’]. But I waited for a sponsor for a long time – several years.”

“I will always be grateful to Children Incorporated,” Roberto concludes. “No matter how famous I may get, how valuable my artwork becomes, I will always donate some of my work to Children Incorporated, to help them continue to help children. It’s my way of giving back and saying ‘thank you’.”
– Roberto

That all changed when Dr. James Wheeler read about Children Incorporated in the book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson, Ph.D. In 1998, Dr. Wheeler contacted Children Incorporated to begin sponsoring with us. One of the children assigned to him was Roberto.

“When I heard I had a sponsor,” Roberto recalls, “I was so happy. I feel like, when you’re younger, you don’t really appreciate the true value of things; but I had waited so long to be sponsored that I understood – I understood how wonderful and beautiful it is, knowing that someone from somewhere you’ve never been – someone you’ve never met – is helping you. That knowledge really motivated me.”

Dr. Wheeler continued to sponsor Roberto until Roberto graduated from high school and from the sponsorship program. Subsequently, Children Incorporated was able to help Roberto attend college. He graduated with a degree in architecture (after much debate about whether to major in art, architecture, or medicine). At the time, he reasoned that art and architecture go hand in hand – he could do both. Eventually, however, he returned to his first love: art.

“It beckoned me,” he explains with a whimsical smile.

His decision to solely pursue art, he adds, has opened so many doors – including today’s serendipitous meeting. But he attributes one of the most significant open doors of opportunity in his life to Children Incorporated.

More of Roberto’s work in his studio

“A lot of people think that an organization like Children Incorporated is about giving money – giving from one person’s pocket to someone else’s pocket,” Roberto explains. “But really, it’s about giving of the heart – from one heart to another. That’s what I’ve learned from my sponsor and from Children Incorporated. What he and Children Incorporated have done for me has inspired me to give of myself.”

Indeed, Roberto has already donated twenty pieces of his art over the years for Children Incorporated to sell. The proceeds have been used to assist children enrolled in our program.

“I will always be grateful to Children Incorporated,” Roberto concludes. “No matter how famous I may get, how valuable my artwork becomes, I will always donate some of my work to Children Incorporated to help them continue to help children. It’s my way of giving back and saying ‘thank you’.

“Because the happiest people in life aren’t the ones who have everything; the happiest people are those who share everything.”

To view Roberto’s art, visit his website: http://www.bolivianet.com/arte/robertoandrade

— Story by Children Incorporated staff member Suzanne Estes

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN BOLIVIA?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 3, 2015En Español

“Being raised by a single parent is hard nowadays,” Genevieve, the Children Incorporated coordinator at LBJ Elementary School, commiserates.

She is referring to Billy*, a student enrolled in our sponsorship program at her school, who is being raised by a single father. Genevieve tells us that Billy’s father attends all budgeting classes and parent-night functions. “He always stays after to help me and the other volunteers clean up the gym,” she adds.

But despite the tremendous emotional support Billy’s father religiously provides, he is unable to provide for all of his son’s basic, material needs.

That’s where sponsorship comes in.

Billy trying on his new shoes

“I just cannot express how much the Children Incorporated program has meant to Billy,” Genevieve exclaims. “Of all the children I have personally selected to be on this program, he is the happiest. It seemed to boost his personal confidence just knowing he had a pen-pal that wants to help him out with extra needed items.”

Recently, Billy’s sponsors helped out even more – contributing an additional gift for Billy’s general needs. Genevieve immediately contacted us to share the positive impact this act of kindness made:

“Billy needed shoes so badly,” she reports, “and the day I went to buy them, they were on sale, so I had enough money to purchase four pairs. I cannot express how thrilled the child was upon receiving the shoes, and his father kept thanking me over and over again.”

“Billy is very appreciative and loves knowing he is special to [his sponsors],” Genevieve adds. As proof, she enclosed a copy of the thank-you letter that Billy wrote to his sponsors, Mr. and Mrs. Dunn:

Never in my whole life have I ever got four pairs of shoes at one time. I thank you so much for doing that for me. I cannot express how much I thank you. I needed them so bad. My shoes busted on the bottom and it was cold in the morning. This program is so good and has made a positive difference in my life. It’s like having a guardian angel watching over me that likes me no matter what.

Thank you for being my friend,

Billy

“As a resource coordinator,” Genevieve concludes, “there is only so much we can do to positively affect that child’s life, and it is so rejuvenating when the children enrolled are that pleased as Billy expressed in his letter. Children Incorporated is a great program to work with as a collaborative partner. I, too, am thankful to be a part of a school system that participates. It makes you feel good knowing it made a difference!”

*Name changed for the child’s protection.

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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 and speak with one of our sponsorship specialists at 1-800-538-5381, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

SPONSOR A CHILD