Tag Archives: feed children

Kristen Walthall | July 25, 2022

As a part of our 2022 “Virtual Visit” series, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, takes us to Floyd Central High School on a visit to hear about our sponsorship program and other outreach services conducted by our volunteer coordinator, Teresa.

Renée Virtual Visit

“Floyd Central High is a relatively new school located in the community of Eastern. It was built in 2017 as a consolidation of the old Allen Central High and South Floyd High Schools. It offers the standard state-approved curriculum, and also offers dual enrollment, AP, and online college courses. The sports teams compete in football, baseball, volleyball, softball, and cheerleading. There are also competitive teams for golf, archery — and bass fishing!”

“Teresa is devoted to her students and families. Most are loving and hardworking, but generations of poverty and lack of education have caused a lot of hardship and struggle.”

“The high school is also a ‘feeder’ school for two other Children Incorporated affiliated sites — Duff-Allen Central and May Valley Elementary schools, which is fantastic because our sponsors can follow their sponsored children from elementary to high school with ease thanks to these partnerships.”

“Floyd Central serves about 638 students in grades 9-12. Everyone at the school is very proud of the 93% graduation rate, considering that the students and families face a lot of challenges — 75% of students live in poverty and lack access to basic resources.”

Teresa’s programs

“Our volunteer coordinator at the school is Teresa. She is an involved coordinator who has created a Youth Services Center Student Outreach Group. They host activities and raise funds for special events throughout the year, ranging from purchasing suitcases for foster children to pet food donations for the local animal shelter. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to feel connected and give back to their community.”

Family Game Nights were a hit with Teresa’s students and their parents.

“Since the pandemic, in addition to our sponsorship program, Children Incorporated helped Teresa with three other programs. The first program was a series of family fun nights where the students and families turned off their screens and bonded over playing board games and making snacks together. Teresa collaborated with the other coordinators, and it was a county-wide event. The families sent pictures to Teresa and said they were surprised at how much this meant to them.”

“The second program was mixing physical activity and positive mental outlooks to support educational outcomes. The last program was a health and fun fair for expectant and new mothers, which was also a collaborative, county-wide event. The fair included packets of important information and diaper bags filled with small baby care items. Participants could register for one of three grand prizes: a baby bouncer, rocker, or stroller.”

Getting the support they need

“Teresa is devoted to her students and families. Most are loving and hardworking, but generations of poverty and lack of education have caused a lot of hardship and struggle. Teresa shared that one of her students is being raised by a single father. Due to some unexpected expenses, he got behind on rent. In order to get caught up, the dad and his son were paid a little money by neighbors to clear brush out of their creek beds. The boy sells eggs to help. Teresa said that our sponsorship program is a big help with this boy’s school clothing. He (and the other program-enrolled children) fit in with their peers with the new clothes they receive which really helps their self-esteem, and they are dressed appropriately for the weather.”

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How do I sponsor a child in Kentucky?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | June 6, 2022

Dear Friends,

I grew up in a pretty average family. My parents were down-to-earth, hard-working people who sometimes struggled to make ends meet. There was seldom extra money, yet there were always unexpected medical costs, auto repairs, and other expenses that seemed to pop up. I know my folks sometimes worried about how they were going to pay all the bills, and there were periods where their finances were not very good. Even so, we never went without food, and in fact, many of my most-cherished childhood memories center around my parents’ delicious cooking and shared family meals. There was always an abundance of quality food on our dinner table, and holidays and larger family gatherings, often held at my grandparents’ homes, were the site of absolute feasts.

When I read statements like this one — nearly 13 million children in the United States live in homes that do not have enough food to feed all of the family members — I find myself in a state of shock.

I cannot imagine being truly hungry!

So when I read statements like this one — nearly 13 million children in the United States live in homes that do not have enough food to feed all of the family members — I find myself in a state of shock. I do not want to believe that children of any age, in the United States or any place else in our world, are starving, yet they are. According to a United Nations report, globally, approximately 25,000 children die daily from malnutrition and hunger. These deaths are all largely preventable, if we will just work together to avert this crisis.

A key component of Children Incorporated’s work is providing food to those who need it. We do this through not only child sponsorship, but also through our international and United States feeding programs. For as long as our organization has been around — 58 years and counting! — we have made sure that children and families’ food needs are met. We do this through the generosity and support of our loyal donors, people like you, who give so that others may receive. We are asking for your help once again.

I cannot imagine being truly hungry, yet I know many are. I am thankful for reputable and honest organizations like Children Incorporated that are working to feed, as well as clothe and educate, thousands of children each day. The knowledge that so many people care and are working together for the common good gives me hope for the future!

Today, I am asking you to help us provide for hungry children. Our Feeding Program Fund buys daily meals for children, as well as fills back packs full of food items for children to take home on the weekends. Without our support, these special children will go without the nutrients they need to survive and thrive — so please, our loyal supporters, I am asking that you contribute to this fund today. Without you, our work cannot be done.

From the heart,

Ronald H. Carter

DONATE TODAY

Ron Carter | September 26, 2021

I love grocery stores! I admit it. I really do. I find a lot of joy in shopping for food.

Your contribution to our Feeding Programs make our work possible, and it is through your generosity that we are able to fill empty bellies and offer nutrition where there otherwise may be none.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of trips to the grocery store or food markets with family members. When I was really small, I spent Saturdays with my Aunt Louise and Grandmother Pierce while my parents worked. Every Saturday morning, my aunt would shop for groceries, and she always took me with her. At first, I sat in the basket as she shopped, but as I grew older, I graduated to pushing the shopping cart! I thought I was hot stuff, let me tell you! I clearly recall pushing that buggy down the aisles of our local A&P. I recall the smell of the freshly ground coffee near the front of the store, as well as the wonderful aroma of cakes and pies just out of the oven in the bakery.

Our Feeding Programs provide food for hundreds of children each year.

In my immediate family, my father did the vast majority of food shopping, and he loved grocery stores probably as much or more than anyone I have ever met. There were six or seven food stores in our small town, and Daddy made the rounds from one to another, looking for bargains and stocking up on deals. Sometimes when my dad was stressed or just needed an out from the responsibilities of daily life, he would say to my mom “Peg, I think I’ll just go to Winn Dixie and look around,” and off he’d go. Sometimes I went with him, and Daddy loved pointing out the bargains – BOGO items (buy one, get one free) and things marked down for clearance.

My folks were not wealthy. They were hard-working folks who sometimes struggled to pay their bills, but we always, always had food to eat, and my childhood memories are of wonderful meals and abundance. Both of my parents were excellent cooks, and I can still taste some of the special dishes they made — my mom’s lemon pie and fresh coconut cake, and Daddy’s fried chicken and chili con carne immediately come to mind. So many memories are of the taste and smell of food, and for me, of course, those magical trips to the grocery store.

It is hard for me to imagine being constantly hungry, but I am painfully aware that there are millions upon millions of people who go without proper food and nutrition on a daily basis. In the United States, 1 in 6 children face food insecurity, and globally, there are over 800,000,000 people who do not know where they will get their next meal. Over 3,000,000 children die each year from hunger and malnutrition. The numbers are astounding, and they are shocking. Sadly, they are reality.

Over 3,000,000 children die each year from hunger and malnutrition. The numbers are astounding, and they are shocking. Sadly, they are reality.

Children Incorporated is working to alleviate some of the suffering that comes from food insecurity. Our international and United States child feeding programs offer nutritious food to thousands of children on a regular basis. As needs arise in the field – whether in a remote Kenyan village or a rural school in Eastern Kentucky – Children Incorporated responds to the calls we receive and provides life-sustaining nourishment to children and families. In Central and Latin America, this may be in the form of bagged rice and beans to feed a family for a month, or in the United States, food distribution through weekend and holiday backpack feeding programs. By whatever means, we are always seeking ways to reach more and more children and to alleviate their hunger.

Your contribution to our Feeding Programs make our work possible, and it is through your generosity that we are able to fill empty bellies and offer nutrition where there otherwise may be none.

Please, consider donating to our Feeding Programs today.

DONATE TODAY

Shelley Callahan | October 20, 2019En Español

Boyd County Middle School is located in the isolated and rural town of Cannonsburg, Kentucky.

When children don’t eat enough, it can shorten their attention span, lower their IQ and keep them from performing well in school.

Like many of Kentucky’s Eastern Coal Field communities, Cannonsburg has suffered significantly from the decline of the coal mining industry. At the height of the coal operations, Boyd County was an essential and active port city for the transport of coal along the Ohio River.

Today, many of its residents live in dismal poverty. Illiteracy and high dropout rates are significant problems in the area.

Thankfully, students at Boyd County Middle School have caring teachers and staff that work hard to motivate and educate them so that they can graduate and become successful members of their community.

A newly renovated school

Not only do students at the school have a supportive group of administrators to help them, but according to our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, they also have newly renovated school buildings to enjoy.

Unfortunately, for many children living in poverty, their only meals of the day can often be those they receive at school.

On a recent visit to Boyd County Middle School, Renée marveled at the new entrance façade, energy-efficient windows, improved access to the gym and a new bus loading/unloading area designed to help with traffic congestion during peak times — all updates from the last time she visited the school a few years ago.

A lack of adequate food at home

While at the school, Renée also got a chance to meet with our volunteer coordinator, Vicki. Vicki told Renée that Boyd County Middle School serves 729 students in sixth through eighth grades. Fifty-seven percent of those children come from low-income families. These children often come to school without proper clothes, shoes and school supplies. Many of them don’t have adequate food at home either.

“Vicki expressed to me that her biggest need is for more help with her Weekend Backpack Food Program, which is currently assisting over 100 children,” said Renée.

Why is backpack feeding necessary?

Sending children home on Friday afternoons with non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food ensures that they get enough food on weekends and holidays when they can’t rely on getting a nutritious meal at school.

Unfortunately, lack of food in the home for families living in poverty is an issue that many children in the United States face. According to Feeding America’s website, “Twenty-two million children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program and the National School Breakfast Program. For many of these children, school meals may be the only meals they eat.”

Roughly 13 million kids in America today don’t have enough food to eat on the weekends. One in five kids in our country goes without access to affordable, nutritious food on Saturdays and Sundays. Lack of adequate food leads to health problems in addition to hunger. When children don’t eat enough, it can shorten their attention span, lower their IQ and keep them from performing well in school.

Because of these harsh realities, backpack feeding programs like Vicki’s at Boyd County Middle School are crucial for children. Sending children home on Friday afternoons with non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food ensures that they get enough food on weekends and holidays when they can’t rely on getting a nutritious meal at school.

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HOW DO I SUPPORT BACKPACK FEEDING PROGRAMS IN THE U.S.?

Our U.S. Feeding Program provides support for Backpack Feeding Programs at our affiliated projects. To donate, call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members, email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org or visit https://childrenincorporated.org/u-s-feeding-programs/ to make an online donation.

DONATE TO OUR U.S. FEEDING PROGRAM