Tag Archives: help children

Shelley Callahan | April 8, 2020En Español

*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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | April 6, 2020En Español

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Located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona, the St. Michael’s Special Education School is a nonprofit educational institution that offers support to children and adults whose disabilities have made conventional schools impractical or impossible.

The school has been a Children Incorporated affiliated project since 1979. It consists of an Educational Division for disabled children (ages 6-22) and a Day Treatment Division for disabled adults (ages 22 and older). The school’s devoted and highly trained staff provides students, like those in our sponsorship program, and adults with the personal attention they need, as well as nutritious meals and encouragement.

As the only school on the Navajo Reservation that is dedicated to the care and education of moderate to severely disabled children and adults, the St. Michael’s Special Education School plays a crucial role in the community.

Nowhere else to receive help

As the only school on the Navajo Reservation that is dedicated to the care and education of moderate to severely disabled children and adults, the St. Michael’s Special Education School plays a crucial role in the community.

“In addition to the academic campus, there is also a group home at the school where some of the children and adults board. The dedicated administration strives to see that each person in attendance is given the chance to reach their best potential in a safe and caring environment,” explained Renée Kube, Children Incorporated Director of U.S. Programs.

“The institution itself runs on a skeleton budget and is able to accomplish miracles for the students and adult members thanks to a variety of partners and the administrators’ tireless advocacy.”

The Sidewalk Project

While visiting the St. Michael’s Special Education School, Renée and our President and CEO, Ronald Carter, met with the school’s Executive Director and our volunteer coordinator, Michelle.

“Michelle explained to me during our meeting that there is a constant, ongoing need for both maintenance of the structures of the school as well as improvements to how the school is able to provide for the physical and educational needs of the children and adults,” said Renée.

Renée and Ron also discussed with Michelle the progress of the Sidewalk Project, a special project funded by our Hope In Action Fund, thanks to a generous donation from our partner, International Student Exchange. The purpose of the Sidewalk Project is to allow wheelchair-bound children to access the school’s playground. Hope In Action Funds from Children Incorporated covered the required survey, site preparation, materials and supplies.

While at the school, Michelle showed Renée the areas around the playground where the survey had been conducted and the site preparation was underway. Next, the concrete will be poured, and then rails will be installed.

The Sidewalk Project under construction

“Michelle is so excited about this project and is so grateful to both Children Incorporated and International Student Exchange,” said Renée.

Support from the community

As they continued to talk, Michelle told Renée about how she, unfortunately, has had to downsize staff, as salaries use a large percent of the funds to operate the school. The gap is filled as much as possible by help from an organization that provides volunteers for three-year terms in teaching, nursing, and other caretaker roles.

But it all wasn’t bad news that Michelle had to share. She informed Renée that since her last visit in 2016, the Navajo Housing Authority awarded a tribal grant for the construction of three new group homes on the campus.

“Michelle feels this will make St. Michael’s more attractive to parents who live a greater distance away from the school and want a nice place for their children to stay from Sunday nights through Thursday nights,” said Renée.

“According to Michelle, another Navajo tribal grant also awarded funds for new buses to get the children to and from school.”

Meeting with our sponsored children

Before leaving the school, Renée had a chance to meet with a few of our sponsored children.

Clay* is a 16-year-old who is very happy and cheerful. He likes to watch football on television, especially the Arizona Cardinals. He also really likes the Disney DVDs of “Cars 1, 2, and 3.” He has one older brother. Their parents are divorced, and their mother has custody. Both parents work, but their jobs are very low paying. Thanks to his sponsor’s support, Clay has everything he needs to be comfortable and healthy at St. Michael’s and at home.

Michelle pointed out that both Clay and Kyle are two of the students who will benefit from the new sidewalk installed from the classroom building to the playground, thanks to the Sidewalk Project.

Next, Renée met Kyle*. Kyle is 12 years old. He is an only child, and he and his single mother live with Kyle’s maternal grandparents. Kyle’s favorite subject in school is physical therapy. He also enjoys painting, which is also therapeutic for him. Kyle loves to watch music videos, and he is crazy about country music. Michelle told Renée that when Kyle goes home on the weekends, his chore is to fold all the laundry. Kyle enjoys the task and his teachers told his mom it is good physical therapy for him.

After the children left, Michelle pointed out that both Clay and Kyle are two of the students who will benefit from the new sidewalk installed from the classroom building to the playground, thanks to the Sidewalk Project. Even if they cannot get on every piece of equipment, they still are looking forward to going to the playground. Before the sidewalk, the teachers could no longer carry them, and it was too difficult to push their wheelchairs through sandy or muddy soil. Now, thanks to the sidewalk, all of the wheelchair-bound students will have better access to the playground.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 22, 2020En Español

During the difficult time of changes due to the COVID-19 virus, donations to our Beds and Linens Fund from our donors — just like you —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 in Kentucky, became aware that these 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.

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.

Thank you for all that you do to provide for children in need through your sponsorship and donation to our Beds and Linens Fund!

Because of you, these girls and other children in our program now have comfortable beds for a good night’s rest while school is out – and for after they return to school.

How do I donate to the bed and linens fund?

Children living in poverty often go without mattresses, bedding and linens. Many do not have beds of their own and sleep on cold, hard floors. Your donations will help us to provide these children with comfortable places to sleep.

Every year, we provide hundreds of children with beds and linens so they can sleep comfortably at night. To make a donation, visit our Beds and Linens Fund donation page, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

DONATE

Shelley Callahan | March 11, 2020En Español

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The remote community of Pinon is located amid the incredible desert beauty of northern Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation, 160 miles from the Grand Canyon. The Reservation comprises more than 27,000 square miles of spectacular but inhospitable countryside, extending into both Utah and New Mexico.

For many children from impoverished households, the Pinon Community School offers them the opportunity to receive a quality education while also receiving positive reinforcements from staff for good behavior.

Despite its massive scale and rich cultural heritage, residents of the Reservation are desperately poor. There is virtually no employment. Broken homes, alcoholism, and inadequate food are constant manifestations of poverty.

A small and desolate community

According to our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, “the community and its surrounding area consist of just over 1,000 people, and it is extremely poor. The child poverty rate is 54.7%. There is a small health center managed by the Indian Health Service, a small grocery store, and a scattering of houses and very little else.”

For many children from impoverished households in Pinon, our affiliated project, the Pinon Community School, offers them the opportunity to receive a quality education while also receiving positive reinforcements from staff for good behavior — other than receiving only punishments for bad behavior.

Seeing our HIA projects firsthand

While visiting the Pinon Community School last year, Renée met with Carol, our volunteer coordinator, who took her on a tour of the building and grounds.

“I was very pleased to see the reading pergola Children Incorporated had made possible last school year through our Hope In Action Fund. Carol told me they have cushions for the benches that are brought inside every evening and then brought outside each morning. The pergola gets a lot of use, and the children and teachers love it,” said Renée.

Our volunteer coordinator at Pinon, Carol, shows Renée the school garden.

Carol also showed Renée the school garden that was built, again, thanks to a donation to Pinon from our Hope In Action Fund. Carol pointed out corn stalks left behind from the most recent harvests that will eventually be turned under to nourish the soil before a new crop is planted. A hose had been brought over to water some of the herbs in the garden that were going strong.

Warrior Bucks for Kids

After taking a tour of the school, Carol and Renée met with Ms. Largo, the school’s principal, to discuss the Children Incorporated sponsorship program and what other needs the school might have that our organization could look into supporting.

“Ms. Largo told me that her focus outside of providing basic needs for the children is to build up the school’s ‘Positive Behavior Initiative’ program. She said so many of the children come from high-risk homes and some act-out in class. In replacement of a climate of punishment, she has instituted an environment of positive rewards,” explained Renée.

“Instead of always handing out punishments for poor behavior, students may earn ‘Warrior Bucks’ for various positive actions such as completing homework, improved attendance, and being kind and helpful to teachers or other students. The ‘bucks’ may be redeemed for small things such as snacks, hygiene items, and even Post It Notes, which are very popular with the students.”

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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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 4, 2020

In many developing countries, food is often cooked over open fires in poorly ventilated kitchens. It is estimated that 3 billion people worldwide cook over an open flame, which releases toxic smoke that is dangerous to health and safety.

The new kitchen is safer for both children and staff members.

At one of our affiliated project, the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel in India, the cooks prepared meals for the students in a small, dark one-room kitchen with only one small window that was continuously filled with thick smoke. The kitchen was badly in need of updating, but the administration did not have the necessary funds.

Thanks to our donors – just like you – Children Incorporated was able to renovate Lou Ann Long’s kitchen. New gas stoves with proper ventilation systems were installed, and modern sinks and updated windows and floors now provide more space, a cleaner environment, and natural light for the kitchen staff.

Thank you for all that you do to support projects like this in India and around the world!

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How do I sponsor a child in India?

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

HOW LONG CAN I SPONSOR A CHILD IN INDIA?

We hope that you will assist your sponsored child until he or she leaves our program. This may occur when a child graduates from high school, moves out of our service area, or for a variety of other reasons. Due to the transient state of many families and the difficult circumstances of the regions where they reside, we cannot predict or guarantee how long a child will remain enrolled in the Children Incorporated sponsorship program, although we make every effort to provide services to children for as long as possible.

Thank you for all that you do to support projects like this in India and around the world!

When a child leaves our program, it is our policy to select another, equally needy child for you to sponsor, in the hope that you will accept sponsorship of the new child and continue to partner with us in changing lives. Unfortunately, we usually lose contact with children once they leave the sponsorship program (as we do not maintain personal addresses or contact information for any of the children). Even so, the positive impact of your generosity – both upon the individual child and upon his or her community – endures!

WILL I RECEIVE UPDATED INFORMATION FROM MY SPONSORED CHILD IN INDIA?

Yes. We will send you updated information and an updated photo about once a year, although the frequency may vary depending upon the child’s location. The typical progress report includes information about the child’s grade level in school, hobbies, and interests.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 3, 2020

For children in our program living in poverty, their sponsors are more than just providers of basic needs — they are often the light of their lives in an otherwise dark world.

Now that Blake has a positive outlet for her agression during gym class, she no longer has outbursts and is focused on practicing to join the school’s volleyball team.

Blake* is a young girl who suffers from several mental health disorders that cause bursts of anger and social defiance in school. Her grandparents are raising her because her parents are incarcerated. According to our volunteer coordinator who works closely with Blake, her sponsor is a positive and bright force in a world that is often negative for Blake, as she struggles daily with her sensitive health issues and stressful living conditions.

Knowing that Blake was struggling with physical outbursts and having exhausted the school’s resources to help her, our volunteer coordinator used sponsorship funds to buy fitness equipment such as punching bags and gloves and a volleyball for Blake. Now that Blake has a positive outlet for her aggression during gym class, she no longer has outbursts and is focused on practicing to join the school’s volleyball team.

Thank you for being a light for children in need!

*Name changed to protect the child.

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How can 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.

The sponsorship relationship enables a sponsor to help support a needy child through monthly contributions, and through the exchange of correspondence with a sponsored child, if the sponsor so desires. A sponsor’s friendship and encouragement is priceless to a child in such circumstances. Indeed, many children value the relationships they establish with their sponsors as much as they value the financial support they receive from them. There is an opportunity to build a relationship between sponsor and child that can be quite profound.

Our current monthly sponsorship rate is $35, and it goes toward providing basic necessities such as school supplies and fees, food, clothing, and access to healthcare, among other services.

SPONSOR A CHILD