Tag Archives: help children

Shelley Callahan | En Español

I first met Reverend Eardley L. Mendis in the winter of 2019 in Chicago, Illinois at a  Children Incorporated meet-and-greet hosted by our CEO and President, Ron Carter, and myself.

Reverend Mendis with Children Incorporated President and CEO, Ronald H. Carter

A long-time donor, Rev. Mendis arrived at the gathering — despite the freezing temperatures and snow-covered streets — holding a small photo album containing pictures of the Senehasa Children’s Home in Sri Lanka that he ran along with his wife in the 1970s and 80s.

As I flipped through his pictures, Rev. Mendis told me about meeting our founder, Mrs. Jeanne Clarke Wood, at the home, and how much her support — and that of the Children Incorporated sponsorship program — meant to the children in the community.

After our meeting, I had the pleasure of interviewing Reverend Mendis to find out more about Senehasa, which means ‘affection’ in Sinhalese, and the impact it had on children living in poverty in Sri Lanka.

SC: How did you get involved with the Senehasa Home?

In 1979, my wife and I started to serve children in the neighborhood where we lived twelve miles south of the city of Galle in a town called Gonapinuwala. At the time, I was serving as a parish pastor in the Anglican Church in Galle.

“Thanks to the support from Children Incorporated sponsors, we were able to provide more food to children, employ additional staff and improve the buildings.”

Our work began when church members would tell me about malnourished children who lived nearby who they knew were not going to school. We thought that offering them a place to stay — and food — was a good way to help.

SC: What can you tell us about the home?

EM: It was actually two projects — one was a children’s home, and the other was a daycare center. We owned the property, and there was a building that needed to be put into use. We converted it to meet the needs of the children.

The children would arrive around 8 a.m. and would get a morning snack and lunch and then another meal before they went home because there was very little food for them to eat in the evenings. Other children lived in the dormitories all year long.

SC: What year did you first get involved with Children Incorporated?

A younger Reverend Mendis with a sponsored child in Sri Lanka.

EM: In 1981. A German national was on vacation in Hikkaduwa, a town just a few miles away from Gonapinuwala with a lovely beach and tourist hotels. While he was there, he heard about the Senehasa Children’s Home and came to meet us.

During the visit, he told me about Children Incorporated. He was a sponsor, and he said he was going to go back to Germany and write Mrs. Wood a letter recommending that we work together.

A few months later, I received a letter from Mrs. Wood saying that she wanted to include the children in our home in her sponsorship program. So we partnered with Children Incorporated even before Mrs. Wood had visited Sri Lanka. It was very important for us to have her support at the time — at first, my wife and I were paying all the expenses ourselves to take care of the children in the home, but after some time it had become too much for us to do on our own.

SC: That is amazing! When did you first meet Mrs. Wood?

EM: She came to the home a few years later, in early 1983. And then I had a chance to go to Richmond, Virginia in the summer of 1983 and visit the office. At the time, Children Incorporated worked out of Mrs. Wood’s home. I had a wonderful time talking to the staff about our program in Sri Lanka.

SC: How many years did you partner with Children Incorporated?

EM: I moved to Chicago in 1987 to pursue my doctoral studies. My wife stayed in Sri Lanka and continued to run the home. Unfortunately, the second Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna insurrection began the same year and violence and conflict erupted in the country. In 1988, I moved my family to the United States so they would be safe, and in 1989, I closed the home.

“I always knew — and still know now — that with Children Incorporated, the children are the primary focus and I have seen and experienced it for myself.

SC: That is very sad. Is the home still there today?

EM: Yes, it is. Today, it is being taken care of by local staff and used for community events. There are meetings and groups that use it for retreats. We still own the property, and both the land and the buildings are still being used.

SC: That is nice to hear. how did you feel that the Children Incorporated program affected the children at the home during the years it was in operation?

EM: Thanks to the support from Children Incorporated sponsors, we were able to provide more food to children, employ additional staff and improve the buildings. Donations also helped us have play equipment on the grounds.

More than just the material items, sponsorship gave the children a feeling that they were a part of a global village — a global family. It gave them a sense of belonging, and the sponsors brought a lot of joy to the children through their letters and pictures.

Sponsored children posing for the camera in the 1980s.

It is a great thing. The program is excellent for serving the welfare of children.

I always knew — and still know now — that with Children Incorporated, the children are the primary focus, and I have seen and experienced it for myself.

SC: Thank you so much for your time. Could you please tell us a little more about your life in Chicago currently?

EM: You are welcome. Yes, today I am part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and serve a multi-cultural church in Logan Square. Our primary outreach is for the homeless population, and we provide winter clothes and food for all who enter our doors.

I also continue to be a Children Incorporated donor today — I do what I can, and I am grateful to have seen for myself what donations to Children Incorporated is doing for those in need.

***

HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN SRI LANKA?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | En Español

For years, Catlettsburg, where our affiliated sites Catlettsburg Elementary and Ponderosa Elementary Schools are located, was known as “The Gate City” because it was here that barges were loaded with coal to be shipped down the Ohio River to other ports.

Although the children may come from strikingly different economic backgrounds, that doesn’t change how they interact with one other.

The decline of the coal industry in Kentucky and West Virginia has severely diminished the city’s economic importance, and commerce is now minimal. Today, this area of Boyd County, Kentucky suffers from high rates of both poverty and illiteracy, since a significant number of adults have never completed high school.

These social and economic problems negatively affect even the youngest members of Catlettsburg, which is why both Ponderosa and Catlettsburg Elementary serve as bright and welcoming places for children to learn and escape some of the harsh realities they face at home.

The Haves and Have Nots

The school administration posts messages of inspiration for their students.

While visiting the two schools, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with our volunteer coordinator, Jenny. Jenny oversees the resource centers at both schools, ensuring that children — including sponsored and unsponsored children in our program — are receiving basic needs throughout the school year.

During their meeting, Jenny explained to Renée that because Boyd County is located in a very rural and beautiful part of the country, Catlettsburg has become a popular place for middle and upper-class families to build homes. Jenny feels that because of this migration, the student population is divided more conspicuously into the “haves and have nots.”

Although the children may come from strikingly different economic backgrounds, that doesn’t change how they interact with one other.

While the administration, faculty and staff of the schools may know which families struggle and which do not, Jenny says the students are very close and treat each other with kindness and respect.

Additionally, as a tight-knit group, the children are more than willing to come together to help other students in need — even those that are far away.

Additionally, as a tight-knit group, the children are more than willing to come together to help other students in need — even those that are far away.

Rising to a challenge

Before their meeting ended, Jenny told Renée a story expressing how much pride she had in her students.

In 2018, the deadly Camp Fire burned down much of the town of Paradise, California — including a school also named Ponderosa Elementary School. Not long after the fire, the principal of Ponderosa Elementary School in Catlettsburg was informed about a nationwide fundraiser through another Ponderosa Elementary School in Oregon.

The fundraiser, deemed “Pennies for Ponderosa Initiative” requested that the eleven schools named Ponderosa Elementary School in the United States collect donations for the rebuilding of the California school.

The children at Jenny’s school stepped up to the challenge. They not only raised money to help students on the other side of the country, but also sent video messages of hope and encouragement as they and their families worked to rebuild their lives.

Whether coming from an impoverished background or not, children at Ponderosa Elementary School showed that they were willing to do anything they could to help others in need — and that is something to be proud of.

***

HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENTUCKY?

 You can sponsor a child in Kentucky by calling our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members, emailing us at sponsorship@children-inc.org, or clicking the link below:

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Shelley Callahan | En 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.

***

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

 

Shelley Callahan | En Español

When our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, was contacted by Deb from Carr Creek Elementary School in Knott County, Kentucky twelve years ago, Renée had no idea how much of an affect that one phone call would have on children in need.

During a recent visit to Carr Creek Elementary School, Renée got a chance to see first-hand just how proud Deb is of the partnership she has created with Children Incorporated.

Deb had heard about the Children Incorporated sponsorship program during a regional Family Resource and Youth Services Center meeting among administrators and staff. After hearing about what sponsors were doing for children living in poverty, Deb knew she needed to get in touch with Renée about the urgent needs of impoverished kids at Carr Creek.

After talking with Deb, Renée agreed to partner with her and Carr Creek Elementary School — making them our first affiliated project in Knott County.

More schools in need

Before Renée knew it, the word about our organization’s support at Carr Creek had reached other Resource Center coordinators in Knott County. They each followed in Deb’s footsteps, calling to request partnering with Children Incorporated. Today, thanks to Deb’s initiative, we support thousands of children in dozens of affiliated schools in Kentucky.

Deb with one of our sponsored children

Not only was Deb the first coordinator to get in touch about our sponsorship program Knott County, but according to Renée, she is also the first coordinator in the state to submit a Hope in Action Fund request that was for more than just one-time aid for a particular emergency.

“Deb submitted a proposal on efforts to enrich the students’ knowledge in social studies because the results of their standardized test scores were very low,” explained Renée.

“She then designed a summer camp program with instructors that taught concepts in a fun and engaging manner. Before the program began, Deb created pre-tests for the students to take. After the program ended, the children took post-tests, and the results were good. The entire faculty of the school then built additional programs on those gains that Deb initiated.”

“Deb was very excited to present me with a quilt that sponsored students had made in her after-school program. She said it’s a small appreciation of how much our programs mean to her and the families we serve,” expressed Renée.

“We were delighted to see the success of Deb’s program. Since then we have supported many similar programs in the United States through our Hope in Action Fund. These programs are geared towards long-term projects that support children over time as opposed to just for the short-term,” said Renée.

A gift to say thank you

During a recent visit to Carr Creek Elementary School, Renée got a chance to see first-hand just how proud Deb is of the partnership she has created with Children Incorporated.

“Deb was very excited to present me with a quilt that sponsored students had made in her after-school program. She said it’s a small appreciation of how much our programs mean to her and the families we serve,” expressed Renée.

After receiving the quilt, Deb introduced Renée to a few of our sponsored kids as well as their parents.

Meeting special sponsored kids

Deb works hard to make sure sponsored and unsponsored children have school supplies all year long.

Deb invited Benjamin* to the Resource Center first. Benjamin lives with his unemployed parents and two older brothers. He loves football and roots for the local high school team. Deb told Renée that Benjamin is very appreciative of his sponsor’s help to make sure he has proper clothing and shoes.

Next, Renée met Olivia and her mother, Amanda. Olivia is a sweet little girl who lives with her mom, dad and little brother. Her father works as a heating technician, but his pay is meager. Olivia’s mom helps when she can by cleaning houses and catering for weddings. Her parents’ combined earnings are still so low that Olivia qualifies for free meals at school. Olivia told Renée that she loves writing letters to her sponsor. Amanda said that Children Incorporated is a blessing for her child, and that she’s so grateful for the program.

After Amanda and Olivia left, Deb explained to Renée that Olivia’s parents are responsible and very loving, and that Amanda regularly volunteers at the Family Resource Center so she can give back in thanks for everything that Olivia receives from her sponsor.

Grandparents stepping up to help

Lastly, Deb introduced Renée to a family of children — Rebecca, Natalie, Laura and Joanna — who are being raised by their retired grandparents. Deb explained to Renée that starting over and raising young children is not what most grandparents envisioned. Many are overwhelmed financially and emotionally.

Despite their situation, Deb is proud that these girls’ grandparents have stepped up and feels they are doing a good job. Sponsorship is really helping their family, and the girls all love having special friends in their sponsors that provide for them when their grandparents can’t.

*Names changed to protect the children.

***

HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENTUCKY?

You can sponsor a child in Kentucky 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 |

Participating in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been increasingly important for corporations in the last few years. Realizing the value of managing their business in ways that take into consideration how they can have an overall positive effect on society not only helps the community at large but also boosts employee morale.

For those corporations that choose to embrace CSR, such as our partner Vonage, donating to organizations such as Children Incorporated is considered a part of their overall focus on creating a culture of giving for the entire company.

Vonage, a cloud communications provider, states on its website:

iPads and tablets were purchased for children in Arizona with funds donated by Vonage

“At Vonage, we’re committed to Doing the Right Thing — it’s one of our core values. The importance of being a good corporate citizen, and empowering our employees to be charitable and giving in their own lives, is a big part of the culture here. With a focus on charities and organizations that improve the lives of children and families in need, we love the feeling we get when our efforts make a difference.”

Offering support in the U.S. and abroad

After Vonage contacted our President and CEO, Ron Carter, about a potential partnership, Ron visited Vonage Headquarters in Holmdel, New Jersey, to discuss how they could support the work of Children Incorporated.

“First, I met with five members of the Vonage Foundation Board of Directors, all of whom were extremely interested in the work of Children Incorporated. Because Vonage works both within the United States and abroad, it was determined that they would support our U.S. Programs as well as international projects in South Korea, where Vonage has offices,” said Ron.

“The importance of being a good corporate citizen, and empowering our employees to be charitable and giving in their own lives, is a big part of the culture here.”

Once they agreed on which projects to support, Vonage quickly sent a check for nearly $49,000 in initial support to help children in need around the world. Thanks to Vonage, in 2018 and 2019, Children Incorporated was able to:

–    Sponsor 25 children in the United States for three years
–    Sponsor 20 children in Korea for three years
–    Purchase iPads and tablets and install security lights for St. Michael’s School for Special Education in Arizona

We are incredibly grateful to the Vonage Foundation and all Vonage employees for their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and their dedication to helping children living in poverty receive educational support.

Thank you, Vonage Foundation!

Shelley Callahan | En Español

As the largest elementary school in Knott County, Kentucky, Hindman Elementary School serves 609 students in grades kindergarten through eight.

Not only does the school have high enrollment, but it also prides itself on having test scores that are above the state average. According to our volunteer coordinator at the school, Shana, Hindman Elementary has a higher ratio of children who come from middle-class households compared to the rest of Knott County. Shana believes that these two factors are in direct correlation with one another.

Shana doesn’t let any obstacle stand in her way when it comes to making sure that vulnerable, underprivileged students at her school — including those enrolled in the Children Incorporated program — get the help they need.

Parents who are raising their children in middle-class households have completed high school or college and now work as teachers, nurses, county administrators or medical professionals in higher-paying jobs than their peers who weren’t able to get their high school diplomas or higher education degrees. And thanks to higher pay than minimum wage jobs offer, they can provide their children with the adequate resources they need to succeed in school — as Shana has seen firsthand at Hindman.

A school with kids in need

Unfortunately, even with higher percentages of students coming from middle-class backgrounds than other schools in Knott County, Shana says that many kids at Hindman are living in poverty. Nearly 75% of children attending Hindman receive free or reduced lunch through the National School Lunch Program.

Yet despite the challenges of serving underprivileged students with limited resources, Shana doesn’t let any obstacle stand in her way when it comes to making sure that vulnerable students at her school — including those enrolled in the Children Incorporated program — get the help they need.

Meeting Jean

Thanks to Shana, children enrolled in our program at Hindman Elementary School are well cared for all year long.

On a recent visit to Knott County, Kentucky, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, had the chance to see just how much Shana was willing to do for our sponsored and unsponsored kids.

“Shana is a dynamic coordinator who always goes above and beyond for her kids. Before our meeting at the school, she had arranged a visit to the home of a nice woman named Jean and her husband, John,” said Renée.

“Jean and John are the legal guardians of John’s six grandchildren, who are all currently sponsored through our program. When we arrived, Jean gave me a warm welcome into their trailer. She said they are retired, and starting all over again with his grandchildren was a big adjustment.”

Renée continued, “But the kids are so sweet. Jean is a tiny little woman with a ton of energy. She spoke of the grandchildren lovingly, telling funny stories about them — their pictures are displayed in places of pride on the television stand and the living room wall.”

“It was amazing to see firsthand how Shana’s efforts to make sure the children all had sponsors were making a huge difference for this family,” said Renée.

Visting Hindman

After their trip to Jean’s house, Shana and Renée had a chance to talk more about how Children Incorporated and the Family Resource Center at Hindman are helping children and families in Knott County.

It made Renée happy to know that children at this large elementary school have a caring person like Shana who is willing to go the extra mile every day to make sure they each have their individual needs met.

Shana told Renée that the things she struggles with most are providing basic needs assistance to children and accessing adequate healthcare for them. Thankfully, because of our donors and sponsors, many children at Hindman are getting shoes, clothes and school supplies regularly.

When it comes to healthcare, Shana brings the University of Kentucky Dental Van to the school and works with the Lions Club to obtain eyeglasses.

A wonderful time with Shana

Overall, Renée was very pleased with her visit to Hindman and the time she got to spend with Shana.

It pleased Renée — and comforted her — to know that children at this large elementary school have a caring person like Shana who is willing to go the extra mile every day to make sure they each have their individual needs met.

***

HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENTUCKY?

You can sponsor a child in Kentucky 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