Tag Archives: poverty

Shelley Callahan | March 13, 2022En Español

Sometimes it seems that what we provide for our sponsored children around the world is so simple that it couldn’t possibly make a huge difference in their lives — but in reality, the simple things do often make a lasting change.

In reality, the simple things do often make a lasting change.

Our volunteer coordinator at the Armenian Evangelical Secondary School in Anjar, Lebanon wrote us a letter of appreciation after we recently provided vulnerable children in our program with school supplies that he insists are allowing them to continue to pursue their dreams of getting an education:

A note from Reverend Hagop

“We appreciate your generous donation that was used to purchase stationary, paper, books, pens, pencils, and rulers for the children who are in the Children Incorporated program.

The stationary items were purchased, and the students received them with great joy and appreciation. The children were in great need of them, since their parents were unable to afford buying them due to the economic depression and degeneration of the Lebanese currency against the foreign currencies. But now, due to your generous contribution, the children are able to follow their education with greater ease and joy.

Thanks to their sponsors, children in Lebanon have brand new school supplies.

Our school administration along with the school parents and teachers appreciate the thoughtfulness and consideration of our sponsors and the great work achieved by the Children Incorporated program.

We hope and pray that your program continues its blessed work in aiding children in need around the world.”

About Lebanon

Renowned for its towering cedar trees, Lebanon boasts fertile valleys, snow-capped, ore-rich mountains, and – in a region where water is scarce – sixteen rivers that flow into the glistening Mediterranean Sea along Lebanon’s western coast. This small Middle Eastern country has an incredibly rich culture, evincing the influence of Greek, Roman, Arab, Ottoman Turk, and French culture. However, Lebanon’s wealth of diversity has also contributed to its turbulent history. Lebanon continues to suffer repercussions of a history riddled with wars – both civil and international. Poverty, unemployment, and the ever-present threat of war are tragic realities here.

About our affiliated site

Recognized as a World Heritage Site, Anjar is located near the Syrian border in the fertile Beqaa Valley, where much of the nation’s vegetables, grains, and wine grapes are produced. In the 1930’s, an influx of Armenians (a minority ethnic group in Lebanon) fleeing Turkey settled here.

“We hope and pray that your program continues its blessed work in aiding children in need around the world.”

To this day, Armenian agricultural laborers who earn very little comprise an extensive portion of Anjar’s population. For this reason, the Armenian Secondary School serves as a beacon of hope. Serving both boys and girls of this impoverished and marginalized population, the school contains an attached boarding home for students whose parents cannot afford to send them to school. In conjunction with Children Incorporated sponsorship, the Armenian Secondary School provides these deserving children with the opportunity, through a well-rounded education, to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances that they face.

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How do I sponsor a child in Lebanon?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | February 27, 2022En Español

One of the ways we work to help children in our program is by supporting the needs of the affiliated sites where they are receiving care. This is especially important at our sites, like the J. Calvitt Clarke Home in India, where children not only attend school at the home but live during the week and require additional resources — including nutritious meals.

A loving gift

Today, we hear from our volunteer coordinator, Benarji, who wrote a letter to donors thanking them for a gift which allowed them to purchase much-needed kitchen and dining room equipment.

“These were essential items for the home and the children to not only provide daily meals, but to safely cook and avoid smoke inhalation.”

“Greetings to you! First of all, I thank you for your loving concern towards our Home. The funds were used to purchase two dining room tables and four wooden benches, as well as a water geyser with a 15-liter capacity, an inverter, a gas stove and a new gas connection. These were essential items for the home and the children to not only provide daily meals, but to safely cook and avoid smoke inhalation. The equipment also allows us to have hot water so the children can bathe comfortably in the rainy and winter seasons!

I am closing my letter with a heartfelt thanks from our children and ask for your continued thoughts during the pandemic.”

About the J. Calvitt Clarke Home

Named in honor of the father of Children Incorporated-founder Jeanne Clarke Wood, the J. Calvitt Clarke Home serves impoverished children in this region by providing for their basic, immediate needs while also investing in their futures by way of a well-rounded education – the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Located in the town of Dornakal, about 100 miles east of Hyderabad in the southeastern Indian state of Telangana, the J. Calvitt Clarke Home serves as a beacon of hope as poverty in the region is extensive, especially in years when droughts destroy the rice harvest and families working in agriculture are not able to support their children.

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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 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 India that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | February 24, 2022En Español

It is always exciting to hear from our volunteer coordinators that they are able to expand our sponsorship program within their regions because it means that more children in need will benefit from having a loving sponsor. This year, thanks to the efforts of our coordinators in the Philippines, we have added not only one new affiliated site but two — which will help hundreds of children in need.

This year, thanks to the efforts of our coordinators in the Philippines, we have added not only one new project but two — which will help hundreds of children in need.

Of course, we couldn’t do our important work in the Philippines without the support of our amazing sponsors who are now able to sponsor children in two new locations in the Philippines — the Santo Nino Center and the Cangumbang Center, which help change the lives of some of the most impoverished children and their families in the Philippines.

About the Philippines

The Philippines comprise a vast island nation in Southeast Asia. This archipelago of more than 7,000 islands boasts sandy beaches, towering mountains and volcanoes, tropical rainforests and an incredible wealth of natural resources and biodiversity. Humans have called these islands home for thousands of years, predating historic records. Today, the Philippines incorporate a staggering number of languages, ethnic groups, religions and cultures. Despite its status as an emerging market, however, nearly half of all Filipinos still earn less than $2 a day. Adequate sanitation, access to healthcare and access to potable water are still daily challenges in this widely underdeveloped country, which is also prone to typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic activity.

About the Santo Nino Center

Families from from Tacloban, where the Santo Nino Center is located, earn meager incomes, and often only one parent is working in the informal sector. Most inhabit concrete dwellings, but many others live in shacks fashioned from nipa palm shingles, bamboo and castoff boards. Children living in these impoverished conditions tend to suffer from neglect, abuse, or displacement. Amid this devastating poverty and its socioeconomic effects, the Santo Nino Center serves as a beacon of hope.

The Center is dedicated to facilitating community development, providing healthcare and promoting education. Especially in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan — one of the worst storms to hit the area in a hundred years — in November 2013, Children Incorporated plays a vital role in this mission. Together, we can help provide these deserving children with the opportunity to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances from which they come.

About the Cangumbang Center

The Cangumbang Center, located on the southern side of the province, is categorized as an agricultural area, and is almost thirty minutes away from the city, which can be reached by jeepney and habalhabal (a single motor vehicle). Most families here are farm tenants and belong to poor families. The area is known to be flood prone, and during rainy or typhoon season, knee-high deep floods are common. Most families struggle while waiting for harvest or planting season. The children we support in this center come from families with meager income, most often with just one parent who works in the informal sector. Due to a lack of education, many parents end up in low-paying jobs. Some children at the Center are also neglected, abandoned, abused or displaced. Thankfully, with the support of Children Incorporated sponsors, we can help provide these deserving children with the opportunity to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances from which they come.

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How do I sponsor a child in the Philippines?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | January 24, 2022En Español

One reason Children Incorporated is so special is because of our ability to help children around the world with their particular needs – largely due to the closeness that our volunteer coordinators have with children in our program.

One reason Children Incorporated is so special is because of our ability to help children around the world with their particular needs.

Last year, we received sponsorship enrollment information for a little boy named Ricardo at the Laboure School in El Salvador. In the comment section of his forms, our volunteer coordinator at the school indicated that Ricardo is deaf in his left ear, is partially deaf in his right ear, and that he needed hearing aids.

Our international programs department contacted our volunteer coordinator at Ricardo’s school immediately upon finding out about Ricardo’s situation to see if Children Incorporated could help. Soon after, we sent Hope In Action Funds to get Ricardo the hearing aids he needed — and shortly after that, Ricardo was matched with sponsor!

About El Salvador

Ricardo is pictured with his new hearing aids.

Abundant in rivers, lakes, and fertile, tropical farmland, El Salvador’s wealth of natural beauty traverses a vast central plateau bordered by Pacific coastal plains to the south and rugged mountains to the north. For centuries, several Mesoamerican nations called this land home, including the Lenca, Olmec, Maya, and Pipil/Cutcatlec. However, this smallest and most densely populated Central American nation is particularly susceptible to natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and it has been plagued by chronic political and economic instability for more than a century. High unemployment rates, rising inflation, organized crime, and a soaring birthrate leave many Salvadorans to live in abject poverty. The nation’s capital, San Salvador, is no exception to these maladies.

About the Laboure School

The Laboure School serves as a beacon of hope to this impoverished community. Although originally founded in 1934 as an orphanage for girls, today it operates solely as a school, providing a well-rounded education and moral support to both boys and girls of the city of San Salvador. The school offers children here an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances from which they come.

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How do I sponsor a child in El Salvador?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | January 4, 2022En Español

When the COVID-19 pandemic initially hit in early 2020, I admit that I was greatly concerned about the negative impact it might have on our ability to raise the funds so badly needed to provide services to the thousands upon thousands of children and families that rely on us for help. I was fearful that our donors might be overwhelmed by their individual burdens and concerns and find themselves unable to continue to support our work.

Thank you, all, for your continued support of Children Incorporated’s work. Together, we can change and improve our world, one child at a time.

But…I was wrong. Very wrong! Our donors, contributors, and sponsors not only continued to fund our relief efforts; they upped their contributions and shared even more generously than before. They recognized that those who were already struggling prior to the pandemic were among the most vulnerable during it, and they – our loyal supporters – came through like never before.

Humbled by generosity

Our sponsored children had an especially wonderful Christmas, thanks to their sponsors!

I have been especially humbled by the generosity shown to Children Incorporated during the last two trying years. While the pandemic has certainly shown us the dark side of humanity at times, it has mostly revealed to us how kind and caring people truly are. My faith in humankind has been restored as I have witnessed compassion in action in so many wondrous ways. As donations came into our office in support of our COVID-19 Relief Fund, and we were able to provide masks, medication, hand sanitizers, and food, I saw the goodness of human hearts on full display. As the funds that we received allowed us to purchase laptop computers and personal tablets so that children could continue their studies remotely during school shutdowns, I witnessed hope for the future. As sponsors inquired about the individual children they sponsor and sent specialized gifts for them, I witnessed love, even across the miles and among relative strangers.

Remaining hopeful in the New Year

As I write these words, the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. The Omicron variant has now made its ugly presence known, and our society – once so hopeful that an end was in sight – is experiencing déjà vu and moments of concern, confusion, and conflict. I feel those things as well, but I remain hopeful, optimistic, and filled with a sense of expectation and wonder, for I have seen what we can do together. I know that good still exists among us, and with love and kindness, we will not only survive, but thrive.

Thank you, all, for your continued support of Children Incorporated’s work. Together, we can change and improve our world, one child at a time.

Ronald H. Carter
President and Chief Executive Officer

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD with Children incorporated?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | December 27, 2021En Español

Today, we want to share a letter of hope and inspiration from one of our many incredible volunteer coordinators from around the world. If there was ever any doubt of the power of sponsorship, Teresa, at Floyd Central High School in Kentucky, confirms with a sweet letter just how much sponsors mean to children in our program:

If there was ever any doubt of the power of sponsorship, Teresa, at Floyd Central High School in Kentucky, confirms with a sweet letter just how much sponsors mean to children in our program.

“Dear Children Incorporated Staff and Sponsors,

First of all, I want to say thank you for everything that your organization does for our students. Your sponsorship program has been such a blessing. I am not a big fan of shopping; however, I love seeing the students’ faces when they are given new clothes and shoes. They especially enjoy receiving items for their birthdays and Christmas. Because of their sponsors’ generosity, all of my Children Incorporated-enrolled kids receive new clothing and shoes at back-to-school, Christmas, and springtime. In addition, each receives a Thanksgiving and Christmas food basket.

Our school was also fortunate to receive two grants from your Hope In Action Fund. I collaborated with the other schools in our county, as well as local partners, such as our Health Department and Extension Office, for these initiatives. The first was a New/Expectant Parents Fair. Each participant received a bag filled with important information, as well as a new book for the baby, diapers, wipes, and more.

Teresa sent photos of packed supplies waiting to go out to students, thanks to a donation from our Hope In Action Fund.

To encourage participation, there were also door prizes, such as baby monitors, car seats, play yards, and developmental toys. These babies will be our kindergarteners in just a few short years. The second initiative was a Family Fun Night. Our schools’ coordinators shopped for and provided good old fashioned board games (like Hi Ho Cherry-O, Jenga, Monopoly, UNO, etc.), pizza kits, and snacks to promote family bonding and less screen time. Both initiatives were handled via socially distanced “Drive Thru & Pick Ups” during the pandemic.

Finally, I would like to show how the sponsors are making such a huge difference in the lives of our students by sharing a story. I have one young man about whom I was approached by two of his teachers. They had concerns in regards to his appearance and hygiene. They said something had been off with him since we returned to school.

“Our principal spoke of this young man and what an amazing difference she has seen in just a short amount of time. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of his sponsor.”

I met with this young man, and of course he said everything was fine. He kept his head down for most of our meeting. I noticed this young man had severe acne, and I was sure this was a part of his low self-esteem. I tried to make contact with his mom via phone and then again on a home visit, but with no luck. This student missed an excessive amount of school. Then I noticed the student seemed to be making a connection with our new JROTC officer, so the officer and I worked together, coming up with a plan to help this young man and to gain his trust.

With the generosity of his sponsor, I was able to purchase him new clothing, shoes, hygiene items – and now acne medicine, too. Slowly, this young man started coming around and being more involved with school and the JROTC program. There has been just an overwhelming positive change in this student’s life. He had never participated in anything and never had many friends. This year he came to and even danced at the Military Ball. At our end of the year staff dinner, our principal spoke of this young man and what an amazing difference she has seen in just a short amount of time. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of his sponsor.

With sincere thanks,

Teresa”

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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