Tag Archives: sponsor children

Renee Kube | June 3, 2024

Our Higher Education Fund helps young people pursue their dreams of completing certificate programs or obtaining a degree from a university or college. Many of our Higher Education Fund beneficiaries have returned to their communities in positions as teachers, nurses, social workers, accountants, architects, counselors and speech therapists.

Today I want to share with you three special stories about students in our sponsorship program who are graduating — two of which are benefiting from our Higher Education Fund thanks to our amazing sponsors and donors.

Monica’s story

Monica* is graduating from 12th grade at our affiliated site Shonto Preparatory School in Arizona. She was enrolled on our sponsorship program in 2012 as a first grader. For her entire “school career,” Monica has had the same sponsor.

Monica is shown proudly holding her diploma.

Monica has had good attendance and good grades. She has participated in extracurricular activities over the course of her school years ranging from 4-H, hike club, bike club, dance club, study club (co-founder), volleyball (player and manager 2022), sophomore class council secretary, junior class council secretary and senior class council secretary.

When asked about nominating a strong candidate as a recipient of our Higher Education Fund, our volunteer coordinator at Shonto Preparatory School Orleta recommended Monica right away. The girl’s Higher Education Program application arrived on time and in good order. Monica wrote that her father ingrained the value of education in her soul. Monica shared she has many academic interests, but her favorite is archaeology. Digging through the dirt to discover the past brings her a sense of calm pleasure. She discovered that passion as a young girl, and she is determined to pursue it as her profession. Monica wrote that she is coming from a single-parent, low-income household that she is a minority Native woman, and she needs and values this opportunity. Monica has been accepted at the University of Arizona.

Orleta wrote a stellar letter of recommendation, stating the girl demonstrates outstanding academic and leadership skills. Orleta also shared that Monica has taken a couple of college courses online while juggling her regular high school class load and her extracurriculars. Monica has always had a strong interest in learning. She would always stay after school for extra tutorials. Orleta calls Monica “trustworthy, hardworking, devoted and good humored.”

Many of our Higher Education Fund beneficiaries have returned to their communities in positions as teachers, nurses, social workers, accountants, architects, counselors and speech therapists.

I am so happy to welcome Monica to our Higher Education Program as she graduates from Shonto Preparatory School!

Tracy’s Future Path

Tracy is graduating from 12th grade at our affiliated site Shelby Valley High School in Kentucky. She was enrolled on our sponsorship program in 2009 at Valley Elementary School. For her entire “school career,” Tracy has had the same sponsor.

In high school, Tracy chose to focus on her future career goals rather than clubs or sports. Tracy took classes to become a Medication Nursing Assistant (MNA). While a senior, she took more nursing classes, including college credit classes.

When asked about nominating a strong candidate, our volunteer coordinator Rachel recommended Tracy right away. Rachel shared that neither of Tracy’s parents was capable of caring for her. Tracy was raised by and still lives with her grandmother, alongside 10 other siblings and cousins. It is a tremendous struggle for the grandmother to have 11 children under her roof, but she has persevered and has instilled good character and values into the children.

Tracy is pictured in her graduation cap and gown.

One week before the state CNA exam, Tracy’s father died in a very tragic way. Despite her grief, Tracy made herself go to the examination — and to her happiness and her grandmother’s pride, Tracy passed. She graduated with her high school diploma and as a certified nursing assistant.

Tracy has been accepted at Big Sandy Career & Technical College. She plans to obtain an associate degree in nursing and to pass the national exam, which will allow her to become a registered nurse (RN).

Melissa’s Success

For this school year, Melissa took not only her 11th grade classes, but all of her required 12th grade classes, too. She graduated last week from Breathitt County High School in Kentucky.

Melissa completed both junior and senior years at same time while maintaining a 3.5 average and working each school day as a bus monitor. She was also a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps [JROTC] at the high school.

She has been accepted into Morehead State University and its ROTC program. Melissa plans to enlist in the Army after her graduation from MSU. Her future career plans are to be either an Army nurse or a military prosthetist (a health care provider who makes and fits prosthetic limbs for current and/or former service members).

Congratulations to Melissa on graduating!

*Students’ names have been changed for their privacy.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

You can sponsor a child 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

Children Incorporated | June 2, 2024

Dear Children Incorporated,

This is a huge thank you to all of our donors and you all at Children Incorporated. Here at Huguenot High School we have so many students in need. This year you all have provided support for our sponsored children and all Huguenot students through Hope In Action by providing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) kits midyear. We have many students dealing with anxiety and social issues on a regular basis and because of our SEL kits purchased with your donations many of them have been able to pick up items that help them get through the day and focus.

Our children are able to feel special and feel loved by people they don’t ever know or get to meet and that is something amazing.

We have also observed many individual students helped by the generous donations of Children Incorporated. For example, we have a student who lives with her uncle because her father has passed and her mom is incarcerated. She often needs to buy undergarments and clothing for herself because he just doesn’t know what to get her. So she is comfortable coming into our office and asking me for help to get whatever she needs especially when she needs advice on what to get.

Another student we have at the works and goes to school and doesn’t have a lot of money to spend on herself. She has to help pay rent where she lives and often wears the same clothes over and over again. Due to your donations I was able to get her necessary hair products, clothes and even a few extra gifts for herself that she would never get if it wasn’t for you all.

There is no way any of the students would be able to help support themselves without the funds of Children Incorporated. Our children are able to feel special and feel loved by people they don’t ever know or get to meet and that is something amazing. You all help build self-confidence and self-worth, and help children see the world from a different perspective and create graduates where there may not have been one. Thank you and your donors for their continued support. You are changing the world one gift at a time!

With gratitude and appreciation,

Casey

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | June 1, 2024

First of all, I want to say thank you to the sponsors and this wonderful organization for bringing hope and life into our students and families who utilize the Children Incorporated sponsorship program.

We have been able to use the funds in so many ways to enhance their home lives, education, health and overall wellness this year. Because of your program, we have witnessed children who have been bullied and made fun of for their appearance thrive and feel “normal.” We know that clothing and hygiene does not make our students any less of a person, but to them, they think it does. Thank you for giving to our students and helping them to feel “normal” like their peers.

Thank you for giving to our students and helping them to feel “normal” like their peers.

For back to school, we were able to help with back-to-school supplies, shoes, and clothing so that students will have the feeling of a fresh start like their classmates. As far as holidays and birthdays go, we were able to give food vouchers to an area grocery store for the families to be able to have a family dinner, Christmas gifts and birthday gifts along with items to make a cake together as a family for some of them. This was made possible with extra funds given that were designated for these items.

When the seasons changed, we were able to gift the sponsored children with new clothing and shoes for the spring and summer months. This year we had a couple of children who wanted to be able to purchase books from our school’s bookfair and were not able to due to the lack of funds from their family. The family reached out to us, and we were able to purchase these items for them to read at school and at home just like their classmates. We also had a child who wanted to be able to participate in a sport and did not have the funds to pay the registration fee and uniform. Thanks to the wonderful sponsors, we were able to cover this for the child.

Again, we are so thankful and look forward to the excitement of helping more children this year through your program.

Sincerely,
Julie

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | May 22, 2024

According to the Kentucky State School Report Card an overwhelming 73.2% of Magoffin County Schools students are economically disadvantaged. Being at a disadvantage grossly impacts every single factor for a student’s success. Children’s Incorporated is such a wonderful program that truly helps eliminate some of these challenges for students and families.

Changing children’s lives

As I begin writing this, I think that I wish I had some profound sentiment or big life changing story. Then, I realize that with the support of Children Incorporated, everything we do is truly changing lives.

I realize that with the support of Children Incorporated, everything we do is truly changing lives.

I love any testimony of how something has positively impacted any child. One of my absolute favorites from this year was as I was getting to know a student, we discuss their basic needs. Do you have enough food, what clothes are you lacking, what school supplies do you need to be successful in school? Then we always dive into what’s your favorite things. She and I instantly bonded over our love of baking shows and cake decorating competitions. She confided in me that she had always wanted to bake and decorate her own cake. Now that may not seem life changing; baking a cake. But for a student who has never got to explore that side of their potential, it very well may have changed her life. I hope to one day step inside her bakery and know that this one opportunity started back in grade school by people who cared.

Helping kids feeling included

As part of being a resource coordinator, we discuss hygiene like we talk about what we had for breakfast. But breaking through to sixth grade boys who have never been shown the importance of hygiene is a whole new success I would have never dreamed I would be celebrating.

Thanks to Children Incorporated, a steady, reliable supply of some student’s favorite body care set has done just that by making them feel included and accepted for the first time. Someone who has never struggled to access basic supplies like soap and deodorant would not understand the impact this may have. These boys know that they can always find their body wash, deodorant and body spray available here as needed and will never again be faced with feeling excluded because their bodies are changing or because they might smell different or bad.

Thanks to sponsors and a combined effort with our Family Resource Center, every Children Incorporated student at our school receives a birthday present on their birthday. This personalized recognition for each child has been my favorite ongoing activity. The anticipation, excitement and appreciation from each student truly makes my day — on their birthday!

Building a relationship with these students and the students learning and accepting that they have someone they can trust and depend on is truly heartwarming. So many of our students have been failed with inconsistency and broken promises. That alone is truly one of the largest barriers we are breaking down, together!

Sincerely,
Kelly

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | May 20, 2024En Español

As our Director of International Programs Luis Bourdet continues his travels in India visiting our affiliated sites in the country, he tells us about the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel, in which children in our program are in need of beds and linens for a comfortable night’s rest.

“Thankfully, the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel is able to provide boarding, nutrition, and a quality education for area girls who come from families living in poverty.”

About the Lou Ann Long GIRLS’ HOSTEL

“The small town of Yadgiri, where the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel is located, is in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Drought is a constant threat in this agricultural community, and employment opportunities are severely limited. Field laborers earn an average of only forty cents a day and struggle to provide even the most basic necessities for their children,” said Luis.

“Moreover, with shorter life expectancies, much lower literacy rates, and a markedly inferior social and economic status than males, young women in India begin life at a disadvantage. Thankfully, the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel is able to provide boarding, nutrition, and a quality education for area girls who come from families living in poverty. At the home, deserving young women receive the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances they face.”

“The home is administered by the Methodist Church of India, and like the Chandrakal Boarding Home, it receives our support through the main office of the Methodist Church, as well as from Children Incorporated,” said Luis.

“Children at this home stay here during the educational year, and some stay during school breaks as well. Most of the children will be going home during school breaks (India follows a similar school year to the U.S.). Children Incorporated support is utilized to cover the cost of staying in the home, including the provision of food, educational supplies, clothing and shoes, as well as food support for the families when large additional gifts are sent closer to their breaks.”

Seeing the home for himself

“Currently, the girls at Lou Ann Long are staying at a dorm built with the support of Children Incorporated. However, the administrators are using the former dorm for the girls for playing and other recreational activities. The children attend a local school, located not far from this facility, also run by the Methodist Church. They are all enrolled in that school, with the exception of a couple of girls that are attending university thanks to sponsorship support through our Higher Education Fund,” said Luis.

“During my visit, I noticed that the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel does not have beds for the children, as it is customary for them to sleep on small mats on the floor. I have mentioned that we could provide beds, so we are working on this support. Lou Ann Long also needs some improvements to the facilities. They mentioned that the building would be better with a touch of paint and perhaps sealing the roofs to avoid leaking. Because of the lack of funding, prevention is not the primary focus for these centers, as they live month-to-month. I will follow up to see what Children Incorporated could do to support these needs as well.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | May 12, 2024En Español

It has been almost six years since our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, has had the opportunity to return to our affiliated sites in India to meet with our volunteer coordinators and sponsored children there. Thankfully, this past October, he was able to make the trip along with our International Programs Specialist, Yefiny Mena, who was seeing India for the first time. They started their journey by visiting the Chandrakal Boarding Home, a long-time affiliated site with Children Incorporated, where sponsored children’s educational needs are met while they are also offered a safe place to live during the school year.

“Knowing that contributing to their child’s education gives the parents a great sense of pride. The home accepts whatever the parents can afford and sponsorship helps to cover the rest, along with other basic needs.”

Luis’ Visit

“In the fall of 2023, Yefiny and I met with all of our affiliations in India and Sri Lanka to evaluate their programs,” said Luis.

“The purpose of the evaluations was to first reaffirm regulations and funding utilization; second, become familiar with the personnel administering each affiliated site in India and in Sri Lanka; and third, visit the families with children enrolled and see first-hand the environment in which the children live. We also wanted to review norms and verify enrollment of listed children, and determine active participation with our program to evaluate benefits.”

“Another important objective was to discuss the plans and potential future development of each center, which included an assessment of any needs and future projections to enhance support for the children and the communities. Whenever possible, we wanted to visit a family or two with children in our sponsorship program, so that we could determine their needs and possibly augment our support,” said Luis.

the Chandrakal Boarding Home

“Founded in 1950 by American missionary Lillian Woodbridge, the home has provided education for thousands of impoverished children, many of whom have since made valuable contributions to their towns and villages in the fields of education, medicine and commerce. Due to the severe poverty in this area, most of the children’s parents are unable to pay tuition each month. Knowing that contributing to their child’s education gives the parents a great sense of pride. The home accepts whatever the parents can afford and sponsorship helps to cover the rest, along with other basic needs. In this way, the children receive an education that affords them the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult circumstances that they face.”

“The children express happiness at being accepted at the homes, where they are willingly preparing for education in local government schools.”

“The evaluation of the Chandrakal Boarding Home indicated that the children are present and receiving support from Children Incorporated. All support has to be utilized to sustain the home and provide the children with the educational support needed for them to attend school and complete their education. We learned that our volunteer coordinator Laveena is new, but familiar with the program, as she is the sister of our former coordinator, Omega, and is now in charge.”

“Laveena has worked hard to complete many improvements to the Chandrakal Boarding Home, including upgrading the dorms, implementing electricity alternatives, and completing a new high school building. Children Incorporated also provided funding to purchase cots for the girls, help in implementing a computer lab, and help with many other improvements, along with the steady sponsorship program. Laveena indicated that she is still learning and adjusting to post-pandemic times, but she is doing fine. The children express happiness at being accepted at the homes, where they are willingly preparing for education in local government schools.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD