Tag Archives: sponsor children

Children Incorporated | January 13, 2025

Beyond sponsoring a child, several other ways to support our work exist. Two of the most important ways we need your support is by either becoming an ambassador for our organization or hosting a fundraising event. Both of these important volunteer opportunities offer you, as a supporter, a way to get involved in our work with no or limited financial commitment and greatly help children in need around the world.

Become an aMbassador

One way Children Incorporated has grown as an organization over the last 60 years is through our current sponsors and donors, who share information about our sponsorship programs with their families and friends as ambassadors of our work.

If you have any other questions about how you can get involved in our work, please contact us today!

We have an abundance of informational materials that we are happy to share with you as well if you are interested in becoming an ambassador for our organization. As an ambassador, we ask that you be engaged with our activities and campaigns and show a strong commitment to our cause and a willingness to advocate for our work with a broad and active social network.

Please contact us today to request an informational packet or visit our Accountability Page for more information about our organization that you can share with others.

Host a Fundraiser

Additionally, if you would like to host a fundraiser for our organization, that would be much appreciated. If you would like to host a fundraiser for Children Incorporated, please get in touch with us today for information and support. Here are a few fundraising event ideas that can either be in person or online:

Host an auction
Peer-to-peer fundraising through an online platform such as GiveButter
Ask a local restaurant to donate a portion of sales to Children Incorporated
Host a Trivia Night
Host a Golf Tournament
Host a 5K Run
Host a bike ride
Host a film screening
Host a concert
Host a bakesale- And so much more!

If you have any other questions about how you can get involved in our work, please contact us today! We would be happy to discuss the many ways in which you can support our work beyond sponsorship.

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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 in that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | January 12, 2025En Español

Renée Kube, Kristen Walthall, and I arrived in New Orleans on a Tuesday afternoon in early December 2024 with the plan to visit our five affiliated sites over the next two days. In New Orleans, Children Incorporated partners directly with Communities in Schools (CIS) Gulf South to help implement our sponsorship program within the local schools, and their Chief Program Officer, Shayne, graciously offered to pick us up and be our tour guide for the few days we would be visiting.

For families living in poverty, this also meant that they could choose which schools to send their children to and were no longer beholden to the school districts in which they lived.

After getting a restful night’s sleep, we woke early on Wednesday morning, ready to meet Shayne outside our hotel to take us to our first school — the Arthur Ashe Charter School. All of our affiliations in New Orleans are charter schools, and in fact, the city is the only one in the country with an entire charter school system in place. While taking the short drive to the school, I took the opportunity to ask Shayne more about the charter school system and how she understood it as being different than the public school system that many of us were more familiar with.

Understanding the Charter School System

Shayne explained that after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with 90% of public schools destroyed and the city in shambles, it was decided by the State of Louisiana Board of Education that the city of New Orleans would work under the charter school system to address the issue of poor school performance and the lack of trust that many citizens had in how the public schools had been operating before the hurricane.

It was a fresh start for the city’s schools — a way in which to recreate the way the whole city felt about the education system — one in which the schools were autonomous in decision making, yet still publicly funded. For families living in poverty, this also meant that they could choose which schools to send their children to and were no longer restricted to the school districts in which they lived. According to Shayne, when enrolling their children, parents choose their top three schools, and there is an application process for their child to be selected. No matter where the child lives, regardless of how far away, the school provides transportation for that student, which is a huge barrier for parents who already have a difficult time making ends meet.

Getting to Meet with Jamila

When we arrived at the school, located in a quiet Gentilly neighborhood, we met with Maria, the Executive Assistant for Communities In Schools Gulf South, who was waiting outside for us. Maria works closely with Shayne in the CIS Gulf South office and serves as a close liaison between Children Incorporated and the individual volunteer coordinators at each of our affiliated schools in New Orleans. We greeted Maria warmly, and all made our way inside.

Jamila (center) is pictured with Arthur Ashe Charter School staff members Caroline (left) and Kylan (right) during our visit.

Once checked in at the front office and then met Jamila, our volunteer coordinator at the school, who is in charge of enrolling our sponsored children at Arthur Ashe and reporting back to Renee and Kris about how sponsorship funds are really helping kids at her schools. We made our way to Jamila’s office, which is also the resource center for the school and a place where children can also come to receive emotional and physiological support when they are having a tough time at school. Basic needs support is also provided as needed, which is where our amazing sponsors make such a difference.

How Our Sponsors Are Helping

Jamila explained to us that the school has two counselors and a social worker at all times since many of the children in attendance were from impoverished households and faced daily challenges going without their basic needs met. She is incredibly grateful for our sponsors and says that the biggest help to the kids is with winter clothes like long pants and jackets for the students, household items, and hygiene items. See also buys bed sheets and linens for the students as needed, which many of them would go without if it weren’t for Children Incorporated funds.

After talking with Jamila, we had a chance to meet a few of our sponsored children briefly, as we didn’t want to keep them from their classwork for too long, and then we took a tour of the school. We visited a few classrooms, as well as the library and school kitchen, where students had the chance to cook their own food and learn skills that they could use at home and in the classroom.

I was so impressed with how nice the school was — bright, clean and modern — and I couldn’t wait for our other visits coming up later in the day and the next. Now that I was starting to understand the charter school system and had the chance to visit a charter school for the first time, I was excited to hear from our other volunteer coordinators about how our sponsors were helping each of their unique schools in this truly unique city.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | January 1, 2025

Child sponsorship is one of the most effective ways to help a child living in poverty and it also has many rewards for the sponsor. We want to offer a comprehensive guide on why sponsoring a child has such a lasting effect on impoverished children and how you can get involved in changing a child’s life.

Introduction to Child Sponsorship

Child sponsorship involves pairing a supporting donor with a child in need. The donor (who we refer to as the sponsor) donates monthly to support their sponsored children with basic needs such as food, clothing, hygiene items, and educational assistance such as tuition or school supplies.

When a family doesn’t have to worry about a child’s basic needs being met, they can concentrate on working towards improving their situation, which is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Child sponsorship is one of the most effective ways to help end child poverty. For $35 a month, you not only meet the child’s most immediate basic needs but also provide them with an education that will allow them to pursue higher education or obtain employment in the future.

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

https://childrenincorporated.org/introduction-to-child-sponsorship/

Why Sponsor a Child?

Child sponsorship has a direct impact on the children that are supported. Children have an overall improvement in their confidence, resilience, and well-being. also can break the cycle of poverty, creating lasting change for individuals and their communities.

When you choose to sponsor a child, you transform not only their life, but the lives of everyone in their community. That’s because the most effective way to make sure positive changes have a lasting impact is to empower them to make a lasting impact for their families and their communities. Although your donations to your sponsor child go directly to them, and are not shared with their families or the community at large, when you help an individual child succeed, they are then able to help their own families and their own communities. Sponsors help children develop confidence and resilience, which can help them overcome challenges and break the cycle of poverty.

https://childrenincorporated.org/why-sponsor-a-child/

What to Expect as a Sponsor

The sponsorship relationship enables a donor to support a child by means of monthly contributions and, if the donor so desires, through the exchange of correspondence. A sponsor’s friendship and encouragement are 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 help they receive. 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.

https://childrenincorporated.org/what-to-expect-as-a-sponsor/

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Sponsorship

Founded in 1964, Children Incorporated is an international nonprofit organization that assists impoverished children in the U.S. and abroad. Working with already-established schools, orphanages, and childcare centers, we facilitate child sponsorships, manage special projects, and maintain special funds for emergency needs that arise for the children we serve.

Children Incorporated provides resources for children in need in the United States and abroad because we passionately believe that children everywhere deserve education, hope, and opportunity.

Our administrative office is located just outside Richmond, Virginia, in North Chesterfield. We work with 225 affiliated sites in 8 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and 19 foreign countries.

Roughly 10,000 children are enrolled in our sponsorship program each year, and Children Incorporated has assisted more than 300,000 children since our founding in 1964. Moreover, thousands of additional children receive aid each year as a result of contributions from our donors.

Children Incorporated is an independent charity with no religious or political agenda. Our goal is to assist as many impoverished children as possible, and we respect each child’s religious and cultural heritage.

That being said, the affiliated sites with which we partner are existing NGOs, and, in some countries, these include childcare facilities that are managed by religious organizations. For example, we support children who live at the Puente Piedra Girl’s Home, an orphanage in Peru that is run by Catholic nuns.

https://childrenincorporated.org/frequently-asked-questions-about-child-sponsorship/

How to Select a Charity for Child Sponsorship

When choosing a child sponsorship organization to support, certain criteria are important in determining which organization is right for you. We want to provide a quick reference guide to choosing a charity that is reputable so that you can know that your donations are doing the most good to help a child or children in need. Ensure the organization’s mission aligns with your values and goals for giving. Children Incorporated provides life-changing resources to children around the world because we passionately believe that every child deserves education, hope, and opportunity.

Children Incorporated provides life-changing resources to children around the world because we passionately believe that every child deserves education, hope, and opportunity.

Children Incorporated is an independent charity. We have no religious or political agenda. Our goal is to assist as many impoverished children as possible, and we respect each child’s religious and cultural heritage. That being said, the affiliated sites with which we partner are existing NGOs, and, in some countries, these include childcare facilities that are managed by religious organizations. For example, we support children who live at the Puente Piedra Girl’s Home, an orphanage in Peru that is run by Catholic nuns.

Researching Charity Reputation

Look for reviews, ratings, and testimonials, and use resources like Charity Navigator or GuideStar. You can find out charity ratings below:

GUIDESTAR
CHARITY NAVIGATOR

Children Incorporated frequently shares testimonials from our coordinators and sponsors as well, such as:

“There are many fine agencies to choose from, but my personal favorite is Children Incorporated… The experience has brought tremendous joy and satisfaction to my entire family.”

DR. RICHARD CARLSON – THE LATE AUTHOR,
EXCERPT FROM “DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF”

“The personal attention to the children and programs is exceptional and rare, but what is really unique about Children Incorporated is that they know who they are. They have a vision for their best, most productive self – one that retains their uniqueness and effectiveness – and they are acting on realizing that vision. You can trust them. You will know you are truly helping real children in real-time, and you will know how every penny you give is spent. I know this from thirty years of experience with Children Incorporated.”

ROSANNE CASH, GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST

Financial Transparency and Accountability

We believe in full transparency of our financial management, which protects the trust you place in us as stewards of your generosity. Please contact us if you have any questions about these documents or seek any additional information about our accountability or your contributions. Your generous donations to Children Incorporated are tax deductible and offer tax benefits.

https://childrenincorporated.org/how-to-select-a-charity-for-child-sponsorship/

How Sponsorship Works

Our sponsorship program is managed by our staff in our office and our 300 volunteer coordinators at our affiliated sites in 20 countries around the world. Our volunteer coordinators work closely with our sponsored children to ensure their particular needs are met and relay those needs to our sponsors.

Sometimes our sponsors chose a child based on age or location, or they chose a child who has been waiting the longest for a sponsor. The decision is yours. We work in 21 countries with children from ages 5-20 years old who are enrolled in schools worldwide. We would love to work with you to match you with a sponsored child that will give you both a meaningful relationship.

Ideally, a child is sponsored throughout their school years leading up to higher education or when they leave our sponsorship program between 18 and 20 years old. However, due to the transient state of many families and the difficult circumstances of the regions where they reside, we cannot always guarantee how long a child will remain enrolled in the Children Incorporated sponsorship program. However, we make every effort to provide services to children for as long as possible.

Sponsoring a child with Children Incorporated is a very simple process. 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.

https://childrenincorporated.org/how-sponsorship-works/

The Tax Benefits of Sponsorship

DOES MY contribution QUALIFY FOR A TAX DEDUCTION?

Children Incorporated has been a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization since 1964. Contributions, therefore, may be eligible for tax-deductibility status. We strongly recommend that you consult with your tax advisor when making such determinations.

Your generous donations to Children Incorporated are tax deductible and offer tax benefits. Below are some commonly asked questions about tax deductions for contributions made to our organization.

receiving an annual donation statement

At the end of every fiscal year, Children Incorporated issues annual donation statements through mail and e-mail to every donor who has contributed during the calendar year. You will receive your donation statement either in the mail or by email within the month of January of the preceding year in which you made a donation. Subsequently, you will also receive a donation statement each month of the year that you make a contribution to our organization. If you need a donation statement, please contact our office so we can assist you.

what documents are needed

You will receive a written acknowledgment of your annual donation with the following information.The annual donation document will be needed to claim your tax deduction.

name of our organization and contact information
amount of annual contributions
description/purpose of annual contribution/contributions

WHAT TYPE OF CONTRIBUTIONS are accepted?

We accept various different types of donations that all support children in need and/or help us operate our organization to its fullest capacity. Donations to one of our many special funds go to supporting community needs, covering operational expenses for Children Incorporated, and helping families in times of crisis. You can read more about these funds and how they are changing the lives of those in need by visiting our donation portal on our website.

When you make a contribution to your sponsored child, those funds are designated for the child specifically. Additionally, you can make a contribution to that child above the $35 a month for general needs, birthdays, and holidays. Children Incorporated welcomes your generous contributions for the benefit of your sponsored child/children, which will be disbursed with regular monthly subsidies to the child/children’s site. To enable our affiliated site volunteers to have even more purchasing power for the needs of the child, any contributions made in the amount of $5 or below will be accumulated over several months and forwarded twice a year.

Details on eligibility for tax deductions based on location

To find out information about eligibility for tax deductions within your state, please visit the link below:

TAX ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION BY STATE

How Sponsorship Funds Are Managed

Children Incorporated consistently provides more than 85% percent of all donations directly to the child or children you are supporting. Even with administrative and management costs fluctuating year after year, we often donate as much as 88% of all donations to our programs. Your sponsored child directly receives your sponsorship donation every month — our efforts to support families, healthcare, and community initiatives are made through contributions to our Special Funds and Special Projects. Your individual sponsorship donations are not shared among family members or community members. You can rest assured that your donations are going directly to your sponsored childrne for their immediate needs only.

https://childrenincorporated.org/how-sponsorship-funds-are-managed/

Children Incorporated | December 22, 2024

As the holiday season often means sharing what we are grateful for, we would like to share letters of gratitude from our volunteer coordinators as part of our monthly Impact Report. Thank you, our loyal supporters, for everything you have done this holiday season and throughout 2024 to help children in need.

“I can’t tell you what a gift it is to see students and families’ lives transformed, and I cannot thank you enough for the difference they have made.”

Becky’s Letter

My school district is one where almost 70% of students are classified in the category of economically disadvantaged. So, from a resource position, things can feel a little overwhelming. This is where Children Incorporated comes in to alleviate some of the financial burdens for students who are enrolled in the program and help to eliminate the non-academic barriers that these students face.

To say that I am simply grateful for this program does not seem like adequate appreciation for the amazing things Children Incorporated does for those in need. The kindness and generosity of sponsors will forever be remembered by these students and myself.

Sincerely,
Becky
Johnson Central Youth Services Center, Kentucky

Denise’s Thank You

Flat Gap Elementary School is located in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and has seen firsthand how much it means to have the basic needs of elementary students and families met. I am genuinely thankful to Children Incorporated and the sponsors we have for our students. Because of the sponsors, we are able to provide students with basic needs so they can focus on their education, and we are able to form bonds with those families.

I also can’t thank the sponsors and donors enough for giving our students the opportunity through Hope In Action Funds. These funds have helped our school with several family literacy nights, family game nights, reading programs, and other literacy events. I can’t tell you what a gift it is to see students and families’ lives transformed, and I cannot thank you enough for the difference you have made.

Thank you,
Denise
Flat Gap Elementary School, Kentucky

Melania’s Note

On behalf of the Crossroads Elementary School Family Resource Center, I would like to thank you for allowing our students to participate in the Children Incorporated program. The students have benefited tremendously from the sponsorship program, which has allowed me to provide clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and school supplies to sponsored children throughout the school year. Witnessing the smiles on their faces when they receive what I have bought them is such a heartwarming experience. Not only are the enrolled students appreciative, but so are their guardians.

As the Children Incorporated volunteer coordinator, I feel that the program has brought me closer to the families in need. It allows me to talk to them more often and learn about the difficulties they face dealing with the everyday struggles of rising costs of necessities. Participating in the program enables them to open up with me, and through those conversations, I can tell they are forever grateful for the sponsors.

Sincerely,
Melania
Crossroads Elementary School, Kentucky

your impact through hope in action

Sponsorship is one of many ways you help impoverished children every month. Additionally, thanks to contributions to our Hope In Action Fund in the last month, we have been able to:

– Provide funds to purchase warm clothing for students at Oak Grove/Bellemeade Elementary in Virginia
– Provide funds to purchase emergency supplies for a student at Kimper Elementary School in Kentucky whose family had a house fire
– Provide funds to purchase nutritious meals for 30 students at the Dandora Center in Kenya for one month
– Provide funds to purchase daily meals for 100 students at the St. John’s Community Center in Kenya for one month
– Provide funds to purchase nutritious meals for 25 students at Kids’ Hope in Ethiopia for one month
– Provide funding to purchase nutritious meals for 25 students for one month at the Fortune Children’s Center in the Philippines
– Provide funds to help the family of a student at Johns Creek Elementary School after a house fire
– Provide funds to purchase meals for 30 students at Santa Isabel Ana Seton in Guatemala for a month
– Provide funds to provide disaster and emergency relief to the family of a student at Hindman Elementary School in Kentucky after a house fire

…and so much more! Thank you to our supporters for all that you do! We couldn’t do our life-changing work without you.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | December 22, 2024En Español

As Luis Bourdet finishes his visits to our affiliated sites in India, he travels to Bangalore to the Parikrma Home. Here, standard educational practices are combined with Montessori school practices, and the overall success rate of students is incredibly high.

Visiting Parikrma

“I arrived in Bangalore, a city full of trees and gardens, and perhaps the city with the most order when driving that I had been to in India on this trip. Driving is truly chaotic and challenging in India for those who have not traveled there. Most people walk on the streets, and thousands of bikes and mopeds move without any order. Even animals are common on most boulevards and streets within the city limits,” said Luis.

“The school has a very efficient format for learning and a success rate of graduation above 95%, which is much better than the national average of 8-24%.”

“Our affiliated site, the Parikrma Foundation, operates in this city. They have four schools (Kindergarten-12th grade) within slum areas of the town and a Junior College (a school preparing students for skill training programs and professional university careers). The system of education they utilize in those schools is very distinct, unique, and compelling. It combines Montessori and the typical Indian public school system curriculum. The school has a very efficient format for learning and a success rate of graduation above 95%, which is much better than the national average of 8-24%. Most students come from slum areas and, therefore, are migrants from different states, for which the Foundation implemented all English education. This favors their students, as most higher education is done in English.”

Remarkable Schools for Children in Need

“The system was introduced to some public schools in the area after great success with the support of the local government. The children I met were very confident and well-educated. Although they keep some common Indian customs, primarily due to space, of sitting children on the floors during the early years of school, older children have desks.”

“The school has modern equipment in labs, video communication for class interactions, and classes taught for mental, physical, emotional, and psychological development. They also teach the children to support the community through opportunities like cleaning the little lake in the neighborhood, protecting street dogs, supporting issues at slums, and assisting other people in need,” said Luis.

Our sponsorS helping

“These schools are truly remarkable. Children in India do not usually interact with adults, but not at Parikrma. During my visit, children were assigned to take me through the facilities and coordinate presentations. I learned during my time that families could not afford to take the children to school daily, or they may live too far from the school, so they solicit that their child live in the hostel, and our sponsors really help with the children having their basic needs met at the hostel.”

“The sponsor support ensures that children boarding at the hostel have food, hygiene items, school supplies, and sufficient bedding. The children appreciate this opportunity because they live under challenging circumstances with their own family and in a slum area, where housing is under standards and very poor,” said Luis.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | December 15, 2024

Dear Friends,

I turned 66 years old on December 2, 2024, and quite frankly, while I do not feel all that old, I have to admit I have many years behind me. My hope and prayer is that I have accomplished good things in my lifetime and that I have somehow positively impacted the lives of those who have walked life’s journey alongside me.

Help us honor our founder, Jeanne Clarke Wood, and her legacy. We, in exchange, will work diligently to improve as many children’s lives as we possibly can.,

Children Incorporated also has a lot of years behind it; sixty, in fact. The organization was founded in 1964, when I was just six years old, by an incredible woman, Jeanne Clarke Wood, whom I was blessed to meet and know many years later. Following Mrs. Wood’s vision for the past sixty years, Children Incorporated has been changing and improving the lives of children and families all around the world.

For sixty years, Children Incorporated has provided food, clothing, educational assistance, and a host of other resources to those who otherwise would have struggled or gone without. For sixty years, our loyal donors and sponsors have entrusted us with their generous contributions, allowing us to use those funds to provide backpacks filled with food to hungry children on weekends and during breaks from school, buy new shoes and school clothes for youngsters whose parents have been unable to afford them, and to construct housing projects, childcare centers, and dormitories in remote parts of the world.

For sixty years, we have strived to be open, honest, and transparent in how we do business. Our efforts have paid off with exceptional ratings from Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, GuideStar, and other nonprofit monitoring groups. For sixty years, we have honored Mrs. Wood by continuing the good work she started and so valued, and we have, indeed, been offering education, hope, and opportunity to thousands upon thousands of children and their families.

As 2024 comes to a close and Children Incorporated begins its sixty-first year of accomplishing good things and making positive impacts on innumerable children and families, we ask that you consider making a year-end contribution to our 60th Anniversary Fund. Help us honor our founder, Jeanne Clarke Wood, and her legacy. In exchange, we will work diligently to improve as many children’s lives as we can.

From the heart,
Ronald H. Carter

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