Tag Archives: sponsor children

Renee Kube | August 12, 2024En Español

Letcher County is in the southeastern part of Kentucky. It is bordered by four other Kentucky counties and Wise County, Virginia. The county seat, Whitesburg, is located in the middle of the county.

As European explorers and the earliest settlers made their way into Kentucky, the Native American populations of the area (Shawnee in the north and Cherokee in the south) were steadily displaced. Kentucky became a state in 1791, and what became Letcher County was a beautiful but sparsely populated area. Its scattered families made their living by farming. These were very small farms due to the mountainous terrain, which also made road building and maintenance difficult. The main crop was corn, and the primary livestock was pigs.

The flood caused an immediate disaster but also resulted in long-term negative impacts on the children and their families. Thankfully, Children Incorporated has been able to help.

These made a modest “cash crop” possible, as corn was primarily distilled into alcohol and moved by barrel, and hogs were driven through the mountains into a market town. Most of these small homesteads also had a few horses, milk cows, sheep, and chickens. Some men supplemented the farm income by cutting and selling timber. A few men had salt licks on their land – salt was an important resource in settling the Commonwealth – and they were glad to sell it.

Finding Coal in Kentucky

But of course, the extensive resource that changed everything was the discovery of coal and, later, the ability to mine it on a commercial scale. The discovery of coal in Kentucky is credited to Dr. Thomas Walker in 1750, who was the first known person to find and use coal in what would become the Commonwealth of Kentucky. By 1790, coal had begun to be produced commercially, albeit on a rather small scale, in Lee County. Small quantities continued to be mined across the state, but it wasn’t until 1855 that annual production exceeded 100,000 tons.

The start of the Civil War in 1861 interrupted production. However, soon after the end of the Civil War in 1865, agents from eastern corporations poured into Kentucky’s mountain region. They were eager to secure extraction rights, and many farmers signed away their rights for a few cents per acre.

Letcher County had rich veins of coal. Company towns sprang up, and the coal was mined and hauled away, enriching the absentee owners. At first, the existing families and newcomers who came for work were happy with the chance for better incomes and provisions for their families. But many were swindled. Many owners paid the men in scrip, not cash, which could only be exchanged within the company town, where charges were so high for the food, clothing, and work equipment that some residents were perpetually in debt. [The song “Sixteen Tons” by Merle Travis was about the scrip system and contained the famous line “I owe my soul to the company store.”]

Changes for Letcher County

For years, many families made a good life by working in coal mines. But gradually, the coal industry went into a decline. This was primarily due to mechanization – as mines grew their machine capacity, they didn’t need as much workforce. The thick, easily accessible coal seams in eastern Kentucky have mostly been mined. What remains is harder and more expensive to mine. Meanwhile, there is more competition from coal mines out west in Montana and Wyoming. Finally, there is less demand for coal as more industries look for cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

I am excited to share with our sponsors and donors stories from my travels to Letcher County, where, thanks to our volunteer coordinators, we have been able to help families in need.

This has left eastern Kentucky’s coal mining communities plagued by higher unemployment, a rise in low-wage service jobs, and poverty. Furthermore, as coal companies left, the communities lost their main tax base. The communities’ infrastructure is fragile. These communities are left to deal with the fact that many coal companies did not reclaim the land.

Coal mine owners and operators often ordered the stripping of hillsides and the blasting of mountaintops to get at even more coal. After a company’s mining operations stop, the company is supposed to rehabilitate the land. It is a requirement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977.

The companies that cease mining operations are supposed to reshape the disturbed area, prevent soil erosion, and, based on the soil’s needs, fertilize and replant with appropriate vegetation. Erosion prevention is important for clean creeks and streams. Regional water tables are important, as many rural families use wells. Reclaimed land can be used for agriculture, forestry, wildlife habitation, and recreation. The cost of reclaiming the land was to be factored into the mines’ costs.

The problem is that many mining companies pulled out without reclaiming the land. The 1977 law is having problems working as envisioned because regulators set the amount of money for reclamation bonds too low, and they are not strictly enforcing the requirements that the companies reclaim land and water contemporaneous with the coal removal. Coal companies postponed reclamation for as long as they could – often for many years. The issue has been made worse as many coal companies have gone bankrupt before doing any reclamation.

Unless land is reclaimed with new grading and planting, then the surrounding communities are more vulnerable to flash floods. And that is what has been happening more frequently.

VisIting our affiliated sites Again

As we came upon the second anniversary of the horrendous and devastating floods that struck southeastern Kentucky July 26-30, 2022, I made plans to visit all our affiliated schools in Letcher County. The flood caused an immediate disaster but also resulted in long-term negative impacts on the children and their families. Thankfully, Children Incorporated has been able to help.

In Letcher County, three people died. Two were a married older couple who worked as janitors at Letcher County Central High School. They died when their car was swept off a bridge, and their deaths grieved the students and the community. (The third was an older lady who had a heart attack as she was trying to escape.)

In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing stories from my visit to Letcher County, highlighting just how much our sponsors and donors have been able to do to help families in this area of our country.

A very large number of people were left homeless. There was already an affordable housing shortage, and the flood worsened the situation. This forced many people to move, at least those who had the skills and the ability to leave.

Looking at the schools, Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass said of the 25 school districts in the Commonwealth that were affected by the flooding, Breathitt County, Jenkins Independent, Knott County, Leslie County, Letcher County, and Perry County schools were impacted the worst, with significant damages to school operations and buildings. Several schools were inundated and damaged too badly to open after the summer break in August.

It has been a long road to rebuild and recover. I am proud that Children Incorporated was able to respond immediately to the flooding. Our Hope In Action Program helped with grants in August 2022 to our affiliated sites in the impacted areas. Another round of grants went out in September 2022 to the hardest-hit counties. In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing stories from my visit to Letcher County, highlighting just how much our sponsors and donors have been able to do to help families in this area of our country.

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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

Renee Kube | August 5, 2024

Stuart-Hobson Middle School is located in Ward 6. This ward is truly the heart of Washington, D.C.’s history. It is the only ward situated within the original city’s boundaries as outlined in the L’Enfant Plan. The southeastern tip of Ward 6 is also the confluence of the city’s two rivers, the Potomac and the Anacostia. The ward has an extensive collection of historic resources. Its communities range from industrial to military to residential houses – and houseboats. The ward also has public housing projects and a lot of struggling families.

Angeline emphasized that school is seen as a stable haven. The entire staff is supportive of the children.

The school is part of the Capitol Hill Cluster School, a unique D.C. public school spread across three Capitol Hill campuses spanning pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Stuart-Hobson Middle School serves sixth through eighth-grade students, combining the warmth of a neighborhood school with a full range of academics and extracurricular activities. The school is a Title I school with a student population of about 508 that is predominantly black.

The demographics are 80% black, 12% white, 5% Hispanic/Latino, and 3% other. 17% receive some kind of special education services, and 36% come from low-income families.

Stuart-Hobson offers Honors English and accelerated math classes and the chance to earn high school credits. All students create projects for History Day and the Science Fair. Wellness/fitness offerings include a variety of athletics, including baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, soccer, track, volleyball, and wrestling. Arts and cultural offerings include art, band (orchestral, funk, and jazz), chorus, and drama. There’s an after-school extended day program that provides tutoring as well as enrichment opportunities such as camera and cooking clubs.

Angeline is seen showing Renée supplies during her visit to Stuart-Hobson Middle School.

This is a uniform school. Students are required to wear red polo shirts with the school logo and khaki pants.

Our coordinator here is Angeline. She is new and full of energy and enthusiasm. Our visit started with a presentation by Angeline on Communities In Schools (our implementing partner in Washington, D.C.) and its proven model of providing a community of support for the children. We were joined by Assistant Principal Taylor. After the presentation, Angeline called several Children Incorporated-enrolled students to her office. While we waited for them, she showed us her stock of hygiene items, backpacks, and school supply kits. After we met with the students, it was time to take a tour of the school.

Dr. Taylor’s pride in his students was apparent as we walked and talked. He explained that while many of Stuart-Hobson’s students come from Ward 6, a significant percentage are from other wards. Parents may apply for their students to attend schools outside their neighborhood boundaries so long as there is room. Stuart-Hobson is seen as a “destination middle school.”

The school has been in existence since the 1920s, although, as Dr. Taylor mentioned to me, until 1954, it was for whites only. Students have helped with archiving old records and artifacts for posterity, and the faculty has been able to help the children appreciate their school’s history and the importance of Brown versus The Board of Education, which brought about school desegregation in the United States.

The school also has an excellent sports program and robust music and drama programs, where the students are involved in every aspect, from acting to stage management to lighting and sound. The school is also known for having better-than-average standardized test scores. Many of the students get into the more desirable high schools.

We are grateful to be able to support students at this middle school, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

Dr. Taylor told us that many of the children come from difficult backgrounds and have to cope with adult-level problems. They wake their younger siblings and get them ready for school, and they are coping with transportation issues, too. Many are often tardy and are regularly absent.

Angeline emphasized that school is seen as a stable haven. The entire staff is supportive of the children. There are a lot of offerings to keep them occupied during regular school hours as well as during the after-school program, such as with clubs include art, cooking and photography. Overall, this is a great affiliated site for Children Incorporated, and we are grateful to be able to support students at this middle school, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | July 28, 2024En Español

Today, as a part of our July 2024 Impact Report, we share a letter from our volunteer coordinator Paula at Herald Whitaker Middle School in Kentucky, who expresses her gratitude for our sponsorship program.

Hearing from Paula

“Being a resource coordinator, we are supposed to do and incorporate many things into our job. I educate my students on hygiene, self-care, self-love, and understanding the impact and importance of these things.”

“Children Incorporated helps eliminate some of the challenges these students and their families face.”

“The Children Incorporated sponsorship program has a wonderful impact on my students. Children Incorporated helps me to make sure students’ needs are met every day they attend school. I love how the students receive gifts on their birthday, which makes the students feel special and not forgotten about. The anticipation and excitement on the students’ faces are very rewarding. Thanks to the sponsors for making this happen.”

“Building a relationship with these students is my top priority. I love being able to earn the students’ trust. I am able to pull them into my office and ask what their specific needs are. With the combination of my Family Resource Center and Children Incorporated, everything we do can be life-changing for these students.”

Thanks to their sponsors, children at the Tecpan School in Guatemala received school supplies and clothes to take home this month!

“I truly believe that if some of these students didn’t have sponsors, they wouldn’t be able to attend school. Children Incorporated helps eliminate some of the challenges these students and their families face. Thank you for everything.”

Sincerely,
Paula

your impact through hope in action

Sponsorship is not the only way you, our loyal supporters, help impoverished children every month. Additionally, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and donors who have made contributions to our Hope In Action Fund in the last month, we have been able to:

– Provide nutritious meals to 30 children for a month at Santa Isabel Ana Seton in Guatemala
– Provide funds to purchase nutritional meals for 25 children for an entire month at the Dandora Center in Kenya
– Provide funds to purchase 200 meals for children at the St. John’s Community Center in Kenya
– Provide funds for daily meals for 25 children for an entire month at Kids’ Hope Ethiopia
– Provide funds to offer nutritional meals to 40 children for an entire month at the Visayans Center in the Philippines
– Provide backpacks and school supplies for children at Fallsburg Elementary School in Kentucky

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

Renee Kube | July 21, 2024En Español

Brookland Middle School in Washington, D.C. serves children in grades sixth through eighth. It is located in Ward 5. This is one of the largest wards in the city, with more than 90,000 residents. It contains two railroad lines, and several major city streets go through this ward. Thus it has a large concentration of “industrial use” land. There are over 20 distinct neighborhoods of which its residents feel a lot of pride.

Children Incorporated is just the right organization to help me purchase bulk items like winter coats, gloves, and hats for our families in dire need.

Brookland Middle School is one of four affiliations in D.C. with our organization. In addition to its academic curriculum, the school offers programs in educational enrichment (including STEM and a Socratic Seminar); wellness and fitness (including Girls on the Run and Man Up); and Art and Culture (instrumental and choral music, dance, art and design).

The school demographics are 83% black, 17% Hispanic/Latino and 1% white. 12% of students are English language learners and 57% are identified as at-risk due to poverty. Most qualify for TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Some of the students are homeless or are in foster care.

The children’s test scores are low, but they are making progress. More are taking Algebra I than in past years, and those who are taking the class are passing it. This is a uniform school. Sixth graders wear orange shirts, seventh graders wear teal, and eighth graders wear purple shirts.

There are 21 children enrolled in our sponsorship program currently, with four unsponsored. Although I wasn’t able to visit Brookland Middle on my last trip to Washington, D.C. our volunteer coordinator, LaTroy, wrote to me to express her appreciation for why sponsors are so important to students at her school, who are struggling to have their basic needs met throughout the year.

In LaTroy’s Words

Interior photo courtesy of architects’ website.

Brookland Middle School is a wonderful school of about 327 students in Ward 5 of Washington, D.C. The principal, school administration and partners are the true backbone of the school. They work to ensure that all students feel loved, challenged and prepared.

This year, we have increased our focus on making sure our students feel “loved.” After conducting a Panorama Survey at the end of the school year 2021-22, the results indicated that only 44% of our students reported “feeling loved at school.” Therefore, this year we are ensuring that whenever able we are exhibiting messages of love toward our students. Whether through hugs, verbal affirmation, signage or our consistent presence, we want them to know how much we love them here at Brookland.

This pouring of love could not have been more needed. In the New Year, our student body experienced a tremendous sudden loss from the murder of one of our scholars on January 7th. This was followed by the sudden death of a former student on January 21st. Upon immediate notice, our principal assembled a team of grief counselors and community support to be present. On January 25, 2023, we hosted a Memorial Breakfast in honor of the two students. During that breakfast, we announced that there would be a garden dedicated to those students in spring 2023, on school grounds.

Currently, our primary challenge is attendance. During the winter months, we’ve been experiencing a spike in unexcused absences. Since then, the school attendance team has identified those students and families with over five unexcused absences and began to call parents and talk to students to identify any barriers. The most common finding has been basic needs. Students and parents have shared that they lack the essential winter clothing to combat the winter elements. We are also experiencing more and more students who require food over the weekend. Many immigrant families are currently enrolled here at Brookland and are food insecure.

Children Incorporated is just the right organization to help me purchase bulk items like winter coats, gloves, and hats for our families in dire need, as well as help us with the items needed for our Weekend Food Pantry. Children Incorporated sponsors also help our students with school uniforms, which are required here at Brookland Middle.

(Photo credits: https://www.hartmancox.com/)

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Renee Kube | July 6, 2024En Español

Cardozo Educational Campus is now Children Incorporated’s longest affiliated site in Washington, D.C. It is also our only affiliated site in Ward 1. This ward has a rich architectural and cultural heritage. It is a true melting pot, with immigrants from all over the world. It is the modern heart of the city’s Hispanic/Latino community. It is also home to many of the city’s African American and Asian American small businesses. This ward has 12 historic districts, and its landmarks include Rock Creek Park and the National Zoo.

The school has been renovated in more recent years and can house over 1000 students.

One of the architectural treasures is the Cardozo Education Campus. It began its historic renovation in 2011, which included exterior renovation, roofing, HVAC, ADA improvements, technology design and sustainable design. It can house 1100 students.

About Cardozo

Cardozo Education Campus currently serves about 625 students from sixth to 12th grade. It has a middle school, an International Academy, and a comprehensive high school. Students come from many backgrounds, from those born in Washington, D.C., to students from Central and South America. This diverse population makes Cardozo very special. The school’s demographics are 49% black, 46% Hispanic/Latino, 3% Asian, 1% white, and 1% other.

There are AP classes, Army JROTC, sports, and arts and cultural clubs and activities. One of the most interesting things about Cardozo is its TransSTEM Academy. Students receive hands-on technical training in electricity, electronics, and electromechanical technology. There is also a pre-engineering module where students can explore aeronautics, biomechanics, and other applied math science occupations and skills.

The children who are enrolled in our sponsorship program are the ones who need the most support. This includes providing them with clothing, school supplies, hygiene products and food.

Cardozo has two Communities In Schools site coordinators, Jovan and Florangel. After arriving at the school for our meeting, Kristen Walthall and I heard from both Jovan and Florangel, who explained that CIS plans ahead when it comes to running our sponsorship program. Starting every March, they conduct needs assessments with the families. Over summer break, they analyze the results and discuss any adjustments to current initiatives or the creation of new ones.

Meeting with our coordinators

At Cardozo, their two biggest goals are currently in-seat attendance and academics. The students have many stressors and competing priorities. Some must care for younger siblings. Some are essentially homeless and they couch-surf with friends and relatives. Regular school attendance isn’t always a priority. Jovan and Florangel offer incentives for the students to come to school each day. They also work on parent engagement. The children who are enrolled in our sponsorship program are the ones who need the most support. This includes providing them with clothing, school supplies, hygiene products and food.

The interior courtyard of the Cardozo Education Campus

During our meeting, Robert,* a sixth grader, was brought in to meet us as a student body representative. This was no doubt due to his outgoing personality. Robert didn’t have a shy bone in his body. He had no problem chatting with Kris and me, and it was lovely to meet him as one of our sponsored children.

After Robert returned to class, it was time to tour this beautifully restored school that offers so much for the children. We toured the International Academy hall first. It was founded in 2014 through a partnership with D.C. Public Schools and the International Network for Public Schools (INPS) in NYC. According to the school’s website, “The academic model is based on decades of proven, research-based instructional approaches designed to work with recently arrived immigrant students. Students are grouped into teams and travel as a cohort throughout the day. Through the International Academy, students experience a complete integration of language and content development, heterogeneous grouping and ongoing collaboration, strategic use of students’ native/dominant language when working with peers, as well as the intentional bridging of the student’s native language and the target language of English.” We also saw classrooms, the gymnasium, and the beautiful interior courtyard of the school.

In Florangel’s words

After our tour ended, Florangel told Kris and I more about how our program helps children at Cardozo:

“Some of the challenges that Cardozo has faced are receiving students from Venezuela. Many students live at shelters and have recently arrived in the United States. Welcoming new migrant students has been challenging, but not impossible, in connecting each student to the right services. Students can connect to the health clinic and receive clothes and shoes from our partners, like Children Incorporated.”

Florangel also shared a sweet story about two of our sponsored children:

Seth and Lewis* are both newly arrived in the United States. They both have parents who requested resources immediately so Seth and Lewis could feel comfortable attending school. One of the items they both received was a coat. The students and their families have never experienced the cold weather, so they had expressed concern about how the weather would be during the wintertime. Seth likes to play soccer, so we were able to provide soccer clothes. Lewis enjoys dancing, so we provided new shoes for him. Many more students and parents have expressed gratitude for things they cannot afford or help while working to save money.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | June 25, 2024

It is amazing to us what our volunteer coordinators can do to help children in need when given the freedom to determine what is best for children in our program, which is something we are proud to offer to them. Today we hear from Scott at Lewis County Middle and High Schools, about some of his students who benefited from our sponsorship program in a way that he feels shows an investment in their success and their futures.

“We realize the importance of setting our youth up for success and understand that it will only serve to improve our county in the future.”

Scott’s Story

“We would like to thank Children Incorporated for their continued support of the students at Lewis County High School. Because of their willingness to altruistically invest in our students, two specific siblings have now completed the first steps necessary to building a successful future. Our Youth Service Center would like to share their recent success story.”

“While the state unemployment rate for Kentucky is currently 4%, Lewis County, a rural county in northeastern Kentucky, reports an unemployment rate of 7.4%. The discrepancy between the state average and the county average is something that every family in Lewis County feels in some way.”

“Two of our sponsored children, Brian and Taylor*, have a family that is no exception to that. However, with the help of Children Incorporated, they have recently been able to obtain employment at a fast-food restaurant in a neighboring county. Without the funds from their sponsors and the Children Incorporated program, neither Brian nor Taylor could have secured employment. With the funds provided, both young men were able to acquire the mandated work attire, consisting of two pairs of black jeans and non-slip tennis shoes or boots. Brian and Taylor are doing well in their new employee roles, and we hope they continue to do so as they carry on with their lives.”

“Brian, Taylor and the Lewis County Youth Service Center are incredibly grateful and fortunate to be a part of the Children Incorporated program. We realize the importance of setting our youth up for success and understand that it will only serve to improve our county in the future.”

*Names changed to protect the children.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD