Tag Archives: sponsor

Ron Carter | September 10, 2023En Español

Puerto Rico has had a special place in my heart ever since I first visited the island in 2018 to help rebuild homes after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Since then, we at Children Incorporated have been working hard to establish our first affiliated site in Puerto Rico, partnering with Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis to help support children and families for the long-term. This past April, I was able to return to Puerto Rico for the first time in five years to visit with our volunteer coordinators and hear more about how our sponsors and donors are changing the lives of those in need.

The urgent need to help with building repairs was the reason I first made a trip to Puerto Rico.

In this edition of Stories of Hope, I want to dive into the history of Puerto Rico and talk about the current situation that citizens face in order to give our supporters a better understanding of why I felt affiliating with Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis was so fitting for Children Incorporated’s mission and values, and why your donations are important to this vulnerable territory.

A Visual of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has a rich history that spans hundreds of years, which is memorialized throughout the capital of San Juan.

Puerto Rico is an archipelago between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It is located approximately 1,000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. It is east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands.

Puerto Rico is presently a territory of the United States with Commonwealth status, and includes the main island and several smaller islands. The main island is almost rectangular in shape. It is about 110 miles long and 35 ½ miles wide, making it larger than Rhode Island and smaller than Connecticut. It would take about three hours to drive from the east end of the island to the west end.

Puerto Rico is about 60% mountainous terrain with the exception of its coastal areas. The main island has a beautiful and incredibly varied landscape consisting of beaches, caves, deserts, rain forests, rivers, and the sea and ocean. The central mountains and rivers carry water throughout the island. The north coast tends to get more rain and is thus more fertile. The south coast is drier.

Puerto Rico is located along the Mona Passage, a strait that separates Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola (comprising the countries of the Dominican Republic and Haiti). The passage is a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal. Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan, also has one of the best natural harbors in the Caribbean.

The history of the commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has a complicated colonial history and political status. As it is a U.S. territory, its residents are U.S. citizens. But while subject to U.S. laws, residents of the island cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections, and the island lacks voting representation in Congress. Its status as a territory means it is neither a U.S. state nor an independent country.

When Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1493, native Tainos inhabited the land. Columbus claimed the island for Spain, and for 400 years, Puerto Rico was under Spanish colonial rule. In 1517, the Spanish crown authorized the importation of enslaved Africans. During the time of Spanish colonial rule, the people of Puerto Rico experienced extreme poverty, repression, and taxation. In 1868, a revolt and uprising were attempted, and this was a turning point in relations between the native and enslaved people and the Spanish crown. Spain began to grant the natives some autonomy, and political parties were born. In 1873, slavery was finally abolished.

The political reforms had scarcely any time to develop. In 1898, just thirty years after the attempted uprising, the United States declared war on Spain. U.S. troops invaded Puerto Rico and occupied it during the remainder of the Spanish-American War. When the treaty was signed, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S.

In addition to its manufacturing sector, the island’s beautiful beaches and tropical climate contribute to a robust tourism industry.

For literally hundreds of years, the people of Puerto Rico have worked to decolonize their home. But there has been a long disagreement on how best to resolve this. Then, in November of 2020, Puerto Ricans voted in a nonbinding referendum on statehood. About 53% favored it, while 47% rejected it. However, the larger problem was that only 55% of Puerto Ricans voted in the referendum at all. Thus, while statehood proponents viewed the results as proof most citizens wanted statehood, opponents questioned the validity of the votes, citing their belief that their referendum was promoted by the pro-statehood group and the fact that it was non-binding anyway.

Economy and Poverty in Puerto Rico

For hundreds of years during its colonial period, Puerto Rico had an agricultural economy based on coffee, sugar, and tobacco. With industrialization, the economy changed. Today, Puerto Rico is known for the manufacturing of medical and pharmaceutical products. Agricultural biotechnology is growing. Much of the workforce is highly educated. The island has a university system that, as noted by its Department of Economic Development, “generates a steady stream of new talent.”

In addition to its manufacturing sector, the island’s beautiful beaches and tropical climate contribute to a robust tourism industry.

So — why is there so much poverty in Puerto Rico? There are several contributing factors which include:

Puerto Rico’s relatively small size as an island and the fact there are few natural resources to
produce highly profitable raw materials (e.g. oil, coal, natural gas, or metals) for sale/trade
over very long periods of time).
A federal funding shortfall means that Puerto Rico doesn’t always get the support
it needs to build its economy.
The island’s shrinking population of young working people due to outmigration.
This means its population is aging more rapidly than most other countries.
Natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have caused further economic
blows to the economy in more recent years. The impact of Hurricane
Maria in 2018 was devastating, and its impact is still being felt today.

Rebuilding after Hurricane Maria

Hurricane Irma had struck Puerto Rico less than two weeks before Maria, and 80,000 people were still without power as Hurricane Maria approached. Disaster supplies had been distributed for Hurricane Irma, but there was no time to replenish them before Hurricane Maria struck. The damages and outages caused by Hurricane Maria overwhelmed the island’s aging infrastructure and annihilated the power grid.

The capital of San Juan is home to many beautiful buildings, which showcases Puerto Rico’s diverse and artistic influences.

Sadly, it is estimated that 3,000 people lost their lives. Almost immediately, Puerto Rico was declared a federal disaster zone. In the week after the hurricane, 95% of the island had no electricity or cell phone service, and less than half of the island had potable water. Debris-clogged roads added to logistical problems. One month after the hurricane, all hospitals were running, but were still relying on backup generators with limited power. Almost one year after the hurricane, there were still numerous areas without electricity. To date, it is the longest blackout in U.S. history at eleven months.

The urgent need to help with building repairs was the reason I first made a trip to Puerto Rico. It was the connection through Grace Baptist (long time donors to Children Incorporated) that gave me an opportunity to serve the children on this beautiful island.

To this day, five and a half years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is still considered in recovery due to the billions of dollars of damage and destruction that were sustained. The Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] has dedicated billions for infrastructure resilience efforts, but much has still not been spent.

More difficulty for a small island

To further cause strife to its residents, starting on December 28, 2019 and progressing into early 2020, Puerto Rico was struck by an “earthquake swarm,” consisting of hundreds of very small quakes. However, eleven were magnitude five or greater. The most damaging was an earthquake measured at 6.4 on January 7th. Power was lost island-wide. The southern part of the island suffered the most damage, especially the city of Ponce, the closest city to the earthquake’s epicenter. Lives were lost, businesses and homes were damaged and families were displaced.

At first, the island’s relative isolation helped slow the transmission of COVID-19, but eventually Puerto Rico was overwhelmed just like the rest of the world. COVID-19 reached its first peak in Puerto Rico in November 2020. There was another surge from mid-March to mid- April 2021 which was attributed to people returning to in-person work, as well as to dining and shopping indoors. Families had also gathered to celebrate Holy Week. Another surge struck around January 2022, when the omicron variant reached the island.

Pandemic restrictions had a significant negative impact on the island’s economy. The loss of jobs within Puerto Rico’s tourism industry, which comprises almost 30% of its gross domestic product, resulted in a significant increase in unemployment.

Although tourism has rebounded in the past year, the impact of the pandemic can still be felt as families attempt to recover from months of job losses, increased food insecurity and rising debt.

Next week, I look forward to sharing with you all about my visit to Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis from April 2023.

When Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico in September of 2022, it was a Category 1 storm. But it caused additional damage to an already vulnerable island that was still recovering from damage caused five years prior by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The hurricane struck hardest in the southwestern part of the island. In the remote areas, it made life even harder.

While Fiona did not have winds as strong as Maria, it had more rain. Torrential rains caused severe flooding across the island (30” in some areas of the south), and the flooding was actually more widespread than during Maria. Roads that had finally been repaired after Maria were swept away again.

Experts say hurricanes cannot be studied as unique events. Instead, to properly assess long term economic impacts, one must study the compounding effects of multiple storm events. While not to the same degree as Maria’s damage, Fiona was still a multi-billion-dollar damage event that added to Puerto Rico’s economic burden.

Next week, I look forward to sharing with you all about my visit to Iglesia Bautista de Metrópolis in April 2023, when I had a chance to meet with our volunteer coordinators and hear more about the ways in which our sponsors and donors are helping children and their families in the community in Puerto Rico.

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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

Shelley Callahan | August 15, 2023En Español

Navajo Nation was hit especially hard by the pandemic, and our affiliated schools in Arizona have still been slow in getting students to return to in-class learning, without other problems that arise throughout the school year. Today we hear from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, as she visits Red Rock Day School, where she hears from our volunteer coordinator about some of the other problems the school has faced while recovering from COVID-19.

Visiting with Patricia

“Red Rock Day School is in a very rural and isolated area. The Lukachukai Mountains can be a transportation barrier for families who want to go south to Lukachukai and Chinle. If they want to go north, the roads are even smaller and more poorly maintained. The closest small northern communities are Beclabito, New Mexico and Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, at which points a U.S. highway can be accessed,” said Renée.

“There are many children being raised by grandparents because their parents cannot do so – some are incapable, while others are working low wage jobs in Farmington, New Mexico or even in Colorado.”

“Our long-term volunteer coordinator, Patricia, contacted me in advance to warn that the school was experiencing water problems and had closed. The students were put back on virtual instruction. She was hoping things would be repaired by the time of our visit, but that was unfortunately not the case.”

“When I arrived, Patricia was there but the students were not. Regardless, she was happy to give me a tour of the school while we caught up about our sponsorship program,” said Renée.

Children Raised by grandparents

“As we walked, we talked. Patricia shared that the kindergarten through 8th grade school has the capacity for 110 students, but enrollment has fallen 46% since the pandemic started. Staffing has suffered, and those who remain are doing multiple jobs. The disruption and uncertainty have also had a negative impact on the children’s academics. The children’s overall math proficiency rate is less than 5%. (The Arizona state average is 45%.) Their proficiency in reading and language is at the 20-24% level. There are many children being raised by grandparents because their parents cannot do so – some are incapable, while others are working low wage jobs in Farmington, New Mexico or even in Colorado.”

“During the pandemic, much of our sponsorship funds were used for food. Staff bought dollar store laundry baskets and filled them with food. During the next round of drop offs, the empty baskets were turned in, and full baskets were given in return,” said Renée.

COVID-19 devastated Navajo Nation, making our affiliated schools in Arizona even more precautious about spreading the illness.

“Patricia said that this school year was the first time since the pandemic that the building was open to in-person instruction. Some families have chosen to remain virtual, as they have family members who are medically vulnerable. And while school was open in August and September, it was closed in October due to the water problems. This has been very disappointing for the children and the entire Red Rock Day School community.”

Getting help from our special funds

“Patricia showed us the school’s courtyard, which has a tree that was planted years ago by one of the teachers. The children love this space. Patricia said she may be interested in applying for a Hope In Action Program grant for a few more picnic tables, so that teachers could host outdoor lessons, especially for science classes,” said Renée.

“Then she took me to the library, which features a beautiful octagonal skylight. The school lost its librarian several years ago and has not had the funds to hire another. Patricia and a couple of teachers take turns helping the children to check out books, but library time had to be reduced. There’s no budget for new books. Patricia would like to ask for help with more books, but she hesitates to do so while they are so short-staffed.”

“Patricia hopes to work on enrolling more students once the water is repaired and the children have returned. After the pandemic forced virtual instruction, she is praying for a return to normalcy,” said Renée.

“This has been a long term and stable site for our organization, and Patricia has done a good job handling all our sponsorship programs, considering all the stress that she and other staff members are under.”

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 14, 2023En Español

Our volunteer coordinators are the backbone of our organization, and we couldn’t do our work without them. Today we hear from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, as she visits with Lucy at Dennehotso Boarding School in Arizona, who works hard to ensure children in our program are getting everything they need all year long.

Meeting with Lucy

“Dennehotso is a small community about 27 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona. It is close to the intersection of U.S. Hwy 160 (an east-west route) and U.S. Hwy 191 (a north-south route),” said Renée.

“Lucy said our organization is so important to the school, and they are grateful for our long-standing partnership,” said Renée.

“Upon my visit, I was greeted by our very long-serving volunteer coordinator, Lucy. Lucy showed me around the school grounds, and as we walked, she shared how things have been going for her at the school.”

“Lucy explained that the school has capacity for 150 students, but at present just 113 are enrolled. The dorm was closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic and has still not reopened. Lucy said families have reached out to the school administration and expressed their desire for the dorm reopening, but the administration is still not ready. The administration and board are concerned about the children living in such close proximity, but another big stumbling block is that they are currently very short staffed,” said Renée.

“The children here are really struggling academically, largely due to disruptions associated with the pandemic. Many have witnessed the serious illnesses or even deaths of family members. During the school years of virtual instruction, many lost ground in their studies. At present, the average math and reading proficiency rates are just 10%-14% (depending on the grade), which is lower than the Arizona state average of 45%.”

An important partnership

“Lucy said that since the pandemic started, she has been given extra duties around the school in addition to her full-time job as Parent/Family Liaison. Her regular job involves gaining more involvement from parents and guardians in the children’s education; working with them in identifying and achieving various goals for their students (e.g. attendance); accessing support services (e.g. speech); administering programs to bridge the gap between home and school; and assessing students’ needs in order to implement plans to remove barriers to the students’ academic success and overall well-being. The latter two duties are where Children Incorporated’s sponsorship program fits in. Lucy said our organization is so important to the school, and they are grateful for our long-standing partnership,” said Renée.

Lucy, our volunteer coordinator, is pictured with two of our sponsored children.

“Lucy explained to me that being able to buy appropriate clothing for rapidly growing children is a blessing, all thanks to our sponsors. The children are excited, and the parents are incredibly grateful. Lucy said that she will usually drive out of state and shop in Farmington, New Mexico. This is 100 miles east, or a 200 mile round trip. However, she’s thinking of broadening her options and may start shopping in Cortez, New Mexico as well which is 92 miles one way, but has both a Walmart Supercenter and a Hibbets Sports Shop that sells athletic shoes.”

Hope In Action Helping those in need

“Lucy said she uses the sponsorship program funds for ‘tops and bottoms,’ because that’s what the parents and children request most. Whenever she can, she will supplement with additional gifts to buy shoes, which are expensive. Lucy said she would love to have extra funds for shoes, and she needs funds to supply a clothes closet for accidents, containing underwear, socks, pants, and tees. She would also like to have funds in the springtime for lice medicine, and I let her know I would be working to get those requests fulfilled through our Hope In Action Program,” said Renée.

“Despite the staff shortage that’s creating an extra workload, Lucy is striving to do her best for the Children Incorporated sponsored children. Overall, she is doing well in challenging circumstances, and we are equally as proud to work with Dennehotso Boarding School as they are to work with us.”

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | August 9, 2023

In Latin America, poverty often means lower levels of education, and therefore lower income for children once they reach adulthood. When children from impoverished households can’t go to school, they are often subject to crime and exploitation. Without our help, thousands of children in Latin America risk joining the job market at a young age to help their families, which can lead to dangerous situations.

Sponsors positively impact the lives of the children they sponsor through the simple knowledge that someone cares about their well-being.

FACTS ABOUT POVERTY AND EDUCATION IN LATIN AMERICA

– According to UNICEF, almost half of households in Latin America where children are present are living in poverty

– 4 out of 5 sixth graders in Latin America are lacking basic reading skills

– Lack of education leads to a widening gap of inequality in Latin America, where children and families continue in poverty throughout their lifetimes

WHAT CHILDREN INCORPORATED DOES TO SUPPORT CHILDREN’S EDUCATION

Children Incorporated provides resources to children in Latin America through our sponsorship program because we passionately believe that children everywhere deserve education, hope, and opportunity. Our sponsors and donors provide basic necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, and educational support to children living in poverty. These essentials are vital to a child’s growth and ability to attend school and succeed.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can help a child living in Latin America receive an education by becoming a sponsor today. Sponsorship provides an underprivileged child with basic and education-related necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, school supplies, and school tuition payments. This vital support allows impoverished, vulnerable children to develop to their full potential – physically, emotionally, and socially. Sponsors positively impact the lives of the children they sponsor through the simple knowledge that someone cares about their well-being. This gives children in need hope, which is powerful.

Our policy has always been to consider the needs of each sponsored child on an individual basis. We work closely with our volunteer coordinators at our affiliated sites, who are familiar with each individual circumstance and the needs of every child in their care. Our on-site volunteer coordinators use sponsorship donations to purchase basic and education-related items for children in our program to ensure that they have what they need to do their very best and succeed in school.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD WITH CHILDREN INCORPORATED?

You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated 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 donation portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 5, 2023En Español

There is nothing like getting to meet with our volunteer coordinators and hear their stories directly about how they are helping children in their communities, thanks to our sponsors and donors. Today we hear from Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs, as she meets with four special coordinators who run our sponsorship program at Pinon Community School in Arizona, who explain the lengths they are willing to go to to help kids in need.

“On the tour, I had the chance to see some of the great projects that Children Incorporated funded over the years!”

about Pinon

“The small town of Pinon, Arizona is about 45 miles due west of Chinle on Indian Road 4. The population is sparse and spread out in this area, giving it a more remote feeling than some of the other towns where our affiliated sites are located,” said Renée.

“The Pinon Community School itself is a mix of newer buildings, as well as some of the original 1932 structures. This school is set up in a similar manner to our affiliated site, the Hanaadli Community School/Huerfano Dorm, in New Mexico, in which some children live on-site during the week and some return home after school each day.”

“Education starts with a FACE Program, which stands for Family and Child Education. This is a federal program that focuses on Native families, providing educational services from prenatal to five years of age by providing early childhood education, parenting education, and adult education. After FACE, the child can go on to kindergarten,” said Renée.

Students learn weaving skills at Pinon Community School, which is a big part of their culture and heritage.

“There are two options for kindergarten: a regular kindergarten, and a developmental kindergarten for children with late birthdays (from September through December). Kindergarten is instructed in both English and Navajo. After kindergarten, the children are educated at the local Pinon Unified School District. The dorm students either live at a greater distance than daily transportation allows, or their parents or guardians work out of town for extended periods of time. Pinon Community School also offers the 21st Century Learning Center for afterschool care. The dorm serves 1st through 12th grades.”

“When I arrived to the school, I checked in at the main office, and soon was taken to the conference room. I was greeted by our primary coordinator, Carol, who then introduced me to the other three staff members who serve on the ‘Children Incorporated Committee’: Cassandra, Chyanne, and Rainey,” said Renée.

Readjusting after the pandemic

“While we met, the four ladies shared how challenging things were for them during the pandemic. While the children were participating in fully virtual instruction, the sponsorship funds were being used mostly for food. They are grateful there is a grocery store in the community, although Bashas is small and has limited selection. The ladies explained that the nearest Walmarts are located in Winslow, Arizona (94 miles south) or Gallup, New Mexico (120 miles southeast). It is very humbling to realize how far they travel – using their own vehicles – to shop for the children in our sponsorship program.”

“The school did not re-open for in-person instruction until March 2022. Before the pandemic, 86 children were enrolled. In March, just 30 students returned. Now the number has risen, slowly but steadily, to 70,” said Renée.

“The dorm has not yet re-opened. The old HVAC system was on its last legs, and a new system [with the goal of improving ventilation and preventing respiratory infections] will cost $4 million dollars. This is partly due to the age of some of the buildings; the oldest were built in the 1930s.”

There is nothing like getting to meet with our volunteer coordinators and hear their stories directly about how they are helping children in their communities, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

“We then began our tour of the buildings and grounds. Our coordinators explain that it’s considered bad form and manners to walk directly across the courtyard; instead, one is supposed to walk around, unless one is specifically using the middle structure. They’re always having to remind the children.”

seeing our projects in person

“On the tour, I had the chance to see some of the great projects that Children Incorporated funded over the years! The Reading Pavilion Project in the courtyard was an area with benches where the children really enjoy sitting with their books. An annual vine is trained over the top each spring to provide shade. I also got to see the School Garden Project. We provided funds to purchase materials for the raised beds and fencing, and supplies including soil, fertilizer, seeds, and hand tools. Crops have been planted every spring, and it is used by the science teacher as well as the dormitory staff for instruction and enrichment activities for the children,” said Renée.

“Then we went inside. We went to a classroom and were shown samples from the Weaving Project, whose materials and supplies were provided thanks to our Hope In Action Program. Beginners learn on simple cardboard looms with inexpensive yarns. The small, medium, and large wooden looms are used as the children gain experience and proficiency. They’ll move over time from loom to loom. They use fewer yarn colors on the smaller looms, and add more yarn colors as they progress.

The advanced learners are using the largest looms, the highest quality yarns, and the most colors,” said Renée.

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | July 30, 2023En Español

As our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, continues her visit to our affiliated sites in Arizona, we find out more about Shonto Preparatory School and how our Hope in Action Fund is helping children, often in dire circumstances, at the school.

Home of the Bears

“Shonto Preparatory School is located in the small community of Shonto. It’s about 64 miles southeast of Page, Arizona and about 51 miles northeast of Tuba City. Shonto Preparatory School consists of an elementary division with approximately 300 students in grades kindergarten through eighth and a secondary division with approximately 80 students in grades ninth through twelfth. There are a total of 64 children across both divisions in our sponsorship program,” said Renée.

“Marlita is also deeply appreciative of the many projects that have hugely benefited the children, thanks to our Hope In Action Program.”

“The high school division placed in the top 50% of all schools in Arizona for math and reading test scores during the 2018-2019 school year. Then came the pandemic, and scores fell. Nonetheless, the students do well here, and the school takes pride in providing an excellent educational experience. The graduation rate is over 80%.”

Visiting with Marlita

“Upon my arrival to the school last fall, I had a good meeting with our coordinator, Orleta, and the elementary principal, Marlita. Marlita is actually our former and very long-term coordinator. She was formerly the librarian. She is a huge believer in Children Incorporated. Her mother was a sponsor until her death. When Marlita was promoted to the elementary principal, she appointed Orleta as our new volunteer coordinator, and she too is seeing the incredible value of our program,” explained Renée.

“First, we discussed shopping for the sponsored children. Marlita and Orleta have found that ordering some things from Amazon works best because it saves time driving to stores. In those cases, the children and parents give their shopping lists to Orleta, who gives them to Marlita for placing the orders. For other things, they go to Walmart and buy gift cards. Then they have the parents and children meet them at the store. After the items are chosen, Marlita or Orleta hands a gift card to the cashier. So far, it’s working well, and everyone is happy with the arrangement.”

Hope in Action to the Rescue

Renée is pictured with one of our sponsored children in the school’s library.

“Marlita and I urged Orleta to let us know of any larger needs that may require consideration for Hope In Action Program aid. Marlita said she is so grateful for our sponsorship program. But she is also deeply appreciative of the many projects that have hugely benefited the children, thanks to our Hope In Action Program. The original school building was constructed in 1963 without central air conditioning. Marlita said it got bad in May, and it was often unbearable in August. Everyone felt so uncomfortable, and some children felt sick. Several years ago, when she was the coordinator, Marlita applied and was approved for a Hope In Action grant to purchase and install ceiling fans. She said these made a profound impact on the children’s comfort and ability to focus on their studies,” said Renée.

“Marlita also praised another Hope In Action Program grant in which she had requested audio books with accompanying paperback books. The children listened to the stories and followed along in the books, and this helped with their comprehension and vocabulary.”

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD