Tag Archives: sponsor

Children Incorporated | May 5, 2024

Children Incorporated has helped so many students at Swansboro Elementary School gain access to the basic needs that help them focus on what is important: school.

Helping to feed children in need

One of my students this year has struggled with consistently having food in the home. The parents are doing their best but they are unable to work due to intellectual and physical disabilities. Sometimes there are gaps in when they receive their benefits, so they don’t always have a fully stocked refrigerator or pantry. Children Incorporated funds help feed this family when their benefit funds are low. It doesn’t happen often, but every few months we go grocery shopping to get them by until their benefits kick in.

I’m glad that at least he knows there are people out there that are willing to help.

The family is so appreciative, and the student understands that these funds are coming from individuals who are caring enough to donate their own money. Just recently, the sponsored child told me, “Thank you to my sponsor for getting food for my family.” I wish that this student didn’t have to be so aware of the reality he is facing, but children are smart and they pick up on more than we think. I’m glad that at least he knows there are people out there that are willing to help. With funds from Children Incorporated, I can help the family in a way that is not judgmental and is actually very easy and seamless. These generous donations from his Children Incorporated sponsor help this student have dinner and breakfast so that he can come to school prepared to learn, and that is truly a gift.

Children Incorporated also helps in ways that people may not think of. Food is vital for everyone, but funds from Children’ Incorporated also help provide items or experiences that are important in different ways.

Making summer that much better

Several of my sponsored students have been given the chance to go to camp this summer for free. While the tuition is paid for, the students don’t always have the clothing necessary to go away for a whole week. They would probably get by, but they wouldn’t have as many options as the other students at camp. Some of our students don’t have bathing suits, bath towels, swim shoes or extra pillow cases for example.

These things aren’t 100% necessary, but being able to help buy these items will make their camp experience so much better. They won’t have to worry about swimming in their shorts and tee shirts or not having the right bedding for the bunk beds.

Sometimes it isn’t always about necessities, but ways we can make students feel comfortable enough so they can focus on having fun like all the other children. Children Incorporated funds allow us to buy them the items that will help them have a fun time at things like summer camp, so they can come back to school in the fall feeling refreshed and feeling like a kid who is ready to learn.

I am so appreciative to partner with Children Incorporated, as it truly makes a difference in the lives of my students. The funds that sponsors so generously send really help our students in the biggest way. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Kimberly

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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

Children Incorporated | April 30, 2024En Español

Today we hear from our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, about her trip to New Mexico last fall, where she and our Assistant Director of U.S. Programs, Kristen Walthall, visited eight affiliated sites.

Understanding the Navajo Nation

“The Navajo are the largest Native American tribe in the United States. The Navajo Nation also has the largest land mass of any tribe. The nation is located in the greater ‘Four Corners’ region of the United States, where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet in a quadripoint, the only place in the U.S. where this occurs,” said Renée.

“The entire school has worked hard to showcase to the community the advantages of a smaller school where the children get more personal attention.”

“Children Incorporated’s affiliations within the Navajo Nation are located in Arizona and New Mexico. The lands within the northeastern part of Arizona area belong wholly to the Navajo Nation, with the exception of a part carved out for the Hopi Nation. However, the lands within northwestern New Mexico belong to a variety of jurisdictions: federal, state, tribal, private, and allotment. This is why the Navajo region in New Mexico is popularly called ‘The Checkerboard.’ As Kris and I were driving in this part of New Mexico, we were going in and out of various parts of the checkerboard.”

“In recent years, the Navajo Nation has been working hard to (among other things) formally enroll its residents as Navajo citizens. There are requirements to formal enrollment in a tribe, with the intention of preserving the unique character and traditions of each tribe. The tribes establish their own membership criteria based on shared customs, language, traditions, and tribal blood. These criteria for membership are set forth in the tribes’ constitutions, articles of incorporation, and/or ordinances. Uniform membership requirements do not exist; it varies from tribe to tribe,” explained Renée.

Veronica and Jeanette are pictured with some of our sponsored children at Lake Valley.

“The enrollment numbers matter, not only for emotional reasons such as tribal identity and history, but for practical reasons as well— tribes are often allocated money based on their number of enrolled citizens. Before the pandemic, the Navajo enrollment was around 306,000 people. During the pandemic membership drive, the Navajo Nation was able to have many residents formally establish their eligibility and then enroll. By 2021, the Navajo’s tribal rolls had grown to almost 400,000 people. With this achievement, the Navajo Nation surpassed the Cherokee Nation (whose enrollment is 392,000 people). A recent example of the importance of enrollment numbers is the money awarded to tribes, based on their enrollment numbers, from the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.”

“Every amount of assistance helps, because according to a special article in 2019 by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the state had the third-highest rate of child poverty in the U.S. (24.9%). This means nearly one in four New Mexico children lived in poverty in 2019. Only Mississippi and Louisiana were higher. When analyzing the data by ethnicity, the rate for Native Americans was higher than for all other groups. During the pandemic, things actually got a bit better for families, due to federal relief payments. Now that the pandemic relief has ended, the situation is worsening again. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2023 Kids Count databook shows that New Mexico’s children rank last in the nation for well-being. The poverty rate is high, and New Mexico also ranked last in education and 45th in health,” said Renée.

About Lake Valley Boarding School

“The remote town of Crownpoint is located in northwestern New Mexico, near the Arizona border and the vast Navajo Indian Reservation. Despite the wealth of natural beauty in this area, the Navajo Indians who live in this region are desperately poor. There is virtually no employment. Broken homes, alcoholism, and inadequate food are constant manifestations of poverty.”

“Both expressed their deep appreciation for the Hope In Action grants that Lake Valley Boarding School received during the height of the pandemic.”

“Though one of the smaller schools in the Bureau of Indian Affairs system, the Lake Valley Boarding School provides a safe haven where Navajo students, whose homes are far away, are able to live and learn in a healthy, supportive environment. Most parents struggle to afford clothing, school supplies, and basic necessities for their children. Were it not for the Lake Valley Boarding School, so many children would have little opportunity to dream or to rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances from which they come,” explained Renée.

Renee’s Visit

“With a name like ‘Lake Valley,’ one would expect water and green grass, but that is not the case. The lake dried up years ago and is largely a sand trap now. The elders remember when the lake was full, there were farm fields, and two active trading posts. In the olden days, Lake Valley was a stagecoach stop between Crownpoint and Farmington, and the lake and a spring offered cool water to travelers and their horses.”

“The community is only seven miles from the famous Chaco Culture National Historic Park. Residents dream of drawing in tourists with an RV park and a little restaurant. But for now, improvements are still only a dream. In reality, due to budget cuts, services to this area are very limited. Community health representatives have had to reduce their visits to homebound elders. Young families had been leaving, and it got worse during the pandemic,” said Renée.

Lake Valley Boarding School is located in a remote area of New Mexico with few options for shopping.

“After going down a dirt and gravel driveway, I reached a small cluster of buildings with pretty trees planted to provide some shade for everyone. I walked to the main entrance at Lake Valley Boarding School — Home of the Mighty Lakers. I was warmly greeted by our two co-coordinators, Jeanette and Veronica, and taken to the library for a meeting. They explained to me that they drive almost 60 miles north to shop in Farmington. They like to go either to Walmart or to JCPenney, which has really good sales. They meet the parents there, and pay for the items after the parents and children have made their selections. Sometimes they drive about 35 miles south to Crownpoint, which has a Bashas’ grocery store where they will occasionally purchase food for families in need. Both Jeanette and Veronica are very conscientious about getting the best value for every donor dollar.”

Adjusting since the pandemic

“Both Veronica and Jeanette shared that during the pandemic, they lost even more of their students. In some cases, families moved from the area. But in other cases, the parents felt their children would have more services at the bigger schools in Farmington. The Farmington Municipal Schools buses will actually drive halfway to Lake Valley to pick up and drop off the children,” said Renée.

“The entire school has worked hard to showcase to the community the advantages of a smaller school where the children get more personal attention. In fact, Jeanette and Veronica shared that one of the students had withdrawn at the end of last school year. The girl started the new school year in August at Farmington, but she was not happy, and so her parents re-enrolled her this week at Lake Valley. Her classmates had missed her, and they were thrilled to welcome her back.”

“Both Jeanette and Veronica were initially hired to work in the dorm. However, during the pandemic the dorm was shut down when the school moved to fully remote instruction. Because some staff left during the pandemic, this created openings so that Jeanette and Veronica didn’t lose their jobs. They were instead transferred to other duties. This year the dorm has reopened, but there are only five children living there during the school week. Jeanette and Veronica take turns staying there overnight, but they do other things for the school to keep up their full-time hours. Both are hoping more children will be enrolled in the dorm over time, as things continue a slow return to normal there,” explained Renée.

“As the dorm starts to add more residential students, Jeanette and Veronica said they will be applying for Hope In Action funding for new bedding sets as well as hygiene items and supplies.”

“When the pandemic started and the dorm shut down, Jeanette and Veronica gave away much of the bedding to the children as they were checked out. They realized that, due to policies on infection, the bedding could not be reused. As the dorm starts to add more residential students, Jeanette and Veronica said they will be applying for Hope In Action funding for new bedding sets as well as hygiene items and supplies. Both expressed their deep appreciation for the Hope In Action Fund grants that Lake Valley Boarding School received during the height of the pandemic. While the school and dorm were closed and the children were doing remote learning in their homes, our organization helped with cellular service and hotspot boxes,” said Renée.

“This is the second school year that school is supposedly back to normal with fully in-person instruction. But many of the families have not returned. There are only 22 students enrolled at Lake Valley Boarding School – and everyone is enrolled in our program and is sponsored. Jeanette and Veronica are doing a beautiful job. They are eager to enroll more children, as more families move to the community.”

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Kristen Walthall | April 24, 2024

Having worked directly with Children Incorporated’s U.S. Division for two years now, I have had the opportunity to visit numerous affiliated sites in all factions of our U.S. Division: Appalachia, the Inner City, the Navajo Nation, and Puerto Rico. Our most remote U.S. sites are found in the Navajo Nation. I was struck by the isolation of our affiliations in Arizona and found that the schools with which we affiliate in New Mexico are generally located even further from towns with grocery stores, medical offices, and the like than the ones in adjacent Arizona.

Visiting New MExico

Approximately half an hour by car from Gallup to the east, Grants to the west, and Crownpoint to the north, the unincorporated community of Prewitt is part of the “Checkerboard Area” of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, which means that while it in part encompasses tribal land, it is not connected to the largest area of the Navajo Nation in the state. Prewitt is home to Children Incorporated-affiliated site Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School, which is run by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and is our newest Navajo Nation affiliation.

There is nothing quite like getting to know the selfless champions who manage our sponsorship program and special projects in person.

After an hour-and-a-half-long trek from Albuquerque to the great wide-open, I finally arrived at the school, which is only eight miles off Interstate 40. Our volunteer coordinator and the school counselor at Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School, Jimmy, is a real jokester; when he came to the front office to meet me, he introduced himself as “John,” just to throw me off. That set the tone for what was my most enjoyable site visit ever — and his nickname Jimmy-John; I eventually followed suit and ended my day there cutting up not only with Jimmy but with other staff as well.

The relationships that we make and maintain with our volunteer coordinators mean everything to the programs teams at Children Incorporated. There is nothing quite like getting to know the selfless champions who manage our sponsorship program and special projects in person. We ask a lot of them regularly, and they are all volunteers who go above and beyond not only for our beloved sponsors and donors – but most importantly for the children that their schools serve. Our work is made possible only by those who contribute financially to our mission of offering education, hope, and opportunity to children, and the volunteers who make hope happen.

Getting to know the community

Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School houses students from the Family and Child Education (FACE) program to the sixth grade. The FACE program was brought about by the BIE in 1990 as a complement to early childhood education, and to foster parental involvement in child education. Its tenants include supporting parents/primary caregivers as children’s first and most influential teachers; strengthening connections between families, schools, and communities; augmenting parental participation; celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity among Native American communities; and fomenting readiness for school and life.

Pictured is one of the sponsored children that Kristen visited during her time in New Mexico.

Jimmy told me a lot about his community during my visit, and about the specific challenges that it faces. Some of the families that Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School serves lack water and/or electricity in their homes, which is a great barrier to hygiene, nutrition, and learning. Many of the families live in homes where there are multiple generations sharing space; as a result, some folks have no other option than to sleep on the floor. Jimmy told me that, due to food insecurity that is exacerbated by Prewitt’s isolation from necessary resources, thirty students at his school receive food for their respective homes regularly. Additionally, alcoholism is unfortunately rampant among the school’s families and is yet another perpetual impediment to students having their basic needs met.

One of the school’s most influential partners is Americans for Native Americans, which is “Dedicated to improving the quality of life for Native Americans on the Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Nations by providing essential goods and programs which foster self-reliance and mutual understanding” (americansfornativeamericans.org). The Children Incorporated child sponsorship program and our special projects supplement this outstanding companion, as well as Jimmy and his staff’s great care for the children that attend Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School.

Jimmy proudly shared with me that, as a strategy to assess the day-to-day temperaments of his students, he has them do check-ins every time they approach or meet with him: “Say your name, then the truth,” he says – to which they reply with their name, age, and how they’re feeling today. Jimmy had a student demonstrate this practice with him for me so that I could witness it firsthand. Sure enough, the student knew exactly what to do after Jimmy’s prompts. Jimmy also encourages his students to practice other types of mindfulness along with deep breathing exercises to mitigate stress and stay present and focused.

Our work is made possible only by those who contribute financially to our mission of offering education, hope, and opportunity to children, and the volunteers who make hope happen.

Baca Dlo’ay azhi Community School is adorned with signs boasting encouraging phrases, such as, “Learn from your culture. It is there to help you.” Jimmy took me by the Navajo culture teacher, Mr. Begay’s, classroom, where I learned a bit about tribes and clans. Mr. Begay is of Apache descent, but his grandmother was “adopted” by the Navajo Nation. Mr. Begay’s enthusiasm was palpable, his knowledge, solid – and his sense of humor had me laughing until my belly ached, Jimmy’s humorous commentary punctuating the themes Mr. Begay addressed with the ease of a pro!

Just as our incredible volunteer coordinators are one of a kind, so too are our affiliated sites. While school communities tend to reflect the tone and challenges of the larger communities in which they are located, each school within each larger community has a culture all its own. Jimmy is an exemplary extension of an ally to his school community – and it’s almost 200 students that are better for his presence there.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | April 22, 2024

Children Incorporated has been such a blessing for all sponsored students. Specifically at Christmas, there were an abundance of students needing assistance this past year. Students weren’t being sponsored by staff or community members like in the years past. I never have to worry about my Children Incorporated sponsored children getting what the need. I am blessed to have the funds to well take care of all of their desired wishes and immediate needs.

I never have to worry about my Children Incorporated sponsored children getting what the need.

Parents giving their thanks to sponsors

Parents know the funds are here when they need support and don’t hesitate to reach out if their child has outgrown a pair of shoes or if it is a change of season and the children need new clothes. One particular parent couldn’t thank me and Children Incorporated enough for not only the sponsor providing funding but for allowing her daughter to pick out her own clothes and what she liked and would actually wear.

Another parent remarked how her child’s day was made after receiving her new spring clothes and shoes she picked out and what a positive impact this program had brought to the whole family. Not only me, but the parents of these students will forever be grateful for the blessings Children Incorporated bring us.

Sincerely,
Heather

***

How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | April 14, 2024En Español

While visiting our affiliated sites in India this past fall, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, met with Chinna Ramavath, who is now Dr. Ramavath, thanks to support he received from our Higher Education Fund. Today, Luis recounts his time meeting with Chinna while in Guntur in October, in which Chinna caught him up on what his life is like now thanks to support from Children Incorporated.

“Chinna was one of the first enrolled in our program when he was eight years old. His father was a rice paddy worker, making about $50-60 a month for the upkeep of the family, which was very difficult for him to support his family on,” said Luis.

Helping an entire village

Chinna is pictured filling out a medical report with some of his patients in India.

“Chinna and his family lived in St. Francis in Mellavagu, which is a small rural community, about 60 miles away from the city of Guntur. Chinna completed his primary and secondary school in the area. After that, and with the help OF Children Incorporated and his sponsor, Chinna was accepted in the School of Medicine near Guntur. Without this help, Chinna would not have had a chance to even finish primary and secondary school, let alone attend university. He graduated as a doctor and pharmacist, a newly implemented career option at the time in India. He then worked as a government doctor near Guntur, and of course, his salary was a bit larger than his father’s!”

“One time while visiting with Chinna, he asked me what he could do to give back the support he received from Children Incorporated to make his dreams a reality, and I replied, ‘Please help your family, help yourself, and help your village.’ Chinna is now a doctor working for the Indian government near where he grew up, helping his own community. We are very proud of him and all his hard work!” said Luis.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | April 9, 2024

Dear Friends,

Before joining the staff of Children Incorporated in 2003, I worked for another child sponsorship organization for over a decade. During that time, I occasionally heard about Children Incorporated from my then co-workers, but no one seemed to know a great deal about the organization founded by Jeanne Clarke Wood in 1964. Children Incorporated was often downplayed and written off as being rather insignificant in comparison to the much larger organization where I was then employed.

Then, in 2002, when my position with that other firm was unceremoniously eliminated, I found myself seeking new employment. I loved nonprofit work and wanted badly to remain in the child sponsorship arena; thus when a former employee of the larger organization told me that he was then working at Children Incorporated and made arrangements for me to interview there as well, I was elated. I met with Mrs. Wood, her successor as president, Marian Cummins, and a couple of other employees, and I was hired on the spot. What I immediately discovered is that those who had tried to make Children Incorporated appear insignificant were wrong.

Within days of my hire, I knew what thousands of loyal sponsors had been saying for 39 years: that Children Incorporated was an organization with incredible integrity, far-reaching arms, and a huge amount of personality. As I watched and listened to my co-workers interact with sponsors, donors, and a vast network of volunteer coordinators, I came to understand why so many had labeled Children Incorporated as “an organization with heart.”

All these years later, I am still impressed by what Children Incorporated accomplishes, and my hope for our future is that we will keep on meeting needs as we have for the last six decades, and that we will be able to meet many more needs as they arise. I also hope that we will be able to reach many new people with information about our work. I hope to share the message that Children Incorporated is an honest and dependable organization that matters greatly to thousands and thousands of children and their families. Cheers to 60 years and thank you for all you do to make our work possible!

From the heart,
Ronald H. Carter
President and Chief Executive Officer

Clean Water and Healthy Living in Kentucky

Last fall, thanks to a wonderful proposal submitted by our volunteer coordinator Kelly at Salyersville Grade School in Kentucky, we were able to provide water bottles to students as a part of a healthy living initiative started in the school district. Kelly shared that during the pandemic, many school districts either closed/shut down or greatly reduced the number of water fountains.

Cheers to 60 years and thank you for all you do to make our work possible!

This was originally done in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19. However, many of those districts have decided to remove the water fountains altogether and to replace them with water bottle stations. This move is seen as more hygienic, reducing possible COVID transmission, but also the common cold, flu, RSV, rotavirus, enterovirus (hand, foot and mouth disease) and more. Outbreaks cause sick children and high rates of absenteeism. Upon receiving the water bottles, Kelly wrote a note of thanks to Children Incorporated:

“Thank you again for the special gift, which provided water bottles for all our students. The timing was perfect, as Friday was Eagle Spirit Day for the last day of Red Ribbon Week. The students, and myself, are so thankful and excited. I am also sending you some pictures taken as I passed out the bottles. Thanks so much for all you do!”

A Warm Partnership with Subaru

In January, Children Incorporated was selected by another nonprofit organization, Operation Warm, to receive 100 new coats for our Richmond sponsored children, thanks to its partnership with Subaru of America. Our staff welcomed two employees, Rachel and Michael, from a local dealership, Hyman Bros. Subaru, who brought the coats themselves to our office to then be distributed to children at our Virginia affiliated schools! We are so grateful for the support!

Thank you, Operation Warm and Hyman Bros. Subaru!

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