Tag Archives: sponsor

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.

***

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

written by Renee Kube

Renée oversees Children Incorporated’s work in the United States – from the rural southeast and southwest to our urban areas in New Orleans, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. She works closely with our network of more than 100 volunteer coordinators at each affiliated site. For sixteen years, Renée managed our sites in the Appalachian Region before taking her current role in 2010.

» more of Renee's stories

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.

***

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

written by Renee Kube

Renée oversees Children Incorporated’s work in the United States – from the rural southeast and southwest to our urban areas in New Orleans, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. She works closely with our network of more than 100 volunteer coordinators at each affiliated site. For sixteen years, Renée managed our sites in the Appalachian Region before taking her current role in 2010.

» more of Renee's stories

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.

***

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

written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 225 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with AllPeople Marketplace!

AllPeople Marketplace is a sustainable shopping platform that offers a curated selection of products from ethical and socially responsible brands. Its mission is to positively impact the world by promoting sustainable shopping practices and supporting charitable organizations.

AllPeople Marketplace is partnering with Children Incorporated because they strongly believe in our mission to provide life-changing resources to children worldwide.

AllPeople Marketplace believes that businesses have a responsibility to prioritize the well-being of people and the planet, and it is committed to providing a transparent and fair platform that promotes small and independent brands. AllPeople Marketplace is dedicated to creating a community of conscious consumers who share the goal of creating positive change.

Giving back to charities

AllPeople Marketplace recently launched a new online platform dedicated to sustainable and socially responsible shopping. The marketplace provides a one-stop shop for consumers looking to support businesses that prioritize the well-being of people and the planet while also giving back to charitable organizations. The company simultaneously announced the hiring of its new CEO, Keith Barrows.

With a growing selection of products ranging from personal care and wellness to home goods and fashion, AllPeople Marketplace is designed to meet the needs of conscious consumers who are looking for a convenient and trustworthy source for sustainable shopping. The marketplace also offers a range of resources and educational content to help shoppers make informed purchasing decisions.

“We’re thrilled to launch AllPeople Marketplace and to provide a platform for consumers to easily discover and shop from ethical and sustainable brands,” said Bill Wollrab, AllPeople Marketplace founder. “We believe that by making it easy for consumers to shop sustainably and support charitable causes, we can create a positive impact on the world.”

Our partNership with AllPeople

AllPeople Marketplace is partnering with Children Incorporated because they strongly believe in our mission to provide life-changing resources to children worldwide. Customers can choose to support Children Incorporated at checkout, and 5% of the proceeds from every purchase will be donated to our organization at no extra cost.

“We believe that businesses have a responsibility to create positive change in the world, and we’re committed to supporting our partners in that mission,” said Wollrab. “By creating a community of like-minded businesses and consumers, we can work together to build a more sustainable, equitable, and compassionate world.”

AllPeople Marketplace is now live and accessible to shoppers in the United States. To learn more about the marketplace and its mission, please visit allpeoplemarketplace.com.

***

written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 225 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories

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. 

***

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

written by Children Incorporated

We provide children living in poverty with education, hope and opportunity so they have the chance for a brighter future. Thanks to past and current supporters around the globe, we work with 225 affiliated sites in 20 countries to offer basic needs, emergency relief, and community support to thousands of children and their families each year.

» more of Children's stories

Dear Friends, 

In my 21 years with Children Incorporated, I have noticed that older children in our sponsorship program are often quite difficult to pair with sponsors, even though their needs are just as great as those of our younger children. We find that older teens, with just one or two years remaining in high school, face many trials and challenges, and their needs are equal to, if not greater than, those of their younger counterparts. They desperately need motivation to stay in school and to complete their studies, and the encouragement they receive from their sponsors — just from knowing that someone actually cares — may help to determine if they graduate.

You, my friends, have the potential to change the life of one of these youth.

Today, I am reaching out to you, our loyal supporters, to request that you consider adding one of these older teenagers to the children you already assist. We currently have approximately 50 such teens who are in their last few years of high school, and they can greatly benefit from the support of a caring sponsor like you. Your support will mean a great deal to them as they transition from childhood into their adult years and make important decisions about their future. If you could take on an additional child for even one or two years, it would make a world of difference. 

One of our amazing volunteer coordinators recently shared the following words with us, and I wish to share them with you:

“You give children relief. Relief from the burden of standing out due to their stained or ripped clothing and shoes. Relief from wearing clothes that do not fit, or clothes that leave them cold in the winter. Wearing clean, well-fitting clothes gives a child dignity, and it eases the fear of standing out or being picked on. It removes a barrier to their learning, and removing this burden from their small shoulders brings a lightness back to their childhood.”

Sponsorship matters and sponsorship makes a difference, perhaps in no greater way than in the lives of impressionable youth on the verge of adulthood. You, my friends, have the potential to change the life of one of these youth. Thank you for considering my request. 

From the heart,
Ronald H. Carter

***

HOW DO I SPONSOR An older CHILD WITH CHILDREN INCORPORATED?

You can sponsor an older 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 with the filter “13 or older.”

SPONSOR A CHILD