Tag Archives: sponsors

Rachel Luginbuhl | April 14, 2026

At its heart, literacy is about possibility. It’s about giving a child the tools to learn, to dream, and to choose their own path forward. When we invest in literacy early, especially in underserved communities, we aren’t just teaching children how to read: we are helping them write a different future.

current literacy issues

79% of adults in the U.S. are functionally literate. That means roughly one in five adults struggle with basic reading and writing skills past a sixth grade level. That number is staggering. Literacy affects so much more than the person, it affects whole families, communities, and entire countries.

20% of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage.
Almost half the adults in the U.S. earn well below the poverty level because of their inability to read.
Illiteracy costs U.S. taxpayers an estimated $20 billion each year.
Across Latin America and the Caribbean, an estimated 28 million young people cannot read or write, and rural communities bear the brunt of this inequality.

Book Fairs and their impact

For many children, a book fair is a moment of excitement. Colorful displays, new stories, and the joy of choosing a book that feels like it was meant just for them. But for children growing up in underserved communities, book fairs are much more than a special event. They are a meaningful literacy intervention and, in many cases, a child’s first opportunity to truly own a book.

In communities facing persistent poverty, from rural areas of Kentucky and inner-city neighborhoods, to the Navajo Nation, New Orleans, and remote regions abroad, access to books is not guaranteed. Homes may have few, if any, age-appropriate reading materials. Libraries can be far away or under-resourced. Schools often stretch limited budgets just to meet basic needs. As a result, many children fall behind in reading not because they lack ability or motivation, but because they lack access.

This is where book fairs matter.

Research consistently shows that children who have books at home read more, develop stronger vocabulary, and build confidence as learners. Book fairs help bridge the gap between school and home by putting books directly into children’s hands, books they choose themselves, books they are excited to read, and books they can return to again and again. That sense of ownership is powerful. It transforms reading from an assignment into a personal experience.

Book fairs also play a critical role during the early years of education, when literacy development has the greatest long-term impact. Children who are not reading proficiently by third grade are significantly more likely to struggle academically in later years. In underserved communities, where educational setbacks are often compounded by economic stress, early literacy support can change the course of a child’s entire educational journey.

Beyond early childhood, book fairs reinforce the idea that reading has value: that stories matter, learning matters, and the child matters. For students who may feel overlooked or underestimated, choosing a book can be an affirming experience. It tells them that their curiosity is worth nurturing and that their education is something to invest in.

Internationally, the impact is just as meaningful. In remote areas of South America and other underserved regions, access to books can be especially limited by geography and infrastructure. Book fairs and book distribution initiatives help reach children who might otherwise have little exposure to reading materials beyond a classroom setting. Even in countries where national literacy rates appear strong, rural and indigenous communities often face hidden barriers that make access to books inconsistent or unreliable. In these settings, a single book can spark a lifelong love of reading.

What makes book fairs especially effective is how they work in partnership with broader educational support. When paired with school supplies, meals, encouragement from teachers and coordinators, and the stability that sponsorship provides, book fairs become part of a larger system that helps children stay engaged in school and continue learning despite the challenges they face.

At their core, book fairs represent something simple but profound: opportunity. They meet children where they are and give them tools to move forward. They remind students that learning can be joyful, personal, and empowering.

When we invest in book fairs, we invest in literacy, and when we invest in literacy, we invest in a child’s future. Every book placed in a child’s hands is a step toward confidence, independence, and possibility. For children in underserved communities, that step can make all the difference.

books at the dorm

Many Native American students live in such remote areas that they spend most of the academic year in dormitories. Although not all students board, these residential programs make it possible for many young people to receive the education they need and deserve. Children Incorporated, through our sponsorship program and generous donations from caring individuals, helps ensure they have the supplies they need to grow and thrive in these settings.

Over the summer, staff at Dzilth Community School in New Mexico shared a simple but powerful request: more books. Not just “educational” titles, but fun, engaging stories that spark curiosity and make kids want to read.

Our Hope in Action Fund exists for exactly this reason. With donations to this fund, we provided small bookcase libraries for the residential buildings, giving students easy access to books. These new libraries have already inspired more reading and kindled the students’ interest in learning.

vending machines

At many schools a quiet and exciting addition to resource classrooms is being delivered. Through grant funding and community sponsorship, we have several schools within our program that have been gifted book vending machines. These do not operate on money, but rather coins that are distributed to students as a reward for a myriad of positive reasons. Keeping a good grade in a subject, helping others, positive attitudes, all are joyous reasons to be rewarded with a chance to choose a book from the machine.

Besides being a fun tool, there are drastically important cognitive lessons at play with book vending machines. Besides being a healthy reward, it gives a child positive reinforcement, they allow them the control of picking their own item, as well as a chance to express themselves with the choice they make. To them, it isn’t about literacy, it is about the freedom of getting to make your own decision and being acknowledged for their hard work, which carries a tremendous weight in the positive growth of the child, especially one living in poverty.

Children Incorporated has been able to participate as well by providing funding for more books as they are needed through our Hope In Action Fund. As more and more of these book cases are installed in schools around the country we will continue to provide resources for as long as possible.

Thank you sponsors and donors!

Sponsorship provides more than just financial assistance—it offers hope, stability, and opportunity. Whether through education, healthcare, or the simple encouragement of knowing someone cares, children are growing into capable, hopeful young adults. To our sponsors: your support is the reason these opportunities exist. Thank you for walking alongside these children on their journey to a brighter future.

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Join Us in Making a Difference

These stories reveal just a glimpse of your support’s impact. Will you help us write the next story?

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
go online to our sponsorship portal and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Sources: https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics?

Liz Collins | March 17, 2026

Dear Friends,

Hunger isn’t just an inconvenience — it remains one of the most persistent barriers that dims a child’s chance to succeed. Around the world, millions of children struggle with food insecurity, and too many families don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Across the United States and around the world, children in poverty face a challenge no child should have to navigate: hunger. For too many families across the United States and abroad, the cost of food competes with rent, utilities, school supplies, and basic health needs. Children feel those sacrifices most. When kids don’t know when they will eat again, their ability to focus, grow, and thrive begins to slip away.

For over six decades, we have joined forces with local schools and community organizations to make sure children receive the nourishment they need, not only during the school day, but also on weekends, during school breaks, and in seasons of crisis, so hunger does not get the final say in a child’s future.

How the Feeding Program Works

IN THE UNITED STATES
Children take home bags of nutritious, non-perishable food from school on Fridays. This ensures they have meals throughout the weekend when free and reduced‑price school meals pause.
For families already stretched thin, these bags offer reassurance that their children will not face long gaps between meals. A $50 donation can can provide a filled backpack for a month. Could you find it in your heart to donate this amount for a child needing food?

AROUND THE WORLD
The Feeding Program provides daily meals or essential food supplies at partner schools in countries such as Guatemala, the Philippines, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Your $100 donation can fund a partner school’s nutrition program for an entire week.
In many of these communities, these meals are the most reliable nutrition a child receives, giving them the physical energy and mental focus they need to learn and grow.

Why this work matters now

Hunger remains one of the most persistent barriers to a child’s well-being and education. In America alone, millions of children face food insecurity, going without adequate nutrition because their families simply cannot afford it. Globally, lack of food and proper nutrition contributes to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and limited opportunities for children desperately trying to rise above poverty.

Without consistent access to food, children aren’t just hungry, they’re at risk of falling behind in school, struggling with health issues, and losing confidence in their ability to succeed.

Here’s what your generosity can do

$25 – A week of school meals for one child.
$50 – One month of weekend food packages for a family in need.
$100 – Supplies can be purchased for the sustainment of community gardens.
$350 – Nutrition support for multiple unsponsored children in a high-need area.
$1000 – Long term nutrition support for an entire international school and their families.

What your gift means in Action

Food packages sent home on weekends or holidays give families peace of mind, so kids don’t go hungry when school isn’t in session.
Through our global network of local partners and volunteer coordinators, every dollar goes directly to putting nutritious food into the hands of children who need it — in the U.S. and abroad.

Today we ask that you stand with these children

When you give to the Feeding Program Fund, you join a compassionate community that refuses to let hunger dim a child’s potential. Consider making a gift to the Feeding Program Fund today. With every contribution, you help provide nourishment, stability, and opportunity to a child who is waiting for someone to care, someone like you.

Sincerely,

Liz Collins, President of Children Incorporated

Want to PARTICIPATE in our feeding program fund?

Children Incorporated | February 28, 2026

Breaking the cycle of poverty takes more than one approach. Children Incorporated has helped more than 300,000 children access education, healthcare, and basic necessities since 1964 — and there are many ways to be part of that work. Whether you want a direct relationship with a sponsored child, the flexibility of a one-time donation, or the scale of a corporate partnership, this guide covers every giving path available to you.

1. Sponsor a Child — $35/Month

Child sponsorship is the foundation of Children Incorporated’s mission.

For $35 a month, you are matched with a specific child living in poverty across one of 20 countries, including the United States. Unlike programs that distribute pre-packaged goods, Children Incorporated works through local volunteer coordinators — teachers, social workers, and community members who know each child personally. They use your monthly gift to individually source custom-fit clothing, proper shoes, school supplies, and medical care tailored to that child’s actual needs.

Sponsors receive letters from their child and annual photo updates, creating a real, lasting relationship. Roughly 10,000 children are enrolled in the sponsorship program each year.

Who this is for: Donors who want a direct, personal connection to the child they’re helping.

2. One-Time or Recurring General Donation

Not ready for a monthly sponsorship? A general donation — one-time or automatic monthly — keeps Children Incorporated’s programs running and ensures that resources can be deployed wherever the need is greatest at any given moment. These flexible funds support operational oversight, volunteer coordinator networks, and the community infrastructure that makes individual sponsorships possible.

Who this is for: Donors who want flexibility without a long-term commitment.

Give a one time donation today via Stripe
DONATE VIA STRIPE

3. Honor and Memorial Donations

Give a gift that means something. Donations made in honor of a living friend or family member — for a birthday, anniversary, or holiday — are a meaningful alternative to a traditional present. Memorial donations celebrate the legacy of someone who has passed. Children Incorporated sends a personalized card to the honoree or their family acknowledging your tribute.

Who this is for: Donors looking for a purpose-driven gift for someone they love.

4. Host a Fundraiser

You don’t have to give alone. Children Incorporated actively supports donors who want to mobilize their own networks. Options include:

Online birthday fundraisers on social media platforms
School supply drives in your neighborhood or workplace
Community walk/run events
Charity dinners or local gatherings

Hosting a fundraiser multiplies your personal impact and introduces new donors to a cause that changes children’s lives.

Who this is for: Community organizers, teachers, local businesses, and anyone with a network ready to rally around a cause.

5. Specialized Giving Funds

If you want your gift to address a specific, immediate need, Children Incorporated manages four dedicated funds:

Shared Hope Fund — Ensures children on the sponsorship waitlist receive basic necessities while they wait to be matched with a sponsor.
Hope in Action Fund — Provides rapid-response emergency support — food, clothing, and medical care — for families facing natural disasters or personal crises.
Feeding Programs Fund — Funds consistent, nutritious meals for school-aged children so hunger doesn’t become a barrier to learning.
Higher Education Fund — Scholarships and financial aid for students pursuing college or vocational training as a path out of generational poverty.

Who this is for: Donors who want to target a specific area of need rather than give to a general fund.

6. Fund a Special Community Project

Children Incorporated partners with local communities to build and improve the environments where children learn, play, and grow. Special Project donations fund infrastructure improvements that benefit entire groups of children at once:

Classroom construction and expansion — Building or renovating educational spaces and sanitation facilities
Playgrounds — Safe, dedicated spaces for play, physical development, and social skills
Community and school gardens — Teaching self-sustainability while providing a steady source of fresh food

Who this is for: Donors who want to see a tangible, community-level result from their giving.

7. Donor Advised Funds

At its core, a Donor-Advised Fund is a tax-advantaged account dedicated to charitable giving. An individual, family, or corporation contributes to a fund managed by a sponsoring public charity and receives an immediate tax deduction. The money is contributed to the account, grows tax-free, and the donor then recommends grants to their favorite nonprofits over time. While the sponsoring organization is the legal donor of the grant, the donor holds advisory privileges over where the grants go. Learn how to give a DAF here.

8. Legacy Giving and Bequests

For donors who want their impact to outlast them, legacy giving allows you to name Children Incorporated as a beneficiary in your will, trust, or life insurance policy. Your gift continues to fund education, health, and opportunity for children in need for decades to come — a lasting expression of your values.

Children Incorporated has been a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 1964, and contributions may be tax-deductible. Consult your tax advisor for guidance specific to your situation.

Who this is for: Donors engaged in estate planning who want their generosity to create a generational legacy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Giving to Children Incorporated

How much does it cost to sponsor a child? Child sponsorship is $35 per month. That gift is used by a local volunteer coordinator to individually purchase clothing, school supplies, and medical care for your specific child.

Is Children Incorporated a legitimate charity? Yes. Children Incorporated is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has operated since 1964. It has no religious or political affiliation and has assisted more than 300,000 children worldwide.

Can I give a one-time donation instead of a monthly commitment? Yes. One-time general donations and one-time gifts to specialized funds are both available and help Children Incorporated direct resources where they’re needed most.

What happens to children waiting for a sponsor? The Shared Hope Fund provides for children on the sponsorship waitlist so they aren’t left without support while waiting to be matched.

Can my company partner with Children Incorporated? Yes. The Corporate Partnership program allows businesses to fund entire projects or fully support an affiliated site, creating large-scale, measurable impact.

Choose Your Path

Every giving path — from a $35 monthly sponsorship to a corporate grant to a bequest in your estate plan — funds the same core mission: giving children living in poverty access to education, healthcare, and the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Explore all giving options at Children Incorporated →

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Join Us in Making a Difference

These stories reveal just a glimpse of your support’s impact. Will you help us write the next story?

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
go online to our sponsorship portal and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Sources: https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics?

Rachel Luginbuhl | February 25, 2026

What is energy insecurity?

For many Southern families in the United States, winter brings more than a chill; it brings tough decisions. Energy insecurity (EI), a silent crisis affecting millions nationwide, often signifies an inability to meet heating, cooling, and energy needs. Low-income families, especially in rural areas, often face drafty homes and skyrocketing utility bills that outpace paychecks.

When the cold sets in, some must make heartbreaking “heat or eat” choices, spending what little they have on warmth or on food. In rural regions across Kentucky, West Virginia, and beyond, older homes and limited access to energy assistance leave families vulnerable to another bitter season.

The Impact of Cold Weather on Children

When temperatures drop, the challenge for our enrolled children extends far beyond just a “chilly morning”. By lacking warm coats, shoes, or clothing, some students must miss school entirely, not by choice, but out of necessity. Missing school deepens existing attendance struggles, especially for children already living in poverty.

Helping provide warm clothing isn’t just about comfort; it’s about keeping children in class, connected, and ready to learn. A warm jacket can mean the difference between isolation and opportunity.

Climate and Inequality: When Weather Hits Harder

Extreme weather magnifies long-standing disparities in high-poverty, Black, and Hispanic neighborhoods, which already face structural barriers. When harsh heat or cold hits, those barriers grow higher, affecting health, school performance, and family stability.

Southern cities like New Orleans may see fewer winter storms than northern states, but when cold snaps hit, they hit hard. Older homes aren’t built to retain heat, and families living on thin margins have few safety nets. Even though New Orleans is in the South and bouts of cold weather are limited, the need for warm clothing is still their greatest need and the area in which our sponsors help children the most.

In the deep rural areas of Appalachia, steep mountain roads become treacherous when ice or snow arrives. When communities are cut off, students lose access not only to school but to the nutritious meals they depend on there. When significant winter weather hits, it is not an easy task to make the roads passable again – which limits the resources available to already struggling families.

Across North Carolina, from urban Raleigh to rural mountain towns, energy insecurity creates a health and learning risk. Studies find that households that must allocate more than a large share of income toward utilities are far more exposed to extreme temperature swings and health risks.

In the inner-city neighborhoods where we work in Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, winter brings a different kind of strain. Many families live in older buildings with inconsistent heat and rising utility costs. A stretch of freezing temperatures can mean crowded living spaces, missed school days, and parents forced to choose which bill to pay first. For children already navigating economic hardship, winter can interrupt learning, routine, and a sense of security.

How you can help

In times of hardship, whether from a cold snap, a family crisis, or ongoing energy insecurity, children need to know they are not alone. Through funds like Hope In Action and the Clothing Fund, our donors help provide warm coats, hats, gloves, emergency food, and other critical supplies when families need them most.

Working with trusted school partners and local volunteer coordinators who know their communities well, we quickly identify children who are struggling and respond with compassion and care. Your donations and sponsorship support helps them stay warm, stay in school, and stay focused on learning rather than survival.

Harsh winter conditions do not affect every family equally. Some can absorb the shock; others feel every degree of cold intensely. That is why your sponsorship and donations matter. When you give, you help a child stay warm, fed, and present in the classroom, and you invest in their future, building resilience and hope that last long after winter has passed.

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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

Rachel Luginbuhl | January 26, 2026

Sleep is seen not just for rest, but as a real superpower that fuels learning, well-being, confidence, and connection. That is the core behind Beyond Bedtime, a non-profit that regularly partners with us at Children Incorporated. Children living in poverty and unsettled housing situations many times forgo sleep for safety. This affects their education, development, and overall well-being. On top of working to make sure they have basic needs, Children Incorporated strives to make sure more than just the basics can be provided. We do that with the help of dedicated partners, like Beyond Bedtime. Together we can make the world better for the children living in it.

How they Began

Beyond Bedtime, originally called The Pajama Program, was founded in 2001, and began with a simple but profound idea: every child deserves comfort and care at bedtime. What started as a simple act of collecting pajamas from friends and family grew into a national organization focused on sleep health, emotional well‑being, and healthy nighttime routines.

Today, Beyond Bedtime works with schools, shelters, foster care agencies, and nonprofit partners across the country to ensure children not only receive pajamas and books, but also the support and education needed to build positive bedtime habits that contribute to long‑term success. They are not just giving pajamas, but helping children, caregivers, and educators learn about healthy bedtime routines and sleep habits.

In 2025, the organization officially rebranded as Beyond Bedtime to better capture its broader mission: combining bedtime essentials and tools for nurturing healthy sleep for long-term well-being.

Why Pajamas Matter

Something as simple as a new pair of pajamas can make a meaningful difference. For children experiencing hardship, pajamas can:

Create a sense of normalcy and routine
Support better sleep and focus in school
Help children feel valued and cared for
Ease stress for families already facing difficult circumstances

When children sleep better, they are better equipped to learn, grow, and thrive.

A History of Working Together

Children Incorporated has been grateful to collaborate with Beyond Bedtime over the years. In 2008 the Pajama Program reached out to our the CEO Ron Carter to see how their program could help children enrolled in our program. At that time, donations were coming directly from the Pajama Program, but as they grew they began partnering with other groups to meet the ever growing need. For the last 17 years we have received donations not just from them, but from local churches, run clubs, PTA drives, and many other sources, all because of this amazing partnership. These donations are still helping families meet basic needs while reinforcing the importance of consistency, comfort, and care at home.

While Children Incorporated focuses on providing children with resources such as food, clothing, shelter, and education, Beyond Bedtime strengthens that foundation by supporting rest and routine—key elements of a child’s physical, emotional, and academic well‑being. And the past several years have been a wonderful testament to their mission. Working to ensure our sponsored children had opportunities this year they partnered us with a local church who in turn abundantly provided for local Richmond children. In the past week we were able to deliver over 300 pairs of pajamas to location children, some of which do not currently have sponsors and would not have received any assistance otherwise.

Looking Ahead

This recent pajama delivery is a reminder of what’s possible when organizations come together with a shared purpose. We are thankful for Beyond Bedtime’s continued generosity and commitment to children in need, and we are proud of the impact our collaboration has made—and will continue to make—in the lives of the children we serve.

Together, we’re helping children rest easier tonight so they can dream bigger tomorrow.

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These stories reveal just a glimpse of your support’s impact. Will you help us write the next story?

You can sponsor a child in one of three ways:

Click Here to go online to visit our sponsorship portal and search for a child that is available for sponsorship
call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with a real person in our sponsorship department
email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org

SPONSOR A CHILD

Children Incorporated | November 28, 2025

You’ve probably seen child sponsorship programs before and wondered: does this actually work? Does my money really reach a specific child, or does it disappear into an administrative black hole?

Those are fair questions. And for Children Incorporated, the answers are yes, yes, and here’s exactly how.

For $35 a month, you’re matched with a real child — a specific boy or girl living in poverty in one of 20 countries, including the United States — and you stay connected to their life as they grow. If you’ve been looking for a way to give that feels personal and real, here are ten reasons child sponsorship with Children Incorporated might be exactly what you’re looking for.

1. Your $35 Goes Directly to One Child

This isn’t a donation that gets pooled and distributed across thousands of programs. Your monthly gift is tied to a specific child. It pays for their school uniform, their medicine, their shoes. When you sponsor a child with Children Incorporated, you know exactly whose life you’re changing — because it’s one life, not an abstraction.

2. You Watch Them Grow Up

Sponsorship isn’t a transaction. It’s a relationship that unfolds over time. Every year, Children Incorporated sends you an updated photo and a progress report on your child — their school performance, their interests, their milestones. You’ll see their face change from year to year. That’s not something most charitable giving offers you.

3. They Get What They Actually Need — Not a Generic Package

Here’s what makes Children Incorporated different from a lot of child sponsorship organizations: they don’t send identical pre-packaged boxes to every child in every country. Instead, they work through local volunteer coordinators — teachers, principals, social workers — who know your child personally. Those coordinators use your sponsorship funds to shop for your child individually, based on what that specific kid actually needs right now. The right size shoes. The specific medication their doctor prescribed. The school supplies their classroom requires. It’s personal in a way that generic aid programs simply can’t be.

4. You Become Proof That Someone Cares

For children growing up in severe poverty, one of the most painful experiences is feeling invisible — like the world doesn’t know they exist. When a child learns that someone in another city, another country, knows their name and chose them specifically, that matters in a way that goes beyond the material support. Your sponsorship tells a child: you are seen. That message is powerful, and it’s one only you can send.

5. You Help Break a Cycle That Can Last Generations

The most lasting thing Children Incorporated provides is education. And education is permanent — once a child learns to read, write, and think critically, no one can take that away from them. Your sponsorship keeps a child in school, stable, and supported through the years when it would be easiest to drop out. That investment doesn’t just change one life. It changes the lives their children will live, too.

6. Your Letters Give Them a Reason to Learn

Sponsors and children exchange letters. For a young student still building their reading and writing skills, that correspondence isn’t just heartwarming — it’s a real-world reason to practice. Local volunteer coordinators help with translation and delivery, but the motivation is yours: a child working hard on a letter because they want their sponsor to be proud of them. It’s one of the more quietly remarkable things about this program.

7. You Support the Whole Child, Not Just Their Schoolwork

True support doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Your sponsorship addresses your child’s full development — physical health through nutrition and medical care, emotional wellbeing through the consistent encouragement of having a sponsor who shows up every month, and social development by giving them the stability to simply be a kid alongside their peers. Children Incorporated thinks about the whole person, not just the test scores.

8. You Can Actually Meet Them

This one surprises people. With proper planning, a background check, and coordination through Children Incorporated’s child protection process, you can arrange an in-person visit with your sponsored child at their school or community center. Very few sponsorship organizations offer this. The experience of meeting a child whose life you’ve been part of — in person — is something sponsors describe as genuinely life-changing.

9. You’ll Feel It Working

There’s no guessing whether your money is doing anything. When a handwritten letter arrives from your child, or when the new annual photo shows a kid who looks healthier and happier than the year before, you don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. The impact is right in front of you. That kind of feedback loop is rare in charitable giving, and it’s one of the reasons sponsors tend to stay sponsors for years.

10. One Child’s Success Ripples Outward

When a child grows up supported, educated, and believing in their own potential, they don’t just improve their own life — they go on to uplift their families, contribute to their communities, and often become the kind of adults who help other children. Your $35 a month isn’t just an investment in one kid. It’s a small bet on a better world, placed one child at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Sponsorship

How does child sponsorship work at Children Incorporated? You’re matched with a specific child living in poverty. Your $35 monthly gift is used by a local volunteer coordinator to individually purchase clothing, school supplies, healthcare, and other necessities tailored to that child’s needs. You exchange letters and receive annual photo updates throughout the relationship.

Is $35 a month enough to make a real difference? Yes. Because Children Incorporated works through existing local networks and volunteer coordinators rather than building separate infrastructure, your monthly gift goes directly toward your child’s needs with minimal overhead.

Can I choose the child I sponsor? Yes. You can browse children available for sponsorship on the Children Incorporated website and choose a specific child to support.

What countries does Children Incorporated work in? Children Incorporated operates across 20 countries, including the United States, working with 225 affiliated sites in 8 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and 19 foreign countries.

Can I visit my sponsored child? Yes, with proper planning and a background check, Children Incorporated will work with you to arrange an in-person visit at your child’s affiliated school or community center.

Is Children Incorporated a reputable charity? Children Incorporated is an independent, nonreligious, nonpolitical 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has operated since 1964 and has assisted more than 300,000 children worldwide.

Ready to Meet Your Child?

Thousands of children are waiting for a sponsor right now. Browse the children currently available and find the one you’d like to support — then begin a relationship that will matter to both of you for years to come.

Find a child to sponsor at Children Incorporated →