Tag Archives: sponsorship

Rachel Luginbuhl | September 10, 2025

Whether the children are in the United States or another country, they all deserve to be properly fed, clothed, and cared for, and with your help and through your kindness and generosity – Children Incorporated is steadily working to improve their lives. Whether during the busyness of the school year or the calm of summer days, all children deserve to receive a good education, live with a sense of hope, and pursue opportunities for their future.

The 2025/26 school year has officially begun in the US!

We hope you have been enjoying our recent posts showing all our back to school photos. We are so excited to see the school year begin again! Thanks to your generosity, children around the world have the backpacks, school supplies, and clothes they need to begin the school year with confidence. Your support also helps provide nourishing snacks throughout the day, and often the weekends. We couldn’t do this important work without you. Your support ensures our children can return to school with the supplies they need to succeed. They can focus on their education, not on whether their shoes will last another week. Thank you!

Holiday Reminder

Although it may still be summer for most, holiday giving is fast approaching. To make your contribution for your child’s holiday gift head over to our website and log in to your account, or call us at 1-800-538-5381. The deadline is October 15th, don’t delay.

Dandora Update

A lot has been happening at the Dandora Community Centre, one of our affiliated sites in Kenya.

During the recent holiday break, they were hard at work making some improvements. This included cementing the floor of two dormitories that had broken/worn down, repainting the walls of the dormitories and putting ceramic tiles on the entryways. The long term goal is within the next two years, the flooring in the classrooms will be replaced as well.
Improvements like this are only possible because of the generosity of you, our sponsors and donors. You are ensuring the environment our students are learning and living in is safe and secure. As they begin their new school term we know they are grateful for each of you.

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Unsponsored Child Spotlight

Lillian* attends St. John’s Community Centre, where she is currently in the fourth grade. She has just entered our program and is looking for a sponsor to help her education succeed. Her and her four siblings are all being raised by their mother, who makes about $75/month. Lillian does not let that keep her from dreaming though, her favorite subject is math and she wants to become a teacher when she grows up. She works hard, helping her mother and family and would love for you to get to know her and help her goals become a reality.

Sponsor Lillian today!

*Name has been changed.

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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 a real person in our sponsorship department
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

Rachel Luginbuhl | August 28, 2025

This August marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, forever altering the landscape of New Orleans and the lives of its residents. The storm made landfall on August 29, 2005, breaching levees, flooding neighborhoods, and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. Among those hit hardest were school-aged children, who found themselves suddenly without homes, classrooms, or the routines that once gave them a sense of stability.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, the city’s public education system was in shambles. Of New Orleans’ 128 public school buildings, 100 were destroyed or rendered unusable. The 2005–2006 school year came to a standstill. By November 2005, fewer than 10 schools had reopened. By December of the following year, just 55 public schools were operating- less than half of the city’s original total.

It wasn’t just the physical infrastructure that changed, the state of Louisiana took control of most of the city’s public schools. This move began a sweeping, and controversial, transformation of the city’s education system. All educators were fired, and the union contract was allowed to expire. Almost all attendance zones were eliminated so that families, in principle, could choose any publicly funded school in the city.

: (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

: (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

: (Photo credit PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

This new system brought both opportunities and challenges. Supporters pointed to academic gains and increased school choice for families. Critics raised concerns about equity, oversight, and long-term community involvement. What remained constant, however, was the need for ongoing support—especially for students from low-income families who were navigating trauma, poverty, and systemic change all at once.

It was during this pivotal time that Children Incorporated began its work in New Orleans.

In 2007 Ron Carter—our Assistant Director of Appalachian Programs and newly appointed Director of Urban Programs—was expanding Children Incorporated’s reach into urban areas. He had just launched our very first partnership with Communities In Schools in Richmond, Virginia, and saw a similar opportunity in Louisiana. Recognizing the urgent needs following the storm, Children Incorporated reached out to Communities In Schools of New Orleans, where he connected with then-Executive Director Sara Massey. After many thoughtful conversations and a thorough vetting process, Sara saw that Children Incorporated would be a reliable and compassionate partner in rebuilding student support systems.

Thanks to Ron’s dedication, Children Incorporated established its first affiliated site in New Orleans: Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary. This was quickly followed by additional school partnerships at four other schools, allowing us to support even more students through one of the most challenging periods in the city’s history.

Over the years, Children Incorporated has supplied essential resources such as school uniforms, shoes, hygiene products, rain gear, and books to students. These supports help reduce barriers so children can attend regularly and participate effectively. Through sponsorship and site-coordinator partnerships, Children Incorporated has provided winter coats, laptop computers, food deliveries, and even utility bill assistance to families. In one school, Children Incorporated helped students establish an edible garden, where children grew fruits and vegetables for cooking classes—housing hands-on learning, nutrition exposure, and teamwork.

Today, we’re proud to continue that legacy through our ongoing partnership with Communities In Schools Gulf South.

By the end of the state takeover 13 years later, all of the city’s schools were converted to charter schools, and New Orleans schools were reunified into one district governed by the local school board and superintendent. By 2015, it became the first major U.S. city to have a school system composed entirely of charter schools. While the city’s school system has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years, one thing hasn’t changed: the need for consistent, personalized support for students who are overcoming the odds—both in school and in life.

As we reflect on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we honor the resilience of New Orleans and the strength of its students, families, and educators. We also recognize the importance of long-term partnerships and the role each of us can play in building brighter futures—no matter what storms may come.

Suggested Sources for Linking (or citation):

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Want to be part of a story that’s still unfolding?

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

Rachel Luginbuhl | August 12, 2025

recent International Visits

Our International team recently visited several locations, making sure each child in our program is given health and opportunities. On a recent visit to our affiliated sites in Kenya, they were able to witness the hard work of the coordinators working with the children everyday.

Unfortunately, the challenges faced by the families we support remain profoundly severe. Many children come from acutely under-served environments and dysfunctional family units, with minimal assistance from local government and community partners. The rising cost of living, compounded by extremely low household incomes, creates a dire situation for these families. Ethiopia presents a harsh economic landscape, characterized by a lower cost of living. Mid-level income families earn a meager $50 per month, with those at the lower end struggling with even less. Here, the impact of sponsorship is truly profound; it represents a substantial portion of a family’s monthly income and extends its benefits far beyond the individual child enrolled. It is, as described, “a God-blessing sent,” providing comprehensive relief and empowering entire households to meet basic needs and invest in their children’s future, and most important: their education!!

Sponsors serve as a vital lifeline for real people facing enormous challenges, and help to provide necessary resources to send children to school and ensure they receive nourishing meals – support that families would otherwise be unable to afford. This ongoing assistance offers a crucial layer of stability in an otherwise precarious existence.

U.S. SUMMER FEEDING PROGRAM

Summer in the U.S means students are at home but that doesn’t mean we aren’t active! Our Feeding Program is hard at work making sure children have access to food despite not being inside the classroom. Many will be participating in back to school shopping soon, we can’t wait to support them as they anticipate returning to school.

Be sure to check out our recent Facebook post about a student who was gifted a professional haircut to be looking his best for the first day of school.

End of the School Year

Students at the Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf in Lebanon are currently enjoying their summer break, which will continue until October. They shared with us several photos of the students celebrating graduation, having meals together, and spending time encouraging each other before the break. Despite the enormous difficulties in Lebanon this year, our sponsored students remain optimistic, and are incredibly grateful to their sponsors for providing them stability and a chance at education.

Welcome Liz!

At the Children Incorporated headquarters we have been so excited to welcome our new CEO into the office as she begins the transition into the position.

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Unsponsored Child Spotlight

“Alima” is from a small town in Chile, attending the Handicapped Children’s Center. She is one of 6 children her mother is raising alone. On the meager salary of a tailor, Alima needs a sponsor to help her with the supplies for her to continue school. With just two more years to go, her dream of graduating and becoming a nurse to work to help others can not be possible without you.

*Name has been changed.

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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 sponsorship department; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal and search for a child in that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Rachel Luginbuhl | July 19, 2025

U.S. Feeding program

Summer for the US affiliated sites is a much quieter time. Kids are out of school and our volunteer coordinators are receiving a much needed break before ramping up for the next year. Even though summer is relatively calm, Children Incorporated is still actively making a difference in the lives of many students and their families. Through our Feeding Program, many children receive nutritious meals, even when the school cafeterias they depend on so much are closed. Some of our coordinators also provide “summer bags” for some children, ensuring that their basic needs for hygiene and personal care items, as well as towels and swimsuits, are met. These small items bring normalcy and inclusion to their summer – they don’t need to be afraid of not participating due to something as simple as no swimsuit. As one of our coordinator explains:

Sponsorship doesn’t just meet needs, it restores hope, builds confidence, and creates opportunity

“At the end of the year students received some summer clothing and hygiene items, as well as a towel, swimsuit, and a fun activity. It makes me smile to know that they are able to have these experiences that they would not normally be able to all with the help of their sponsors.”

International Community Gifts

Our International sites also face challenges during the summer months and during breaks from school. For students at The Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf in Lebanon, summer is time away from the school dormitory, spent at home with the family. These children and their families rely on support from Children Incorporated to get them through the school year, and summer is no different. They are extremely grateful for the clothing and shoes they receive, the food they are provided, and some benefit from new batteries for their cochlear implants, even while away from school. Our sponsors and donors do so much to make this happen. One generous sponsor recently donated a generous community gift, and as the direct result, five of our unsponsored students at the Andeweg Institute are now receiving food assistance.

Affiliated Site Visits

Several times a year all of our directors travel around the world to connect and engage directly with the coordinators and students within our program. Keep following on social media to hear their stories of how children are being uplifted and supported to break the cycles of poverty.

Transition Letter from Ronald Carter

If you haven’t already heard, our current CEO will be retiring at the end of September and Liz Collins will be taking his role at President and CEO. Check out his letter to our sponsors, donors, and all upcoming participants in our organization here.

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Unsponsored Child Spotlight

This is Maria*. She is 13 years old and is currently in the eighth grade. In her home country of Honduras she resides at the boarding school with her four siblings. Her teachers describe her as intelligent and she loves playing soccer with the other students at her school. Maria has big dreams for her future, she dreams of becoming a lawyer and helping create a better world around her. This is an impossible goal without a sponsor to assist her achieve her ambitions. Sponsorship means young women like Maria can help change the world for future generations, and you can be the one to make that a reality.

*Name has been changed.

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How do I sponsor a child with Children Incorporated?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Ron Carter | July 11, 2025

To all,

I have been employed by Children Incorporated since February of 2003, and I have served as President and Chief Executive Officer since April of 2012. I consider myself among the most blessed and fortunate people on earth to have spent the last twenty-two years doing work that I absolutely love and believe in, the work of Children Incorporated.

Now, the time has come for me to step aside and enjoy my retirement, and allow a new leader to guide this wonderful organization.

After over a year of intense deliberation, as well as many deep discussions and countless hours of considerations, our Board of Directors has selected and approved my successor, and I could not be happier with their choice. The person selected to replace me as President and Chief Executive Officer has history with Children Incorporated, knows and respects the uniqueness of the organization, and also has the passion and drive to lead Children Incorporated forward. She is also known, trusted, and valued by many of you. The person approved to become the fifth President and Chief Executive Officer of Children Incorporated is Elizabeth Collins, our current board-chair.

Liz worked for Children Incorporated from mid 2003 until the fall of 2010. She started work with us as the person who puts together child information packets for new sponsors, but Liz quickly moved into the marketing division, where she served as Director of Marketing for most of her first tenure with Children Incorporated. Liz left our organization in 2010 following the birth of her son Noah, though she continued as a sponsor and maintained relationships with a number of staff members. Liz joined our Board of Directors in 2013, and in 2014, when our previous board-chair died from brain cancer, Liz agreed to take over that position. She has served as board-chair for approximately eleven years at this point, and in that role, she has been an incredible asset to me. It is with Liz that I have shared complicated work issues, and Liz has helped me deal with legal matters, sponsor and donor concerns, and personnel issues over the years. Liz is bright, practical, logical, progressive, and I am confident that she will become a great leader for Children Incorporated. Liz is simply an incredible person, and I am convinced that she is the right one to step into my shoes as President and Chief Executive Officer of Children Incorporated.

Liz will join our staff in her new role at the start of August, and she and I will work together throughout that month and September as she embraces her new responsibilities. I will end my time as President and Chief Executive Officer of Children Incorporated at the end of September 2025, though I plan to continue to support the valuable and life-changing work of the organization and stay in touch with Children Incorporated in the days and years ahead. I covet your best wishes and prayers as I move into the next phase of my life, and I ask you, most sincerely, to keep Children Incorporated on your list of organizations to support. It is, in my informed opinion, one of the most dependable, effective, well-run, and honest charities on earth.

Thank you for the years,

Ronald H. Carter

President and Chief Executive Officer

Children Incorporated | April 7, 2025

Yefiny Mena, our International Programs Specialist, tells us about her visit to the Juan Apostol School in Guatemala with Children Incorporated Director of Programs Luis Boudret. The Juan Apostol School allows impoverished children to get an education and participate in skills training programs.

“The Juan Apostol School, founded in 1990, is located in Villa Nueva. This area is about 25 miles from Guatemala City, but due to the recent expansion of the city, it has been incorporated into the metropolitan area. About 800 students receive a good education in a low — or middle-income private school, and 112 are enrolled in the Children Incorporated program. Very low-income families are selected to participate in the Children Incorporated program,” said Yefiny.

“All the children participating in our program would not be able to attend this school without the generosity of our sponsors. These sponsors help the children pay their monthly school fees and provide them with food, school supplies, shoes, and clothes.”

“Juan Apostol School is a private school, so it does require families to pay tuition for their children to attend. The school has two buildings; one is entirely dedicated to children from kindergarten to 9th grade. The other building is utilized for grades 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, equivalent to high school and a technical training program.”

“Our coordinator is Mrs. Ruth Morales de Morales, known by her nickname “Tita,” who has been our coordinator for 40 years. Mrs. Morales, her husband, and her son (the actual director) run the entire school,” said Yefiny.

“During our visit to the school, we learned how the students’ daily routine goes by. The school at all levels follows a rigorous educational program that benefits the children. Along with a well-disciplined program, the school is famous nationally for having a modest but well-placed computer program. Parents can access computerized controls to monitor children’s education, transportation, grading, participation, homework support, etc., a unique approach in the country. The school is also known for having one of the best marching bands and music programs of this level in the country, which they use to motivate students for better educational performance.”

“The buildings are solid and adequate for their purpose, but some need minor improvements. The educational program was enhanced a few years ago when Children Incorporated offered support to implement skill training programs to aid the children further. Since then, these programs in Food Preparation, Computers and Robotics, and Cosmetics and Beauty have been incorporated into the academic curriculum,” said Yefiny.

“The children in this school can choose from various technical courses, so by the time they graduate, they can make an income and provide for themselves and their families. The school offers technical sewing, computing, culinary, and beauty courses. Children can choose the one they are most interested in, so while they finish high school, they also learn new abilities.”

“Children Incorporated has donated some industrial kitchen sinks this year to help these children continue their education. During our visit, we watched these kids work in their different areas. They gave us valuable information about their learning techniques and classes and demonstrated their abilities in each region,” said Yefiny.

“It’s important to highlight that all the children participating in our program would not be able to attend this school without the generosity of our sponsors. These sponsors help the children pay their monthly school fees and provide them with food, school supplies, shoes, and clothes.”

“Our sponsors have blessed all these families that depend on their generosity to help their children have a better future. Our coordinator expressed gratitude to the sponsors on behalf of the children’s parents,” said Yefiny.

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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