Share In Their Future

El Refugio Welfare Center

The El Refugio Welfare Center is located in the rural Honduran town of El Progresso.  This region of Honduras  suffers from high levels of illiteracy and unemployment--and these problems are exacerbated by frequent hurricanes and other natural disasters.  As a result of these issues, the rate of child poverty in the area of El Refugio is shockingly high. 

El Refugio was established in 1998 in response to the catastrophic hurricane known as "Mitch," which nearly destroyed the entire town of El Progresso.  Many people lost their lives, and today the population still grapples with the effects of homelessness, disease, and heightened poverty stemming from that disaster.  The progress of rebuilding homes and schools has been very slow.  El Refugio is a place where many of the poor and abandoned children of this town come for food, clothing, and educational assistance. 

All of the children at El Refugio are enrolled with the Children, Incorporated Latin American Division, and many of them are sponsored.  This assistance provides them with a variety of necessities as well as friendship and encouragement.  In November, the children created holiday cards for their Children, Incorporated sponsors and donors:

VCU Toy Donation Update: A Christmas Surprise for One Richmond Family

Children, Incorporated recently received more than 150 new toys from employees of the VCU Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.  CI staff delivered the toys to schools in  the  Richmond area on Monday morning. 

On Tuesday, Ron Carter, Director of the Inner City Division, returned to one of the schools to meet with Carol, the school’s CI project volunteer. During their meeting, a call came in from a single mother of two who was desperate to find toys for her children for Christmas. This woman lost her job in early December, and she has been struggling to pay her bills. She now has a new job, but she will not start receiving paychecks in time to purchase Christmas gifts for her children. Ron could hear the woman crying as she spoke to Carol. 

Carol asked the woman what types of toys her children wanted. The woman replied that her son likes Spiderman and dinosaurs, and her daughter loves baby dolls and My Little Pony items.  Carol explained to the woman that almost all of the CI toys had already been distributed and that she might not be able to give the children exactly what they wished for. 

Yet when Carol went to the box containing the few remaining toys, she was astonished to find a Spiderman football, a dinosaur play set, a My Little Pony blanket, and a beautiful soft baby doll!  Carol and Ron were both amazed!   Just the right items remained! 

 Ron delivered the toys to the woman’s workplace that afternoon, and the children will receive them on Christmas morning. Thanks to the generosity of our friends at VCU, some very precious children will have a wonderful holiday.

 

Recognition from the Richmond Public Schools

The Richmond, Virginia Public School System has recognized Children, Incorporated as a vital community partner.  Since forming the Inner City Division in 2005, our organization has provided more than $100,000 in funds, goods, and services to impoverished children in Richmond.  Click here for more information on our partnership with the Richmond schools. 

Toy Donation for our Richmond Programs

The Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation chose Children, Incorporated as the beneficiary of its annual holiday gala, which took place at the Science Museum of Virginia on Saturday, December 15.  Each of the gala's 150 guests donated a new toy to CI.  On Monday morning, CI staff delivered the toys to children at Swansboro Elementary and Summer Hill Elementary.  A third portion of toys will go to Blackwell Elementary later this week.  All three schools are located in Richmond's southside district.  CI extends a very heartfelt thank you to our benefactors at VCU!  You have truly brightened our children's holidays.

Above: Some of the VCU staff who contributed toys to our children.  Dr. David Cifu, second from left, is chair of the department.  He helped to coordinate the event. 

Above: more than 150 toys for Richmond children!

 
Left: Ron Carter, Director of the Inner City Division, delivers toys to Swansboro Elementary.  Right: Liz Sauer, Director of Marketing and Development, delivers toys to Summer Hill Elementary.

Kenyan Project Volunteers Visit CI Offices

Earlier this month, the leaders of two of CI's Kenyan projects visited our headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. 

Henry O. Nyasemi is the director of the St. Charles  Orphanage-School in  the Kisii area of western Kenya.  In addition to running the orphanage, Mr. Nyasemi serves as the project volunteer for the facility's CI program. 

Thomas Marabu is the director of the St. Caroline Orphanage, which is also located in Kisii.  Like Mr. Nyasemi, Mr. Marabu also serves as his orphanage's CI project volunteer.

The men gave a presentation to the entire CI staff in which they described the orphanages they run and the children who live there.  They also toured the offices and met with various staffers to discuss their programs' needs.  Everyone at CI was very pleased to meet them!

From left: Peter Pastore, COO;  Luis Bourdet, Director of the Foreign Division; Thomas Marabu, Director of the St. Caroline Orphanage in Kisii, Kenya; Henry Nyasemi, Director of the St. Charles Orphanage-School in Kisii, Kenya; Marian Cummins, President and CEO; and Carolyn and Chuck Fricke, long-time friends of Children, Incorporated. 

Virginia Currents

Children, Incorporated will be featured on tonight's episode of Virginia Currents, a public television show broadcast on the Virginia Community Idea Stations.  The segment will provide a behind-the-scenes look at our programs and operations.  If you live in central Virginia, we hope you will tune in!  Click here for more information on the broadcast.

A Great Friend to Children, Incorporated

The late Dr. Richard Carlson, author of the best-selling Don't Sweat the Small Stuff series, was a great friend to our organization.  In his first two books, he praised Children, Incorporated as his favorite charity.  This recommendation resulted in more than 4,000 sponsorships.  We still get at least fifty new sponsorships each year from people who first heard about us in Dr. Carlson's books.  Everyone at Children, Incorporated is very grateful for Dr. Carlson's long-time support.

Kris Carlson, Dr. Carlson's widow, recently appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss her husband's life and legacy.  A summary of the episode is available at oprah.com. 

Unsafe Housing Conditions

All of the children who participate in CI programs live in poverty.  This trailer is home to a CI child and five of his relatives:

Such living conditions are common among our United States children--and the children in our Foreign and Latin American divisions often reside in even more dilapidated housing.  You can help alleviate this poverty by sponsoring a child or by making a donation to Children, Incorporated. 

Home for the Holidays

Your donations to our General Fund provided a sponsored child and his family with a special gift, just in time for the colder months ahead:

“On behalf of [sponsored child] Tim and his mother, we would like to give our sincere thanks for your prompt response and your  willingness to assist this family with a special gift…As a result of your donations, the family was able to have their electric services restored and return to their residence.  This really meant a lot to the family.  It is through the generosity of organizations and individuals such as you that make a tremendous difference in the lives of the families we work with.”  --Marilyn, Volunteer Coordinator, Richmond,  Virginia