It’s June and weddings and engagements abound. So many people are preoccupied with decisions about the perfect gift…a silver platter, a place-setting of fine china, a vase?

This morning, while speaking with a friend facing these daunting decisions for three about-to-be-wedded couples who really did have everything, we tried to come up with ideas for meaningful gifts. After a little thought I remembered a recent email from Judy Hoffman who began the Art Creation Foundation for Children several years ago. ACFFC provides about 90 kids in the Haitian town of Jacmel with scholarships for school as well as mandatory uniforms. Every day the children arrive at the rented building where ACFFC runs their programs…they share meals, go to school, study together, take part in art lessons, and in so doing, have created a wonderful extended family. For kids in Haiti this is as close to the good life as you can get. Judy’s email mentioned that the kids really wanted to learn English this summer but she didn’t have the funds to do this.

Would the couples be happy to know that a donation was made in their names that would allow a large group of kids in Haiti to take English lessons this summer? What could be more meaningful? In just a few minutes the idea took shape and now three young couples will be honored in this very special way. Each will receive a note about the children and ACFFC, some pictures of the kids and a tiny hand-crafted paper mache bird (much like the birds in this picture) that the kids create in their art classes.

Now isn’t that better than another fragile piece of glass?

We couldn’t help but smile when we saw this picture of joyful faces that arrived in our mail this morning.

The girls were all part of the group Bat Mitzvah sponsored by the Forgotten People Fund, an all-volunteer group that works with the large poor Ethiopian population in Netanya. FPF volunteers, led by Anne and David Silverman, establish personal relationships with many individuals and families and help provide them with basic needs.

Because of the generosity of a small foundation here in the States, FPF was able to gather 10 girls (all recommended by local social workers) for this festive simcha. Every celebrant was provided with a beautiful new dress and invited a table of family and friends to join the celebration. There was delicious food, a DJ, and lots of Israeli, American and Ethiopian dancing throughout the evening.

The Good People Fund is happy to have made this beautiful connection. We are sure this special event allowed the girls and their families to feel "just like everyone else."

Holly Hirshberg who lives in San Antonio, Texas grew up in a family that always produced bountiful gardens filled with fresh produce. When she married and established a family of her own she continued this tradition until 2008 when the country fell apart in the Great Recession. Always creative, and a successful social entrepreneur, Holly realized that people could make up for the loss in income by growing some of their own food. If she provided the seeds along with gardening tips and information, why couldn’t people start their own gardens? (Even apartment dwellers can do this with container gardens.) And so the idea for Dinner Garden was born. Holly and her husband Sean registered Dinner Garden as a non-profit in 2009 and since then they have distributed more than 65,000 envelopes filled with seed packets to people all over the country and also were instrumental in the establishment of more than 190 community gardens.

When we met Holly and Sean on a visit to Texas a few months ago, Holly’s enthusiasm was the first thing we noticed. Surely, she could help alleviate hunger in this creative way. When we asked how the Good People Fund could help, it was quickly decided that funds to purchase thousands of zip-lock bags (of all sizes), mailing envelopes and postage could dramatically reduce the waiting list Dinner Garden maintains for people requesting seeds for their own gardens. Since seeds are donated, our funds allowed Holly to start her volunteers on a packing spree and before long envelopes were in the mail (the above picture shows some of those envelopes volunteers.)

This morning Holly shared the following email from a recipient of one of those packages. It certainly confirmed the value of our investment and reminded us of just how important alternative and innovative ideas will go towards alleviating hunger in this country.

Dear Dinner Garden,
I received in the mail yesterday an envelope with my seeds as a GIFT.
I wanted to share my excitement and how thankful I am. We have been
planting a garden in past years and this year with no income and 4
kids we were so upset that we did not have the money to go buy plants
and than(sic) the mail came and to my surprise my garden in a envelope. My
husband was hurt at work and we were told our son is going to have to
have heart surgery since his heart condition is not getting any
better. So with all the bad news, not even getting into the medical
problems with my 3 wonderful girls, this was a truly amazing gift
and I want you to know and understand how much you HELPED my family.
It was like a wish come true. Thank you again. Stacy
Lorain Ohio 44052

As Dinner Garden’s web site proudly proclaims, "You Can Grow Your Own Food" and the Good People Fund is thrilled to be able to help.

We loved being part of a grand day in Jerusalem last week when two busloads of LA-based March of the Living participants took part in a tzedakah/mitzvah event we helped arrange with two of our programs. Ruthie Sobel Luttenberg of Birthday Angels arranged for ten simultaneous birthday parties at Neve Michael and we heard that the celebrants and their classmates, as well as the guests from California had a great time mingling with Sesame Street characters who were part of the festivities.

In addition, March of the Living teens also had a chance to interact with 200 survivors who reside in a local hotel. Darla Oz from House to House put together an amazing program which we are sure will not be forgotten by either group. As Darla shared with us this morning:

The event was fabulous!!!!

The kids were the best ever; they interacted with the Survivors and they loved it. One young girl spoke Russian and she taught them how to say a couple of words. They also wrote a little note in Russian and gave one to every Survivor.

It was pure joy for the Good People Fund to help make these arrangements. We know that everyone who participated benefited from the experiences.

Miriam Avraham and Beth Steinberg are Jerusalem Moms, each with a special needs child. When faced with limited opportunities to provide their kids with meaningful summer and after-school activities they decided it was time to do something about it. Refusing to just bemoan the lack of quality programs, they set about to start their own. What began in 2007 as a summer program with 10 children, has grown today to Shutaf, a well-run quality organization that provides summer camp, after-school activities and holiday camp experiences for both special needs and typical kids. This inclusive program follows a model that encourages diversity and welcomes children with and without disabilities from across the religious and economic spectrum.

We first visited Shutaf on a warm afternoon during our Israel trip this past February. Set in Jerusalem’s beautiful Nature Museum, Shutaf’s programs were literally buzzing with activity. Each group is composed of both special needs and typical children of different ages with a range of disabilities. As we walked the halls we noticed one group intently watching a snake handler sharing the mysteries of snakes, while another group nearby was working on an arts and crafts project. In all of the noise and activity stood Deb, Shutaf’s amazing program director, totally unfazed by the din and activity.

Have Miriam and Beth hit upon a real need in their community? You bet. In the few years since they began, they now have a waiting list of families anxious to enroll their kids in Shutaf programs.

It did not take us long to decide that Good People Fund tzedakah could be wisely invested in scholarships for potential campers. In addition, a generous donor came forward and underwrote an amazing Purim party which all the kids enjoyed.

We were excited to hear of the completion today of AmpleHarvest.org’s free app that allows anyone with the new Android phone to access AmpleHarvest.org’s database to find nearby food pantries or soup kitchens where they can donate any excess produce from their home gardens. This app, along with an earlier version suitable for the iphone was underwritten by a grant from the Good People Fund.

Gary Oppenheimer, AmpleHarvest.org’s founder told us exactly how it works:

Using either the built in GPS or a user entered zip code, the app displays a Google map highlighting all of the AmpleHarvest.org registered food pantries in the area. Once a pantry is selected, it then displays detailed data including the contact and address information, days/times that the pantry can accept donations, as well as information about items the pantry most urgently needs. It can also connect the user with the pantry web site if one exists. Lastly, it also provides donors a convenient way to inform AmpleHarvest.org about the items or produce donated, should they wish to.

For most of us the planting season is about to get underway. It costs so little to plant a bit more–think of how many hungry people might benefit from your green thumb!