Around here in New Jersey, today is the last day of school and kids are going off to camp or playgrounds for some summer fun. So, it was with particular interest that I read today’s e-newsletter from the Forgotten People Fund. FPF is a group of dedicated volunteers in Netanya who have committed to helping the very large poor Ethiopian population in that city. Knowing that they not only do good work but do it with an overhead of about 2% or less makes this a sound tzedakah investment for us.

Today’s newsletter announced a special program called SWIMSAFE which offers swimming lessons to children whose parents cannot afford to provide them. The kids receive 8 lessons, learn the safety rules and are considered beginners when they complete the professionally-run course.

The inspiration behind SWIMSAFE was the accidental drowning last summer of Avraham, a local youngster who visited one of Netanya’s beautiful beaches and drowned. FPF volunteers felt that the best way to make sure that never happened again was to start SWIMSAFE and when they recently met Avraham’s father they told him that it was his loss that inspired them to start the program. He thanked them "profusely and said he hoped that no other parent would suffer what he and his family have been through".

So – to celebrate the start of summer fun the Good People Fund is sending a check to cover 10 more kids who can learn to SWIMSAFE!

Just two days ago we were delighted to receive tzedakah from students at Temple Beth El in Tacoma. Included in their extensive list of designees were the "Quincy Kids" in Massachusetts who have worked for years to end child slavery throughout the world. This group of middle-school students is driven to help kids around the world with their passion, vision and energy. We love to help them.

Within minutes of getting the donation we sent an email to Ron Adams, their dedicated teacher-advisor and asked him for a quick list of the kids’ immediate needs for their campaign. Ron responded at once and yesterday we went online to order everything they needed (including lots of stamps which have not yet arrived). Today, not even 48 hours later, we received the following email:

Hi Naomi,

Ron Adams on behalf of The Quincy Kids
Broad Meadows Middle School
Quincy, MA

It was our pleasure to act on behalf of the Beth El students and the Quincy activists. In fact, right before this all happened we received the above photo which shows Quincy students wearing their new t-shirts. The shirts are the one piece of recognition the kids get for all of the hard work they put in during the year. The shirt is emblazoned with the flag of Nepal, where this year’s fundraising will provide for the education and protection of poor children in the rug making region of that country. Way to go Quincy and Beth El!

From time to time we have written here about Zeev Birger who, with his late wife, Trude (z’l), helped so many poor families in Jerusalem. Trude’s work (and then Zeev’s) goes back to the days of Teddy Kollek, Jerusalem’s colorful mayor. Teddy knew of Trude’s amazing energy and spirit and asked if she and some friends might want to help very poor families living in the city’s Romema neighborhood. With the same can-do attitude that Trude always showed, soon families were helped with all kinds of needs…food, clothing, funds to pay for the heat in the winter. But, in truth the very best gifts Trude and Zeev gave to those families were the times they spent talking to them, and the funds they contributed to underwrite higher education for their children. Dozens and dozens of kids broke through the poverty that encompassed their families and many became professionals, tradesmen…supporting themselves and their families.

With Trude’s death several years ago, Zeev continued the work. It was not easy. In recent years he would share how hard it was to raise the funds but he knew he must because that was what Trude would have wanted.

A few hours ago, an email arrived announcing Zeev’s death from a tragic traffic accident. The only person in his family to survive the camps, Zeev was hit by a motorcycle and died from his injuries. Trude and Zeev’s legacy is huge…so many lives changed for the better because two people turned their own personal tragedies into goodness and justice.

May Zeev’s memory be for a blessing. He will be missed.

Betty’s* story is one I love to share… As her physical limitations grew it became more difficult for her to stay on top of the cleaning and de-cluttering in her apartment; hanging clothes in the closet became impossible as she could no longer reach that height. At some point Betty refused to let anyone visit fearing that eviction and possible institutionalization might result.

But then, Irene Zola of L.i.L.Y (Lifeforce in Later Years) came into her life and everything changed. Irene never really understood the "nursing home scene" until her elderly mother fell and required a stay in a nearby home. When her mother died several months later, Irene knew she had to do something. In just her small Manhattan neighborhood, government statistics showed 1100 seniors, many, like Betty, living alone. Before long, Irene found others who shared her frustration about eldercare and L.i.L.Y.- Lifeforce in Later Years was founded.

After meeting Irene we knew this was a program we wanted to support. With our funds, professional help thoroughly cleaned Betty’s apartment and cleared large amounts of accumulated items, and coat racks were purchased to allow her to store her clothes where she could comfortably reach them. Shortly after, Irene reported that Betty was inviting neighbors in to share a cup of tea…a victory, for sure.

In addition, the Good People Fund’s matching grant, allowed Irene to reach out to more elders, and attract more volunteers and new funders to her work.

With people living longer and an infrastructure totally unprepared for that reality, Irene’s intergenerational volunteers are running errands, stopping for a cup of tea and a chat (see the smiles in this picture), taking walks, finding other resources to help solve problems…just being there. What a wonderful model they have built. Our government can continue to argue: Medicare-yes? Medicare-no?, but Irene Zola’s dedicated volunteers will make a difference and we are happy to be part of it all.

*a pseudonym

I want to thank you so much for the very generous contribution you have made to send my children P and F to camp for the second summer in a row. The funding you are providing makes a huge difference in my ability to send them this summer. I know that through Eileen Sklaroff (whom I refer to as my "angel" for all of her help), you know how difficult my situation is. It means so much that there are people like you and Eileen who are able to understand and respond. My children didn’t ask for this situation, and I am so grateful that , because of such help, they are able to have the Jewish summer camp experience that means so much to them, despite the family financial difficulties…

The circumstances may be a little different – one comes from a family where domestic violence tore the family apart; another abandoned (along with his mom) by her father when he went off to live with someone else; for others whose families are intact and functioning normally, the economic crisis covering our country makes time away at camp an impossibility.

As in the past, the Good People Fund has just committed to being part of the solution for several families represented by the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society of Philadelphia. When Eileen Sklaroff, the organization’s compassionate and efficient director approaches us we know that she has done her homework and not only found the most worthwhile cases, but also assembled a group of "investors" who can come together to make it all possible. This is one group we are thrilled to be part of.

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?