I just spoke to Lila*. She is still at home. She says she is doing a bit better … She talked again about the thrill she feels about receiving the money. In fact, she said she is feeling the most contentment that she has felt in the past 3 years! She said to be able to order a pizza and spend $10 without worrying is a feeling beyond words. Could the money be going to a more worthy woman, I ask you?

Eileen Sklaroff shared this comment with me this morning. As head of FHBS-The Female Hebrew Benevolent Society in Philadelphia, now the longest-running Jewish charitable organization in the United States, Eileen knows only too well, many more "Lila’s". Her all-volunteer group provides a safety net for hundreds of people who find themselves in a difficult place. Lila is an 87-year-old widow who lives on her monthly Social Security check – a bit more than $1000. With the death of her son over a year ago she lost the one stabilizing force in her life who she knew would help her with any unmet needs she might have. A loving grandchild with several young children of their own, as well as a few friends and other relatives help when possible but it is not easy. Fiercely independent, with many serious health issues, Lila has learned to live an extremely frugal life. When Eileen told us her story and asked if we might help, the Good People Fund immediately committed to paying one month’s rent just to give her a bit of a break, as well as a $50 monthly stipend so that she might enjoy a modest pleasure as small as a pizza.

We are sure we will not forget this story the next time we call to order a pizza.

POSTSCRIPT
A few days after we posted this story, Eileen Sklaroff wrote and shared the following comment which came to her from the social worker who works directly with Lila:

Hi Eileen – I cried reading this. The account took on a different dimension for me when I saw it in writing. I have thought about why Lila continues to talk about how much getting a pizza means to her. I believe it is about the little things in her life that she can no longer afford – that she misses. In and of itself, it is not the pizza, per se. It is the small things that she took for granted during her earlier years. Lila is one of the fortunate ones who can now enjoy some of these small joys. How sad I get thinking about all the people who will never be able to enjoy a simple pizza.

F.

It is indeed those "little pieces of pizza" that keep the Good People Fund going every day… so quickly we all forget what it is that makes up "life".

*To ensure confidentiality "Lila’s" name has been changed.

Our kids have very full lives – I rejoice whenever I am with them yet I am sad because there are so many children, even in Jacmel that we cannot help. Hopefully, as our children grow up, they will continue to reach out and the community will expand exponentially. For us, it is important to stay focused on who we are and what we do at all times. We all are dismayed and want to fix the world re Haiti but we can not. We can empower these kids to do so.

So wrote Judy Hoffman in a recent email. Judy is the dedicated founder of ACFFC-Art Creation Foundation for Children which has been involved in saving children’s lives in Haiti since 2000.

After speaking with Judy on the phone and then meeting her in person we could not believe our luck. This woman was a treasure and her program everything we could have wanted when considering how our funds could make an impact on the extreme losses in Haiti, post-earthquake.

Long interested in folk art and the owner of several pieces of Haitian art, Judy traveled to Haiti in 2003 and was overwhelmed not only by the extreme poverty and begging children that seemed to be everywhere, but also by the brilliantly-colored art that is so much a part of the local landscape. Moved to do something, Judy and several other art collector-friends began by raising funds to help feed the kids as well as give them simple art lessons. Knowing that developing their artistic talents could give them a means to support themselves down the road, Judy and her friends enlisted the help of a local artist friend who offered Jacmel’s children daily food and art instruction.

Today, post-earthquake, there are 80 kids in the program. To take part you must attend school, and ACFFC provides the modest sums needed for classes as well as mandatory uniforms. Every day the children arrive at the rented building where ACFFC operates…they share meals, go to school, study together, take part in art lessons, and in so doing, have created a wonderful extended family. Their artwork (including the most beautiful and colorful paper mache birds and bowls and masks) has been exhibited in many galleries and expositions and is, in a word, stunning.

How could we help? With about 22 children of high school age, tuition for next Fall will be over $5000 which includes books, uniforms and exam fees. Using funds sent to us at the time of the earthquake as well as additional donations, the Good People Fund has assured these kids an education for next year.

When Judy told us that she could not imagine her life without these kids we knew we had come to the right place to help recovery in Haiti. ACFFC is focused, runs and extremely lean program with no overhead (costs come to less than $1000 per child per year and board members cover all overhead expenses), is transparent and efficient (Judy travels to Haiti at her own expense every 6-8 weeks; board members also visit regularly) and, above all else, it is so apparent that they truly love what they do.

A worthwhile tzedakah investment for sure!

It doesn’t happen often, but it has occurred before, and when it does it makes you pause. The call we received but five minutes ago required an immediate response and how grateful we were that our donors have made it possible for us to say "yes" when "no" is just not possible.

The caller was Scarlett Fave, our contact at the Caridad Center in Florida. The Center is an irreplaceable resource for the many migrant and service workers that live in the region. Scarlett knows that when she has a problem that she cannot solve, she can always call and if we can, we will help. Scarlett’s problem? A child with Cerebral Palsy had just died and the family’s limited resources made it impossible for them to cover the (very reasonable) funeral expenses. Could we make up the difference?

Could we not?

They survived the camps in Europe and miraculously ended up in the holy city of Jerusalem. A happily married couple, life was okay.

As old age crept up on them, so did many health issues. Today, the wife suffers with cancer – a particularly insidious cancer – one whose treatment has steadily eroded her face. When all of the chemo, surgery and radiation were completed, the doctors declared success. Until…the disease appeared in her gums, forcing her to have all of her teeth removed. She can no longer "eat" and all of her food must be liquefied so that she can drink it through a straw. Believe it or not, her devoted husband has been doing this chore manually so that she can get some nourishment and strength.

This was the story I just heard from Darla Oz, who, with her husband, founded House to House. (An organization that we have written about many times in this Diary) Darla does extraordinary work, much of it with vulnerable survivors in Jerusalem, and has a never-ending list of needs. Each time we are in touch the stories get more and more disturbing. On this call, Darla mentioned that in addition to the cancer, this elderly couple can barely scrape together the funds they need to buy proper-fitting adult diapers or the medications they both require to maintain some semblance of good health.

Here, though, is where this story takes a twist. Several weeks ago a good friend sent us some tzedakah money with instructions that it be used to help a survivor. The money was put aside. I knew that it would not be long before I would find just the right place to use it. Now was the right time. I told Darla to go out and buy the high-powered blender that would do the job needed to produce food the wife could eat.

But – the story does not end here. The donor, when told about how her tzedakah was used, was so moved by the story and the injustice of this sad situation that she shared my email with her friends, some of whom then made their own donations to the cause.

Today, but a few days after the initial conversation, this elderly couple will have not only their blender but also a monthly stipend which will cover the cost of the extra diapers and medicines they require.

…One cannot help but wonder how a Shoah survivor ends life with such a horrific disease, but that is another story for another time….

May 5, 2010

Fifth Ward Elementary

We just received this note from our friend Samantha Lakin who is completing her second year of work for Teach for America. Over the past year Sam has shared some very poignant stories about the children in her class as well as the difficulties she and other teachers encounter as they try to broaden their students’ life experiences with very minimal available resources. Sam has confirmed through both words and pictures that our small tzedakah investment paid off big returns to those kids who experienced the wonders of the aquarium.

…We had the best time. They loved the museum and the art projects they got to do…We also toured the museum, visit the studio and spoke with an artist.

Before we left all the kids were using the words…awesome, fantastic, and cool. Those are 3 words that are hard to come by when you are working with kids. They loved the experience. Parents have contacted me over the weekend and at school to tell me when their kids got home all they wanted to do was paint, color, and draw. Thank you for opening up a door for these kids. You have given them a new opportunity and a way to express themselves. Thank you for all you do for our students…

This was an excerpt from an e-mail I received this morning from one of the staff at the McRoberts School in McRoberts, Kentucky. As part of our ongoing work with this tiny school tucked away in the mountains of Appalachia, we agreed to provide funds for some field trips to museums and other venues which the kids might otherwise never see.

Judging by this note, their trip this past weekend to the William King Art Museum was a resounding success! We are excited about the part we played in broadening these kids’ experiences and wonder if perhaps a young Picasso might come forth from this opportunity…??