Back on December 5 we wrote here about a family in Arkansas who we had learned about from Randi Cairns at Homefront Hearts. Randi shared that John Smith*, the father, was a disabled veteran and that the family was struggling with no hot water heater, a poorly insulated house and little chance for some modest presents for the upcoming holiday. We offered to do what we could and sent along not only the gifts but also arranged for a new water heater as well as some insulation work on their home.

A few weeks ago the following arrived here. While we know that the work that we do often has a significant impact, nothing quite prepared us for the eloquence and heartfelt emotions John shared with us. It reminded us of the very reasons why the Good People Fund exists and of how much of an impact we can make. Please read through and see for yourself…

22 December 2010

John Smith,

* a pseudonym

With his behavior spiraling downward, school officials had no choice but to remove Michael* from his class. It was clear that he was no longer taking the medications he needed that allowed him to remain in school. What had suddenly happened? Quite simply his parents’ financial situation had changed and they could not afford to fill the prescriptions. Though they had applied to the state for their son’s health insurance, the application had not yet been approved. The school nurse even intervened and called the state to expedite the family’s application – she was unsuccessful.

Not willing to give up, the nurse called our friends at Down the Block and in record time the medications were purchased and Michael returned to school the next day.

Wendi Weill began Down the Block just as the economy turned a few years ago. It was her response to stories she was hearing about her neighbors who had come on hard times and found that there was no other local agency that existed for just this type of short-term, emergency situation.

As the end-of-year donation season began the Good People Fund offered Down the Block a challenge – we would match any amount they received from new donors up to $4000. Wendi was thrilled to have this opportunity to attract new support for her work and within one month had met our goal.

Now Michael and other neighbors, just down the block, will have a new chance to overcome an emergency situation that could quickly spiral into something much worse.

*a pseudonym

The Rabbanit Kapach has been helping people in Jerusalem for decades; indeed as she herself approaches her ninth decade, her actual work began when she was just a child. Her life is dedicated to mitzvahs and tzedakah – a summer camp for city kids who would otherwise have little distraction from the long hot summer days on Jerusalem’s streets; Passover food for thousands of poor people; daily knocks at her door by people who just cannot provide sufficient food for themselves and their families.

The Good People Fund likes to help the Rabbanit in her work and often provides her with those very items she distributes to others in need. When recently in touch, we asked her what she could use most during the winter months. Her quick answer? Underwear and sox!

So, with the help of others we arranged for the purchase and delivery of a large supply of both. As you can see from this picture, no one could be happier than the Rabbanit. We are sure that those who receive these necessities will be grateful to her (and to our donors who made it all possible.)

No matter where they may live, studying for school does not always come easily for many kids. For students living at the St. Mary Kevin Orphanage in Uganda, studying is doubly hard because so many of them, orphaned through the HIV/AIDS epidemic or civil war, have no parents to guide them nor books of their own. For most of them, sharing textbooks is the norm.

When we recently spoke with Gloria Baker Feinstein, founder of Change The Truth, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of the 190 children who now call St. Mary Kevin Orphanage Motherhood home, she was about to make her (annual) visit to the school. How could we help? Gloria told us about the shared textbooks and that she hoped to be able to gather the funds needed to purchase a sufficient number of books so that all students would have their own and be able to study independently whenever they wanted.

With the Good People Fund’s donation of a little more than $2000, Change the Truth has established a library of academic textbooks for the primary school-aged children. Now, whenever a child needs a textbook they need only go to the library, check out the book, and study hard.

Gloria tells us that the books should last for four years…a great return on our tzedakah investment!

What kid doesn’t like to start the day with a good breakfast including a bowl of cereal? Unfortunately, for many kids in this country this seemingly simple part of a day’s nutrition is beyond reach and that is where our friends at the L.A.-based Bagel Brigade step in to help.

We wrote about the Bagel Brigade and their founder, Herman Berman, last month when Herman died at the age of 90. Bagel Brigade volunteers (mostly retirees and students) gather each day to collect leftover baked goods from retail establishments and deliver them to local schools, pantries and shelters where they will nourish hungry people. They also provide boxes of cereal to schools that offer breakfast to students who arrive hungry each morning.

When we learned that a large box of cereal cost them $1.25 to purchase in quantity we decided that we would like to help. So, with our donation of $4320 there will be an awesome number of cereal boxes arriving at local schools in the San Fernando Valley.

Now for the hard part – should we suggest Corn Flakes or Wheaties? (we know the kids would prefer Fruity Pebbles but…)

Dear Broad Meadows Operation Days Work Members,

Naomi

Since first meeting their inspiration, Iqbal Masih, a young Pakistani child activist in 1994, generations of middle school students at the Broad Meadows Middle School in Quincy, MA. have been involved in converting their idealism-into-action through annual student voted, student funded partnerships with established organizations devoted to ending child slavery, poverty and the exploitation of kids. Though they work under the gentle guidance of a dedicated teacher, Ron Adams, it is the kids themselves that do the work and make the decisions. This year, their efforts will focus on children in Nepal where the literacy rate is one of the lowest in the world, only 35% for girls.

So – with the Good People Fund’s investment of a few hundred dollars, the Quincy kids will have a webcam, poster board, crayons, markers, pens, notebooks and even some pretzels and other treats for their after-school meetings…all tools they will use to change the world.