More than 20 years ago Katherine Freund, a young mother from Portland, Maine, learned first-hand the terrible consequences of elders who continue to drive despite failing health, poor eyesight and loss of quick reflexes. Her young son, was suddenly critically injured by an elderly driver.

What do we do when aging parents should no longer be driving? How do we take that last bit of independence from them? There is never a simple solution, but after her son’s long and difficult recovery it became Katherine’s quest – to allow elders to maintain their independence and dignity despite giving up their car and license. That quest became the Independent Transportation Network (ITN)), a national organization dedicated to finding solutions for transportation needs for seniors and others with vision problems. One of those solutions is the door-to-door, arm-to-arm program that offers transportation on demand, either at no cost or greatly reduced cost. Transportation is provided mostly by volunteers using private cars (instead of vans and buses), giving elderly riders more comfort and attention.

ITNAmerica has grown tremendously since we first met Katherine. Today there are sixteen ITN affiliates scattered across the country with more communities in various stages of program development. The Good People Fund has offered support to one of the newest affiliates in Central Connecticut which began offering rides only a few years ago. Our offer to match new funds was quickly met and today ITNCentralCT offers 24/7 service to the area’s many seniors and visually impaired residents. As one woman mentioned, "I think it’s like having my own chauffeur."

Indeed it is.

Hello, Naomi –

Kate

Casting For Recovery is dedicated to helping women with breast cancer recover, both physically and emotionally, through the unique benefits of fly-fishing…a sport which uses just those muscles most affected by breast cancer surgery. The physical benefits of a weekend retreat in a beautiful natural setting, surrounded not only by other women experiencing the very same turmoil, but also a group of volunteers committed in every way to making the event transformative, create a perfect therapeutic experience.

This year The Good People Fund once again offered a challenge grant (this time) to the Vermont/New Hampshire chapter to enable them to hold their annual fly-fishing retreat earlier this month. The chapter’s volunteers held a successful online auction, ran a small fundraiser and managed to attract several new private donors-all of which propelled them well beyond the $2500 match we offered.

We wish we could have been there!

Back in 1999, Jack Hairston was not in the best of health. Walking was difficult and required not only significant effort but also special equipment. Until the day he spotted a young man riding on his street with a bike that had no working brakes, life was pretty dreary. Noticing that the only way the youngster could stop his bike was to put out his foot and hit the curb, Jack stopped the rider, retrieved some basic tools from his house and repaired the brakes with minimal effort. From that simple act of generosity developed a friendship, and from that came the program now known as Jack the Bikeman.

As word got out, more kids stopped by to get their bikes fixed and then friends and neighbors started dropping off used bikes for Jack to repair and give away. And, something else strange happened – Jack’s health began to improve as he became involved in the lives of his neighbors, largely poor, migrant families with few resources. In addition to fixing bikes, Jack became a confidante and mentor to many kids and in so doing prevented many from joining the "gang life" so common in the neighborhood.

When we visited Jack a few months ago we were quickly taken with his dedication and love for this project. What truly astounded us was the pile of bikes sitting in a nearby warehouse…all waiting to be repaired by volunteers so that they can be given away during the holiday season to many local kids who would otherwise not enjoy that special childhood pleasure.

While repairing bikes is an admirable activity, Jack the Bikeman is about so much more. Dedicated to the education, guidance and training of at-risk children of migrant workers and to their parents as well, Jack’s activities have grown. Today he is more like a one-man social service agency as he provides a free meal to local unemployed workers, disseminates critical health information and conducts HIV testing…and more.

The Good People Fund is happy to help Jack with this work and has just sent funds to purchase food for his free meals and for the purchase of the bike parts he needs to repair that mountain of bikes. If you happen to live in the West Palm Beach (FL) area stop by and offer your help. The bike workshop will be open regularly now that the holiday season is approaching and so many kids are waiting for that special bike.

Sgt. Adam Burke returned from Iraq with severe PTSD, TBI (traumatic brain injury) and a Purple Heart. Despite those very serious injuries he could never forget the promise he made during the earliest and darkest days of his recovery…if he returned home alive, he would help others and give back.

Recovery was slow and painful but when he recalled his youth growing up on a blueberry farm, Adam decided to return to farming and in time, began to heal from his trauma. If this work could help him, then why not others? Horticultural therapy is a well-respected complement to traditional medical therapies so could the physical labor performed outdoors surrounded by nature prove also to be therapeutic? Were there other skills involving cognitive therapy that could help? It seemed as if Adam had developed an effective and valuable way to help other vets returning with similar disabilities.

Today, Veteran Farm located in Jacksonville, Florida, has one operating blueberry farm with a second farm nearly complete. With Jacksonville home to multiple Armed Forces facilities there is no shortage of injured soldiers to avail themselves of this excellent resource, and with the national agricultural environment in desperate need of skilled workers and entrepreneurs, it seems as if Adam’s idea is a winner all around.

The Good People Fund was so impressed with Adam and his efforts that we underwrote the purchase of thousands of pots he will use to start the blueberry bushes for the second farm. Within the next few months we hope to visit Adam in Jacksonville (FL) and see the true "fruits of his labors".

For more details about Veteran Farm we recommend you view this YouTube interview with Adam…it’s worth the time.

This morning, as we prepared to head to the kitchen to cook that one big last meal before the fast, the phone rang. On the line was Scarlett Fave, the Social Services coordinator for the Caridad Center in South Florida. Caridad Center is dedicated to the needs of many low-income, working poor families in that region. Scarlett knows that when she has an emergency situation she can call on the Good People Fund and if we can, we will help.

This morning’s call involved a family on the verge of losing their modest trailer home. The husband works in construction but has been laid off for the past three months. The wife is employed as a housekeeper but the woman she worked for has moved and she now finds herself out of work. The husband is assured of new work next month but with three children to feed, this otherwise stable family could lose their home because of the fees they owe to the trailer park.

Could we help?

On the eve of the holiest day of the year it felt incredibly good to tell Scarlett that, on behalf of all of our generous donors, we will send a check to prevent this family from becoming homeless.

"When asked what I wanted for my birthday, I was blessed to be able to answer truthfully, "I don’t know.""

Hannah, who comes from a family of creative and generous mitzvah-makers, wrote last week and asked if there was some young person in Israel with whom she could "share" her birthday. We were delighted and started to search for just the perfect place where Hannah’s donation could be used to give a child something which their parent(s) could not provide on their own.

It did not take long for Libby Reichman of Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Israel to get back to me with the story of Liora* whose father died when she was 6 years old. Today, Liora is a young teen and her mother struggles daily to provide for her and her younger twin brothers. When asked, Liora’s Mom admitted that she had no funds to buy some new winter clothes so with Hannah’s donation sent in honor of her birthday, and the Good People Fund’s matching dollars to add to Hannah’s generosity, it looks as if a few children in Jerusalem will now have some new warm clothes for the upcoming winter weather.

What a great way to celebrate, Hannah! Yom Huledet Sameach!

*A pseudonym