This picture was taken some time ago after The Good People Fund helped outfit a kitchen in the Kalwa slum in Mumbai. Working with Gabriel Project Mumbai and its passionate founder, Jacob Sztokman, the new equipment has made it possible for 16 women to prepare hot lunches for 500 kids (keeping them well fed and in school), as well as earn their own money–something they have never done before.

In an update that was received today, we learned that some of the women have used this experience as a springboard to further entrepreneurial ventures, thus helping their families, their communities and most of all, themselves. Empowering women can “change the world through food and love” and how proud we are to be part of it all.

Shelter guests often have many things to worry about in addition to not having a place to sleep and be protected from the elements. For people living in several of Boston’s shelters the harshness of everyday life is softened each month as our grantee, Shelter Music Boston, and its founder, Julie Leven, and her fellow artists present beautiful classical concerts-music that soothes both the heart and the mind.

The guest who recently penned the note above speaks of her fear of losing her belongings or the possible violence that may erupt-both dismissed as she absorbed the sounds of the violins and realized that she could sleep there in comfort.

Truly a tzedakah investment that makes our heart sing, too.

Can any of us imagine navigating school without the use of a computer?

For many young Ethiopians, all the first in their families to attend college, having a computer is not a given. Our friends at The Forgotten People Fund in Israel have a backlog of worthy students who would benefit greatly from such a learning tool which made it an easy decision to underwrite the purchase of nine new computers to help reduce the number of students on the waiting list.

Belaynesh, pictured here, was thrilled.  Is it any wonder why “she said that she feels like she won the lottery”?

Our dear friend and grantee, Blyth Lord, is the founder of Courageous Parents Network, a Boston-based organization that provides support tor families caring for children with serious illness. CPN’s virtual community uses both written and filmed resources to provide parents with the skills, tools and support they need to cope and adapt throughout their child’s illness.

Clearly, Blyth’s work is difficult and heart-wrenching. Children facing life-threatening illnesses is gut-wrenching. And yet, in the midst of the pain, the anger, the unbearable reality of it all there are moments just bursting with beauty and love.

Take a few minutes to watch. You will cry–but through the tears you will see so much more.

This morning, as I went back and forth on the “news of the day” in emails with Jeannie Jaybush, founder of Seattle’s Baby Bank, her words resonated particularly loudly and certainly echo what we hear from other grantees like Jeff Feingold from Hope and Comfort, Dana Marlowe from Support the Girls and Fran Held of Mitzvah Circle Foundation.

Please consider Jeannie’s thoughts as we enter this season of Thanksgiving; a season where far too many vulnerable people struggle to find reason to be thankful…

…The Baby Bank has had a huge upswing in requests for what the nurses are now calling “personal needs support” Laundry detergent, toothpaste, deodorant, tampons, and, especially for the Moms with newborns, the overnite sanitary napkins…Food banks don’t handle any of this kind of thing & basic hygiene is critical for maintaining any kind of good health. The lack of just a bar of soap can usher in the illnesses that are so easily preventable. Chronic homelessness has made this a constant problem for the nurses. (Laundry detergent we managed by getting the detergent that is packaged in what they call “pods” and splitting them up in to zip-locks of 6 so that people don’t have to carry a bottle of laundry detergent with them all over the place.) Women with newborns can’t possibly be expected to properly care for a newborn if they can’t manage to take care of themselves post-delivery. The horror stories still arrive about women lacking sufficient soap & sanitary napkins. (Stuffing your undies with newspaper should have died out in the 19th century & here we are in the 21st & it still happens!!!) So, the Baby Bank does a lot of supplying the clinics with the hygiene basics. Some are the hotel samples, but families with several kids need more than hotel samples can address reasonably. Kids donate the sample toothpaste from their dental checkups. Hotels will recycle their towels & sheets to charity if you ask them & pick them up. The list goes on & on. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it. Guess I’ve been doing this a long time…

Some of the scenarios Jeannie describes are unpleasant and may make us cringe in horror and disgust but–they are all truthful and representative of how some people live today. Please help us help Jeannie and all of our other Good People working to keep people from falling off the edge.

“Child you gave iPad to said first words through device! “Good night mommy!””

This one line email from Fran Held, founder of Mitzvah Circle Foundation in Pennsylvania just popped up and serves as a reminder to all of us of just how much of an impact we can have with modest tzedakah investments. As the summer began, Fran shared the story of a non-verbal nine-year old girl with autism and cerebral palsy. It was going to be a long summer for this youngster and her Mom–no camp would take her because of her hyperactivity and inability to ride on a bus or van. An IPad would help her keep up with her school work and various apps could help with other tasks.

Clearly, our purchase was well worthwhile!