Joe Lordi has run the Youngstown Community Food Bank for years. Quietly, and often at great personal expense, he helps those living in the Mahoning Valley around Youngstown, Ohio who struggle to put food on their table each day. Whether the temperature soars to unbearable levels or drops to single digits, Joe (and his volunteers) can be found outside, loading and unloading trailers and greeting those who count on the food bank for help.

It was no surprise to us a few days ago when we received a call about an effort in progress to help make life better for Joe and his family. We knew that his selfless nature, devotion to others’ welfare, and his modesty would not allow him to reach out for his own needs but, fortunately, some of his volunteers recognized that the time had come to lend a hand to the Lordi family. And, lend a hand is just what they did. Local businesses, craftsmen and volunteers are about to finish their own "extreme makeover" of the Lordi house and when we asked how we could be part of their effort, we learned that some new furniture would be a welcome addition to the freshly painted rooms, replacement windows, new roof and flooring.

How good it feels to give back to someone who gives so much. The Good People Fund hopes that Joe and his family spend many good years in their "new" home and that the volunteers who were part of the mitzvah realize just how important this was.

Even though we do this every year, there is still excitement and satisfaction when we complete our plans for the purchase of supermarket scrip for Rosh Hashonah food. Between Israel and the United States, more than $10,000 in scrip and food will be distributed in the next few weeks. Who will enjoy a sweeter new year because our donors (including several generous religious school classes) cared enough to contribute to this need? …elders living on minimal limited funds…many Holocaust survivors who struggle daily in so many ways, the "working poor" who despite a job never quite have enough money left for sufficient food, let alone something sweet…

Knowing that so many families and individuals will hopefully experience some joy as the new year approaches makes us feel good this warm summer morning when the prospect of a quickly approaching New Year seems particularly strange.

"Ella"* spent the years during the Second World War in a work camp. Her two brothers were less fortunate – they were among the six million who perished during the Shoah.

Now in Israel and also widowed, she, like so many others, lives on less than $15,000 a year.

When our friend Darla Oz from House to House recently visited Ella she saw immediately how difficult life was…her stove was broken, her gas dryer was also in need of repair. Someone to help clean the tiny apartment would also benefit this 80+ year old woman.

But, as Darla shared, her most important need was clearly working hearing aids. Speaking to Ella on the phone was almost impossible, face-to-face was only slightly easier. Socializing with friends was difficult, leading her to even greater isolation. When Darla inquired about the aids, Ella explained that she did go to the audiologist but when she asked him if he could repair them he only laughed. When she asked why, "He said, ‘Look, your hearing aids are 40 years old! What do you want?’"

Through the generosity of one of our donors, Ella will have a new hearing aid and who can imagine how the world will open up for her!

*To respect her privacy, we are using a pseudonym.

Dear Gary,

I just got a call from Ranya Kelly outside of Denver. She runs the Redistribution Center and has a small pantry which is helpful to many local people who just don’t have enough to eat.

I told her to register with AmpleHarvest.org months ago and she got a call from the local community garden! They will be delivering lots of fresh produce to her as the crop starts to comes in….
AmpleHarvest.org really does work!

For those of you now reaping the crops you planted in the Spring, visit AmpleHarvest.org to find a local soup kitchen or food pantry that will gladly take the excess food you cannot use/give away to friends and family.

And…speaking of Ranya, we are so proud to know her and to be part of her very special work. The lives of thousands of people have been changed because of her never-ending dedication to retrieving new merchandise from manufacturers and retailers and getting it to people who need it. In fact, we are not the only ones who are impressed…Ranya was recently named a finalist by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for Citizen Service Above Self.

An honor we know is beyond deserved!

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!