Our students regularly go out into the community or engage by sending things abroad.  Occasionally, we hear back from the organizations we work with.  Here are a few messages from our community partners.

RHO Appleseed: 30 Hour Fast

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. We cannot fully express  how invaluable the support of the Athenian school community has been for RHO Appleseed and the students who attend. The food program has always been one of the most valuable things we do, but it has also been the hardest to maintain. We have been able to provide at least one meal a day to an average of 80 children per day for almost four years. This would NOT have been close to possible without the support of the students, families and staff of the Athenian school.

Joy and I were talking about how a thank you such as this is not adequate, and so we are planning a more community-based visual thank you. It is our goal to complete it during the holiday vacation. We will send it to you upon completion. (I just committed us Joy!).  Thank you so much for sticking with RHO Appleseed over the years. We are in the process of developing land for a second community center in a village about 30 km south of here. We are excited about that. Please express to your community how much your support has allowed us to continue operating and growing. We will be in touch.

 Sincerely,

Ken

White Kitty Foundation: Animal Care

I’ve wanted to contact you regarding your volunteers .

Where did you find such wonderful young people?  I constantly hear people complain about teenagers that are so privileged and spoiled.  These young men and women have been amazing.  They never complain about what we ask them to do, they’re always on time if not early and they have the most wonderful and caring personalities.  They treat our animals so well and respectful.  And they’re very respectful to us.

I wish I had more words to praise them.  Please tell their parents they are raising amazing children.  My future isn’t so bleak at all.

Thank you for everything.
Cris

Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay: Holiday Gift Drive

Greetings participants in our Holiday Giving Program 2015, with Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay!  For the 12th year in a row, families in need have again received beautiful gifts with your generosity and kindness….in all, 142 families!  Thank you, thank you!  

 JFCS East Bay provides social services to people in the community from all walks of life and religious backgrounds. Many of our client recipients this year were newly arrived refugees or immigrants from: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Africa, and Latin America. All recipients receive confidential social services from our staff professionals. You helped to make it a nice holiday season for them!  

We have been resettling refugees from many parts of the world for decades.  We know that many in the community have wanted to help and learn more about what we do.  For that reason, I am attaching our flyer, How You Can Help Newly Arriving Refugees, just in case you want to help out more.  One way to ensure assistance to refugees we serve is to donate to our Refugees Welcome Fund.  This has been set up to directly assist refugees with housing issues, training programs and other essential needs.  You can donate to that fund by clicking here:  http://jfcs-eastbay.org/refugees-welcome-fund/.
Thanks to all and best wishes for a healthy and happy new year, 

Kathryn