Day: March 13, 2018

Firs, please note that everything you can see behind Jim and his students are things your bought for the school, the plastic bins, the games, the books, the buckets and pencils and pens and brushes and learning software. None of that was there two weeks ago.

When the refugee children come to America, it is usually an abrupt and chaotic experience, they are torn from everything they know, and have to learn a staggering amount of new things – English, culture, clothes, food, social rules and rituals.

Most of the RISSE teachers are volunteers, RISSE doesn’t have the money to hire the staff they need. Your gifts have given the teachers so much in the way of new tools, and the kids so much in the way of learning in a safe and comfortable environment.

Jim here is teaching the students about computing, how to work a laptop. In many cases, these children will have to show their parents what they have learned, few refugees arrive with computing skills. These kids come from Yemen, Algeria, Afghanistan, Syria, Myanmar, Burma, Thailand and all over Africa. See what you have done with the RISSE Amazon Wish List.

Whiteboards are going up on the walls of the RISSE (the refugee and Immigrant support center in Albany), you bought them. The children can draw, learn painting, leave notes and messages, sketch and grow. You got them, and the drawing tools on the left as well from the RISSE Amazon Wish List.

Before last week, this library, lounge and reading room was a teacher’s fantasy. They had books, but no chairs, no light, no quiet.

Today they have six bean bag chairs (more on the way), two carpets coming, and colorful floor lamps to read by. Before your help, the school – they have nearly 200 students – and three small rooms – offered no place for reading or studying, no place to think or be with friends quietly, or study or just sit and think. More lamps are on the way, and some inspiration posters about diversity and freedom, all from the RISSE Amazon Wish List.

There are boxes coming in every day. “It’s hard to believe, we sometimes think we are dreaming.” The Army Of Good makes dreams come true, that is what we do.

I’m putting up a series of photos tonight taken today at the RISSE after school program.

The easiest way to do this is to tell you that everything you see in these photos is a gift the Army Of Good purchased from the RISSE Amazon Wish List.

The school is brightening up, with the paintings, posters,games, puzzles, posters, supplies, markers, paper, lights and colorful chairs you have purchased for them. I can’t thank you enough.

The children were eager to thank you and show you what you have done for them,  you can see their faces for yourself.

(If you wish to support my work with the refugees, which is separate from the RISSE lists, you can contribute by sending a donation to Jon Katz. P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816 or via Paypal, [email protected].

If you wish to purchase items from the RISSE Wish List, you can see the list here. I am pressed to describe the joy and happiness I saw and felt today. The school has a lot of heart, but few resources. Your whiteboards, lights, carpets and posters are transforming the school.

Jim teaching math.

I drove to Albany in a messy storm today, and for two reasons. I needed to give Ali a check so he could buy some new clothes for D, who is being tormented at his high school for his shoes and pants, which he has to wear almost every other day. I brought a $300 check.

And I absolutely had to visit the RISSE after school to see what all the excitement is about, and take some photos to show you what you have have done.

Everything in this photos but the people are things bought off of the RISSE Amazon Wish List (I love the motivational posters)  over the past couple of weeks. I saw boxes stacked to the ceiling waiting to be opened, almost all for the school, sone going to families in urgent need of household items.

The lights, rugs, bean  bag chairs, white boards, markers, erasers, pencil and pen bins, books, paper, pencils and pens, puzzles and toys all came from the list. The class rooms are being born anew.

The school rooms are transformed. Wait until you see the photos of the library  and reading room taking place through your generosity. This photo is just a start, I can’t wait to put up more. I have to run to the doctor’s quickly, and when I get back I’ll put up some photos that will make some of you cry. They made me cry.

I also took some portraits so you can see the faces of the children you are helping so much. Thank and thanks and thanks.