I am surprised and delighted to tell you that one of the Army Of Good, a longtime reader of the blog, just wrote me to say she is sending me a check for $500 to cover the purchase of one of the longest-running items on the RISSE Amazon Wish List, the $522 Coated Outdoor 32-gallon Trash Can.
The can is expensive, and not glamorous, but important. This is where the RISSE kids play, and the can is essential to keeping the playground clean, and as the RISSE description said, “teaching the kids stewardship” over the land.
The RISSE staff was delighted, and I am grateful and quite proud. The donor has not given me permission to use her name, she usually wants to be anonymous. She has been generous before, and I sent her one of my photographs to thank her and told her she can have any photograph of mine any time.
She has a great heart and generous spirit.
There is only one item left now on the current wish list, some black toner cartridge for $59. Cheryl Lasher of RISSE told me this morning, that as of last week, nearly $5,000 of items for RISSE and the immigrant and refugee school children have been purchased from the Wish List on Amazon.
Now boxes arrive every day.
This is a wonderful way to give. They get to tell us what they need, we get to buy what we wish, and every penny goes where it ought to go. I am very proud to be associated with you in this way. I hope we can keep on going as able. I’m going to RISSE on Wednesday or Thursday to take more photos.
Before the Army Of Good got on board, they didn’t have lamps, games toys, puzzles and learning software, or trash cans or bins. Good for you. I never thought an outdoor trash can would generate so much joy or mean so much. We live in a wondrous world, for all of its flaws.
This work reminds me that there are good people in the world and always gives me hope. Today, I’m off to the Mansion to give a pipe and tobacco to a woman who loves to smoke outside.
If you wish to support my work with the refugees and immigrants at RISSE, you can send a contribution to me c/o Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or via Paypal, [email protected]. Thanks.