I want to thank the Army of Good and the many others who rushed to support Sa Lin, the Myanmar (Burmese) student at Bishop Maginn whose family used their food budget to try to pay his tuition.

We got the money.

Sa Lin needed $1,400 to pay his tuition through the end of the year, and one donor pledged the full amount last night.

It’s on the way to the school. I want to especially thank the scores of people who sent me $5 and $10 and $20 contributions via Paypal and Venmo to my ID, [email protected].

Those small contributions touch my heart, and they add up. They are most welcome, as are the larger ones.  I have more than a million viewers now, the small contributions count.

Because of those contributions, I purchased $600 in Wal-Mart gift cards this morning; that money will enable the family to purchase healthy food for the next few months.

I believe Sa Lin will get a good deal more than $1,400; I don’t know how much as these contributions are tax-deductible and go directly to the school: Mike Tolan, Principal,  Bishop Maginn High School Tuition Fund For Sa Lin, 75 Park Avenue, Albany, N.Y., 12202.

Any overage will go to help Sa Lin and other students in need of tuition help.

The family’s monthly food budget for seven people was $400; they used $150 a month to pay towards the full tuition.

The school has dozens of students this year who can’t pay tuition due to the pandemic and economic difficulties. Sa Lin’s family are Myanmar refugees whose home was destroyed in the genocide there and their savings were confiscated and they fled to refugee camps in Thailand.

Sa Lin loves to draw with mechanical pencils, I’ve been sending him some.

If you wish to help with food cards, you can purchase them from Walmart.com in any amount, and please send them to me as they can’t be delivered to post office boxes: my address is Jon Katz, 2502 State Route 22, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

If you’d rather I buy them, please send your donation to me via Paypal, [email protected], or Venmo, [email protected]. I’d love to settle the family’s food issues through the year. They don’t eat much.

We can’t pay for all of those children in the school who are in need; we make the best decisions we can in consultation with social workers and teachers. I wait to be asked for help from the people who know these students the best.

So far, we’ve helped a dozen students stay in the school over the past year or so and 10 families with food insecurity.

One reader demanded to know why the students were not in the public schools. The answer is sad but simple.

First, the public schools are all virtual this year, and the refugee parents know their children need in person language instruction, which the public schools struggle to offer due to the pandemic and their large class sizes.

Secondly, many of the refugee students are targets in public schools. Thanks to the political demonization of refugees.

One has his hair set on fire; another was hospitalized for two days after being beaten, many are insulted, harassed, and laughed at. They all say they feel absolutely safe at Bishop Maginn.

The public school teachers often contact Bishop Maginn pleading for refugee students with trauma or language problems who can’t get their attention to be admitted. The school has many students who can’t pay any tuition at all.

This woman said she believes people should live within their means. She reminded me of Scrooge: “Are there no workhouses?:”

Education is vitally important to these students and their families. Their parents work hard in menial low paying jobs but sacrifice their own food to get their kids to the best possible education.

We have also placed eight refugee students in private schools in the area with full tuition support from the schools.

I can’t thank you enough for your help, this is the most gratifying work I have ever done, and I am so proud my blog is a part of it. Your generosity makes it possible. Thanks.