People are one hundred percent accurate; you don’t know what you have until its gone.  I was involved in a 4-alarm fire that could have ruined me physically, emotionally, and materially. When it’s raining and you don’t have an umbrella, when it’s time for shul and you have no hat or tallis, when your daughter needs to go to school but you no longer own any uniforms. The story could end there with distress and trauma, but it doesn’t.  Neighbors, family, friends, but even more importantly, people I never met gave me everything and more.  The kindness of those strangers reminded me that I am not alone and pushed me to keep the chessed going to others.

All of what we collect goes forward to help the next person or family in need. We just hope they never need it.