We read with great interest your article, “Surge Of Poor In NY Suburbs Poses Challenge” (July 17), as our organization, M’Yad L’Yad – Long Island’s Helping Hands, is intimately involved in providing services to this emerging, burgeoning and now underserved population.
We applaud the efforts of UJA-Federation of New York’s Connect to Care and The Jewish Week to eradicate the perception that all Jews fall into the middle or upper class bracket. Particularly evident on Long Island, this fallacy needs clarification because we need to unify our greater community to work together and support our neighbors in need. At M’Yad L’Yad, we are experiencing this increase firsthand as we help families and individuals not just survive but to live a bit more comfortably in these challenging times.
M’Yad L’Yad recognizes that for families who are struggling, even if they managed to pay the rent and other major bills, there often is nothing left at the end of the month for the “extras” that so many of us take for granted.
Our approach is to help those in need with a direct one-to-one match of volunteer sponsors with needy recipients. At least four times per year, sponsors send packages of new or gently used clothing, toys, school supplies, stamps, and other items, along with a personal note or card, to enhance and brighten the lives of these under-served neighbors.
Now more than ever, we have both the opportunity and the moral imperative to help more Long Islanders.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NYJW or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
