Pnina Souid
In addition to doing hesed locally, the Mitzvah Man and his extraordinary organization also come to the rescue of other hesed organizations around the globe.
A recent letter received by The Mitzvah Man Organization came from Mrs. Channie Goldstein, the Director of Operations of Detroit Chesed, an umbrella organization that raises money for many hesed activities in the Detroit area including, hachnasat kallah and a respite program for special children.
Shoes for the Needy
Detroit Chesed has a history with the Mitzvah Man and his volunteers. It began with shoes. Mrs. Goldstein had received a donation of coats. Detroit winters are brutal, and warm winter coats are a necessity. Once, when Mrs. Goldstein was distributing coats, she noticed a young boy with wearing open shoes – certainly not appropriate for the Midwest winter!
Mrs. Goldstein wanted him to have good winter shoes, and realized that others must need, as well. She had a friend who dedicated specific funds to provide shoes for those in need. The funds had been exhausted, but the friend told Mrs. Goldstein, “Reach out to the Mitzvah Man!”
Mrs. Goldstein called the Mitzvah Man hotline.
Word went out to the Mitzvah Man volunteers and one man answered. “I have 600 pairs of shoes from a shipment that just came out of customs but I cannot sell them.”
The shoes went to Detroit, and a relationship between Channie Goldstein, representing Detroit Chesed and the Mitzvah Man Organization was forged. 4,000 thousand pairs of shoes were donated along with 200 coats.
Summer Camp Saved from Closure
The following letter is in response to a fundraising request. Mrs. Goldstein’s fundraising abilities in Detroit are limited due to the size of the city and the amount of donors.
One of the organizations that the Detroit Chesed funds is called ‘The Spot.’ It is a respite organization for children with special needs. Their an after-school program allows the families of these children time to focus on the others in the family while their special child is being well taken care of for a few hours.
The Spot also has a respite summer camp. This camp for special needs children is something that they look forward to all year.
This year, the camp was in danger of closing. The Mitzvah Man Organization prevented the closing of the camp and sponsored twelve children with various physical and mental challenges.
Dear Mitzvah Man and Volunteers,
In a world bustling with endless activities, it’s rare and precious to witness the selfless acts of volunteers who give their time and resources to make a difference. This week has been nothing short of extraordinary, thanks to the unwavering dedication of Mitzvah Man’s incredible volunteers!
Reaching out to Mitzvah Man is always a humbling experience. Take, for instance, the conversation with the Mitzvah Man, who despite his busy schedule, took the time for a brief phone call.
I told him about our current struggle with our camp for children with special needs and due to some challenges, we were going to have to shut down our camp. He told me that he was going to the gym to work out and after that he would try to help. Let me tell you, it was some kind of workout!
Within a few hours, I was able to tell my staff that we could remain open and not disappoint Hashem’s special children or their hardworking parents. These are children with autism, Down syndrome, and other challenging diagnoses.
There is no other Jewish option in our city for summer care. The children look forward to it so much; it’s the year’s highlight! The families rely on this respite to get through the summer.
The experience of making calls from the list the Mitzvah Man gave me and collecting pledges is so humbling and inspiring. The donors are so eager to thank me for the opportunity to help and appreciate that I have called on them to partake in the mitzvah. I know that it is the gold standard of giving. Their actions are a true kiddush Hashem, sanctifying Gd’s name, through their deeds and setting an inspiring example for others.
Please accept our deepest gratitude for your guidance, support, and generosity.