Two ways to give this season

I get notes from time to time of things readers want me to talk about. Over the past few weeks, the recurring theme has been about giving to those in need during these desperate times. I’ll briefly cover two such cases and ask that if you feel moved and can offer assistance, you will do so.

The first opportunity came to me from a local who has been very involved in the local scene and has campaigned to save historic structures. Here’s what she wrote:

I had done a lot of volunteer and city activism in Youngstown previous to this, but this year I took a new direction. I work at NEO Urology in Youngstown, there is a women there whom I work with and have gotten quite close to her and her family. She has a 12 year old boy, Jerald and a 9 year old girl, Jazmere. Her name is Tanya, the only reason she landed her was because her car broke down on her way back to her hometown of New Jersey, she and her children lived in the mission for almost 2 months before she was able to work up enough money to get her car fixed and a little house on the north side.

I have been caring for her and her kids for months now, they are the light of my life. I wanted to get them a few gifts for Christmas when I found out they weren’t having Christmas because their mother couldn’t afford it on her single parent income. Jerald has been in and out of the hospital because he suffers from seizures, most of her money has been drained into the health care system to better care for her children.

She is not on welfare because they claim she makes too much money, she can’t get any food or after school assistance because of this. Her kids are forced to walk home from their Harding Elementary school down streets like Lauderdale, which can be dangerous for young kids.

Their mother is trying very hard, and I want to help out by getting them food (which they have little of) and toys and clothes, I want this to be the best Christmas they ever had!

I was curious if you had any programs I can sign them up for, or maybe we can work something out of things you get that I can collect from you? I have a food list I created and the children’s Christmas lists if you’d like to see them. I would like to have everything collected and wrapped by Saturday 12-12-2009, so their mother won’t have to worry about getting them gifts or how she’ll cough up the money.

In the future, I am constructing many other volunteer opportunities for people in the city to become involved in their own community, one being a small park clean up/restoration on the north side.

Let me know if there is anything you can do, I’d really appreciate it! Happy holidays.

You can contact this family through Jaime Hughes at (330) 272-2032.

The second opportunity came to me through a gentleman I met at a Historical Society dinner, where he and his family were honored for their work restoring homes on Emerald Street in Smoky Hollow.

There was an accident at the Scrapper’s baseball game where a little boy was hit. I do not know if you recall the story? Anyway, this has been on my mind, and I would like to get something for him. Can you help me? 1. Do you think it would be o.k. (appropriate) for me to send something? I do not know the boy or family and I know accidents happen every day, only for some reason, this is still on my mind. 2. What could I send?

Would you see if you can find a contact number or better yet an address.

I remembered hearing something about it but not the details, so I looked it up. This is from a November 18 article:

Luke, 4, who suffered a fractured skull and an injury to his cerebellum and brainstem, easily could have died from the Sept. 2 injury. He was in critical condition for about three weeks as brain swelling subsided.

At a press conference Sept. 24 at Akron Children’s Hospital, Luke’s doctor and mother said the boy was breathing on his own, moving his arms and legs but couldn’t communicate. He appeared to laugh or smile when certain people spoke to him, Nicole said.

Seven more weeks and many hours of physical, occupational and speech therapy later, Luke now can sit up and hold up his head with a little support from others, his primary physical therapy doctor, Micah W. Baird, said.

With a little more support, Luke can stand up, ride a special tricycle and take steps, Dr. Baird said. Luke is receiving five hours of therapy daily.

One of the functions of the cerebellum is to serve as a relay center for movement and sensation between the brain and parts of the body. It also coordinates movement of the face, mouth and tongue for speaking, Dr. Baird said.

Luke can’t speak, but he does make sounds, and he can indicate yes or no with help from special toys and by nodding his head yes or no. He can’t swallow, so he’s being fed with a tube in his stomach.

I sent a note to Luke’s mother, Nicole, who replied:

Thank you for contacting us and following with Luke’s story. It is so amazing the amount of people that want to help. I can’t say anything specific anyone should send, but if someone would like to do something, it can be sent to our address here where we are staying 6294 Bazetta Road, Cortland OH, 44450, and a family member set up a fund at Cortland Banks. I hope this information helps…thanks so much, Nicole

Thanks to Jaime and Mike for bringing these opportunities to my attention. Happy holiday wishes to all of you and especially to those families in need. These are just two opportunities to reach out right now. I’m sure organizations like the United Way, Salvation Army and Catholic Charities can point you to more.

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