Personal Stories from
Friends of Mitzvah Circle
Mitzvah Circle Foundation has the wonderful opportunity to touch the lives of real people across America every day. We are privileged to know friends of Mitzvah Circle Foundation who are comfortable telling their authentic stories. Here are their stories, in their own words.
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For more stories, please see our story archive
Alexandra's Story
Chase bank repossesses 99er's car, just as she finds job and a home after years of being jobless and homeless.
by Kian Frederick and Alexandra Jarrin
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Originally posted on flashmobs4jobs.org
With small improvements in job creation over the past few months many are hopeful that the economy is on the mend, however slowly. No group of people are more hopeful than the long-term unemployed.
This is especially true of the “99ers”, former working and middle class, skilled and professional labor, and middle management folks who were laid off and exhausted their unemployment insurance before they could find a job during this crisis.
This hope, however, is dimmed by a perverse Catch-22: what happens if, now that a glimmer of hope for work may be emerging, some people won't be able to get to a new job, even if they are offered one? For those living in small towns and rural areas, a car is a lifeline, without which many will not be able to return to the work force, despite more jobs being created and their desperation for work.
Since most laid off people had good jobs and credit while they were working, they qualified for and received car loans from major banks. Now, after struggling through such hard times, many have had their cars repossessed (and credit ruined), because they couldn't make the payments. Safety net programs don't cover an emergency car payment and with every charity stretched to its last, scarce dollar, cars are considered a luxury, not a necessity. It's also no surprise that the bailed out banks who hold these loans could care less.
Read more of this story…Preacher Todd's Story
I spend most of my days out and about… I look for those who have wandered off the beaten path, and in one way or another have found their way to the absolute fringe of society. More times than not they feel abandoned, left behind, forgotten, and worst of all, alone.
They believe that few care for them anymore, and the ones that do are only the ones they come into direct contact with. This is the lie that they have been told, and it is my mission to disprove that lie. The other day, Hannah, grade 9 also helped me disprove this lie.
A group called the Mitzvah Circle Foundation in Pennsylvania had a group of kids, [who] made up snack packs, [containing] a note from each person who had bagged these gifts with care. I took one of them out and handed it to [Bob].
He came upon a piece of paper, it was a small white sheet, and in very nice handwriting it said simply, ‘Have a great day. Hannah grade 9’ It had gotten kinda wrinkled from being packed in that bag, ‘so, who's this?’ Bob asked me. My reply, ‘Someone who cares from Pennsylvania.’ ‘Pennsylvania?!?!’ Bob replied.
To which I replied, ‘Yep’. He sat there in silence for a few moments, [then] buried his head in his hands… I was alarmed, ‘You ok Bob?’, I blurted. His response was quick and concise, ‘How do you do this?! Why do you do this?!’ His eyes were full of tears, his voice strained, ‘Do you realize that no one, NO ONE, does stuff like this anymore.’
‘Wrong Bob, most people don't do it anymore, but looks like Hannah wants to make a difference…’ Bob replied, ‘will ya make sure you thank Hannah for me and let her know that she warmed an old man's heart today?’ I turned to reply, and as I did I saw Bob… carefully place it in his bible and in his backpack to be held safe in his ‘memory bank’. ‘Of course I will Bob.’ I replied.
