The RISSE Amazon Children’s Refugee Wish List has risen to the challenge, and taken an impressive (and inexpensive) turn towards acquiring some serious learning tools – software programs that cost about $5 and teach the refugee students analogy puzzles, subtraction secrets, word challenges, “algebra antics,’ numbers problems, decimals, division, multiplication.
This morning, I bought “Mindware Subtraction Secrets” for $16.34, in honor of the fact that I still cannot do basic math, including subtraction. I wish these children a better fate. There are used versions of most the software programs on sale for as little as $5.
RISSE, the refugee and immigrant support center in Albany, has nearly 200 students enrolled in it’s after school program, and 1000 adults in other classes. They are very hard pressed, their needs are great, their resources small.
When refugees come to upstate New York in America, they are given modest assistance stipends for six months, then they have nowhere to go for additional help but RISSE, whose funding has been slashed to the bones in the so-called America First campaign, otherwise known as bankers and CEO’s first, needy people last.
Refugees and immigrants are different. Immigrants come to the United States because they choose to live here, they often have professions and resources. Refugees come here because they are desperate, fleeing genocide, war, drought and natural disaster.
They often come with nothing but what they can wear and carry, their lives and families have been shattered.
Many of these families are split, the fathers or mothers either slaughtered in their home countries, or trapped away from their families by our country’s especially cruel new immigration policies.
These children have experienced the worst of humanity, and often are still struggling to learn back language and mathematics schools. I think we are offering them the best of humanity.
The public schools are required take them, but it is often difficult for them to learn in those underfunded and crowded environments and a completely alien culture. At RISSE, the staff works valiantly to teach these kids the basic skills they need to advance in the public schools and acclimate to American life and our social and cultural skills and values.
It is exciting for me to see RISSE agree to let us help these children adapt to our country and learn what they need to know. I take it as an affirmation, an act of trust, a change to do good and feel good.
No one else is doing what RISSE is doing, it is essential that they be supported and grow. The kids love the RISSE school, they have wonderful support and community there. The teachers are committed, skilled and especially loving.
I hope we can help buy these modest gifts and help touch young lives in the most direct and urgently needed way. Every gift changes a young life and touches a soul. The money goes right to the children and only to them. You get to pick what you want to give.
Education is the pathway for these children, they are eager to learn. I can’t imagine giving anyone a more worthwhile gift. Thanks and take a look at the robust and growing wish list. The Army Of Good is a happy virus, spreading more good everywhere they go.
Please check out the expanded RISSE Wish List for the children. You can change a life for $12.
If you need it, the RISSE shipping address is 715 Morris St., Albany, N.Y., 12208-2208. The phone is 518 621 1041.