I’ve given my fund raising for the Gus Fund some rest over the past few weeks.

I hate to keep asking people for money, and I was also distracted by some personal obligations. I always try to give the Army Of Good a rest,  this is not a wealthy army, it consists of good people who share small amounts of money.

But if I don’t ask for help, then we can’t help anyone. That’s just the hard reality of it.

We have done a staggering amount of good since we started work in 216, it would take me all day to list everything. The Gus Fund supports my work with the Mansion residents and the refugees and immigrants living in New York State and struggling to survive.

We also support and sponsor the Albany Warriors, that wonderful group of young refugee men (and some women) who  play soccer in the Albany area and also build character and community. This money is very well spent, every member of the team is on their school Honor Roll, that is a profound achievement for them, and for Ali.

The fund is very low right now, $750 and I’d like to get it up to $2,000 or $3,000 again.  My philosophy is to get rid of the money  as quickly as it comes in, it should be going to good use, not sitting in its own special bank account.

I spent more than $1,000 getting Lisa and her two sons established (they have new clothes and toys)  and also helping Hawah and also helped  Sifa get to a safe and clean and decent apartment. I had to give Hawah’s landlord nearly $1,000 this week to secure her new apartment, the county welfare department hasn’t sent him a check yet.

The landlord promised me that that money will come back to me. He is a good and  honorable man, he has helped us more than once.

I promised to back her up, and I will keep my promise.

I also learned that one of the refugees that I helped – I gave her money for a down payment on an apartment – did not use the money to pay her landlord, but spent it instead for personal reasons. She came back to ask us for more, we said no.

I don’t intend to try to get the money back, I’m sure she doesn’t  have it, but it was disheartening to me, the first time that has happened.

It hurt the heart, our fund will be fine. I suppose this is inevitable.

We screen the people we are helping carefully. I’ve never had anyone use the money for anything other than what they asked for and needed. I also bought two more air conditioners for the Mansion residents this month, they suffered greatly in the heat wave.

Everyone who needs an air conditioner has one.

The Army Of Good has been more than  generous. My idea is large numbers of people sending small amounts of money. You all know precisely where it goes, I document everything I do in words and pictures.

When I get the funds, I use them and then pause and then ask for more help, and then use the money. I believe this is working well. We don’t work miracles, we don’t spend lots of money, we don’t take over lives.

We just offer a hand to the poor, the needy and the vulnerable.  Get them to some stability, give them hope and promise.

It was wonderful to help Said, the Iraqi gentlemen who had lost everything after the war and was nearly homeless. He loves his new apartment, his TV with Arabic channels,  has some clothes, loves his new cellphone. He has a part-time job, he is taking good care of himself, making friends, living an independent and safe life.

We are giving the soccer team some fun and healthy activities this summer – museums, animal parks, we would like to send them on a one day trip to New York City to ride a bus around town and have lunch. I would also like to get them to the Great   Adventure Amusement and Water Park in Lake George.

You did that for him. We are keeping good alive.

I am sorry to say there are not a lot of people out there doing this for the elderly and the refugees, you are quite special and you matter.

We don’t do big things, we commit small acts of great kindness. The money goes a long way, it changes lives.

The soccer team will need to pay for its new uniforms shortly and I am eager to continue to support refugees who need some short-term assistance in getting their feet on the ground, in getting to the open field that is America, or should be.

The Mansion residents all have summer clothes, and air conditioners for their hot rooms if needed or wanted.

The Mansion also needs a new wheelchair scale, the old one is too small and is falling apart, and that will cost close to $400.  This is important, the scale is the only way the residents can be weighed.

Some of the residents need underwear and shoes. I got a bunch of summer pajamas for them.

I want to shore up some summer activities for the soccer team when summer school gets out.

So this is the pitch I have been avoiding. I’d like your help in building the fund up for the summer.

Small donations are welcome, so are bigger ones. When I get some money, I stop asking for more until it runs out. So far, the Army Of Good has not failed to help.

If you can or wish, please send your contributions to “The Gus Fund, c/o Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or via Paypal, [email protected]. And thank you.