I am delighted to report that there is a new RISSE Amazon Wish List up and running. I hope you will consider contributing to it.

Two weeks ago, I requested that RISSE, the Refugee and Immigrant Support Organization headquarted in Albany, N.Y. put up an Amazon Wish List so we could resume this direct support of the refugees and immigrants in  this area and elsewhere, they have never been in greater need of material and political support.

The first series of lists raised tens of thousands of dollars from the Army Of Good, then was abruptly discontinued.

This week, RISSE responded by putting up an extensive, inexpensive and urgently needed  new list of school and other items for families – especially books, classroom tools, thermal underwear and leggings for the winter.

This ranges in price from $6 to $170 and includes needed English-Foreign language dictionaries, winter socks, a mix of family and school needs.

I am so happy to see it is back. Please go and take a look, this is the most extensive Wish List yet. These wish lists are the cornerstone of my work with refugees and the elderly, they permit people to choose the amount and nature of their gifts, and they bypass entrenched and sometimes unaccountable bureaucrats.

Instead of finding a bargain online, perhaps we could keep our perspective and help human beings in need.

You know precisely where you gifts are going and to whom. None of this money goes to me or administrators, it goes directly where it ought to go.

(I want to be transparent as always:

As many of you know, my relationship with the RISSE bureaucracy has not been simple, I had irreconcilable differences with the RISSE bureaucracy over the distribution of donated money and accountability for where it goes.

I believe people who send me money have the right to see where every penny goes, and that it gets there immediately.

I couldn’t work it out with the director, and the RISSE bureaucracy was not interested in working it out with me, so, after many failed attempts and much frustration and wasted energy on my part,  I began supporting the refugees and immigrants directly, and through the Wish List.

This conflict – human beings sometimes seem unable to ever resolve conflict  in a quick or just way –  should not be an obstacle to helping people who need help desperately. The immigration and refugee issue is much too important for petty bickering or politics.

This foolishness doesn’t matter. I’m not into politics or grudges. I’ll continue to do what I can do for the refugees, and I hope the Army Of Good will join with me.)

I believe so strongly that the refugee experience is the American experience, and it has never been under more sustained and dishonest attack than now. Here, with the RISSE Wish List, we can help directly and where it is most needed.

The refugee children and their families should not suffer for the failures of adults who should know better, so I am hoping we can resume our support of this Wish List, the 35 items will go right to the teachers and children in the critical RISSE after school program, which helps immigrant and refugee children acclimate to American and permits their parents to find jobs and work.

I will support this list in every way that I can. The cold weather is here. Those people need those leggings and tights.

If you wish, you can also donate directly to RISSE, they do good work for many people and are a valuable resource both refugees and immigrants. I would encourage you to do so.

And if you need it, the RISSE shipping address is 715 Morris Street, Albany, N.Y., 12208., the number is 518 621-1041.

I bought three items this morning, and visiting this list will be an integral part again of my day. Every time I make a purchase on this list, I see the faces of these children and their families and I feel good. Take a look at it if you can.