I was very happy to go out to our mailbox and see this fat package from Price Chopper Supermarkets, they had sent me more than 30 gift cards for the Bishop Maginn students and their families.

The cards came from all over the country.

Friday, I sent between 20 and 30 to Sue Silverstein, a teacher at Bishop Maginn.

She spent most of Saturday delivering them to hungry families in need. The coronavirus is hitting everyone, rich and poor, but we all know it hits the poor the hardest.

Even before the impact of the virus was clear, we were buying nutritious juices and lunches for the Bishop Maginn students, many of them refugees, who were not eating breakfast or lunch because their families had no money for good.

We filled closets with granola bars, oatmeal cups, and macaroni ‘n cheese dinners. Most of those were sent out after the school was shut down.

So we switched to gift cards for Price Chopper, the supermarket closest to the refugee community.

It was wonderful uplifting –  to see this high stack of cards – they ranged from $25 to $100, or higher. They are already on their way to Sue Silverstein for distribution, this need is urgent.

I’m continuing this program because this year the hunger won’t go away even if the virus does. Enormous damage has been done to this community through layoffs, closed businesses and schools, and the collapse of so many local economies.

It will take these families and a lot of others a long time to recover.

If you want to buy a gift card, that would be great. You would have to ship the card to me because cards can’t go to P.O. Boxes. I’m at 2502 State Route 22, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

I’m humbled by how many people took the trouble to buy these cards and have them sent to me. The Army Of Good is…very good. We are helping these children and their families in the most basic of ways.

We are also, I think, helping each other by finding ways to good in bad times.