First off, I want to thank the Army of Good for clearing out Bishop Maginn’s first Emergency Amazon School Opening Wish List last week.

We are planning a second small and modest list later this week.

A truckload of safety and disinfectant masks and supplies arrive at the school today (photo above). Bishop Maginn is opening up in September, your generosity is making it possible.

More tomorrow on the second short list. This help is urgent.

I also want to let people know what else is going on, and what support is needed.

Bishop Maginn: the priority now is giving the school the tools they need to open up and follow the many safety rules and requirements that are being mandated. We are almost there. More later.

The Mansion. I’d like to continue the weekly special lunches Jean’s Place is making for the Mansion residents and aides.

I’d also like to continue the evening dinners I am sending for the Mansion aides and overnight staff.

Our $3,000 disinfectant fogger has been a miraculous success, not a single resident at the Mansion has contracted the coronavirus, a miracle.

These has not come easy, the residents are anxious and the aides are exhausted. They have been heroic. The special food we send (along with masks, art supplies, and puzzles) brightens the day, for the residents for the aides.

Given that this lockdown is entering its fourth month, this is one of the most effective ways I know to boost morale for the aides and the residents. We’ve made a big difference, I want to keep on helping.

The lunches and dinners are running roughly $400 a week. I can keep them going for a couple of weeks, but I don’t want the Mansion/Refugee account to dwindle to the point where we can’t handle emergency pleas for help.

I’ll have to stop the lunches if that happens.

I’m also bringing Price Chopper Gift Cards to the Mansion aides who need them, right now, there are three in need of food support.

Thanks for sending me the Price Chopper gift cards, I hope they keep coming, they are very much needed and they make a huge difference, to the refugee families and the Mansion aides.

Most of the refugee families have stabilized and are back at work. A few are still struggling to feed their families.

I am expecting the refugee students returning to Bishop Maginn and coming for the first time will need some help with school supplies and clothes. Any donations will be appreciated. Here’s how you can help if you can.

To contribute to the Mansion/Refugee fund, you can donate via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion/Refugee Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y.,12816.

You can buy the gift cards here in any amount. Please send them to me at Jon Katz, 2502 State Route 22, 12816, or Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

I’ll get them to Sue Silverstein, who distributes them to the families that need them.

If you are not comfortable buying them online or have trouble, you can send the donations to me, and I’ll be happy to purchase the gift cards in your name or for you.

Again, via Paypal, [email protected], by check, Gift Cards, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816 or to Jon Katz, 2502 State Route 22, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

I want to thank you for supporting the amazing work we have done since the pandemic struck. We’ve fed the hungry, protected the elderly, and supported the health care heroes in a number of different ways.

“How do we thank everyone for helping to keep our Bishop Maginn family safe, wrote Sue Silverstein to me this morning. It’s simply amazing!”

You are amazing.

I don’t know how to thank you all property other than to say thank you. I hope we can keep this going. I’m in all the way.