news article

Successful meal: School supplies, letters of encouragement headed to Middle East

September 1, 2015 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Nearly 3,900 backpack kits are on the way to Israel and Gaza, thanks in part to the generosity of Upper New York’s attendees at the 2015 Palestinian Dinner on May 29.

According to UNICEF, children in Gaza were exposed to unprecedented levels of violence and destruction in summer 2014. In response, one facet of this year’s Palestinian Dinner gave attendees a tangible opportunity to make a difference in the life of one of these children, according to Linda Bergh, co-Chair of the Conference’s Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel.

And those at the dinner stepped up.

Attendees went “over and above giving” that night, Bergh said. Five hundred dollars was raised that evening, which was aggregated with other donations to purchase 3,888 kits containing school supplies, one book, and one letter of encouragement.

All donations from the 2015 Palestinian Dinner went to Upper New York’s four General Conference Advance Specials for health and education in the Jerusalem/Bethlehem area, but the extra appeal went to help children in Gaza. “In addition,” Bergh said, “personal donations came in later, as well as a response from the United Methodist Women of The UMC in Mexico.”

She said she hopes that by getting the word out about the generosity of that evening, that “those who did not know of a way to help the children of Gaza, may see this and rejoice.”

Backpack Kits for Gaza’s Children is a project of the GlobalGiving Foundation which aims to raise $124,800 to “provide school supplies to thousands of children in Gaza, reminding them they are not alone,” according to the project’s website.

On July 22, Backpack Kits for Gaza’s Children received formal pre-clearance approval from Israeli Customs, meaning the shipment of backpack kits and children’s books had the needed security clearance for entry into Israel and into Gaza. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, U.S. Representative for California’s 18th congressional district, and California state Senator Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein both made inquiries to the Israeli Consulate and the Israeli Consul General to weighed-in on the project’s behalf.

The first shipping container of materials was packed and sent on Aug. 9.

Click here to read more about the project.