My father was probably my most important role model of the many
I had while growing up. He always was
there to offer help to a friend or neighbor and in all the years never asked or
expected anything in return. He was
generous and fair to the employees of his leather goods manufacturing
business. It was when I was a freshman
in college that he felt the business no longer could sustain itself and had to
close it. On my winter break from
college, he told me the news and that he also was out of work. Shortly thereafter those he had helped in the
past came forward to help him. Those
with companies of their own offered jobs and I was told by one to come to him
if I needed help to continue in college.
So I chose to follow in my father’s
footsteps by working to help others - first with FEMA in national disasters
like hurricanes Katrina, Ike and Sandy and then as a volunteer with the local
Red Cross chapter.
My volunteer work with the Red Cross these past years has made
me more aware of how needy are many in our St. Louis community. Many families affected by fires or floods
have had to make the tough choice between feeding their families or insuring
their possessions. The help I can
provide though the Red Cross is immediate and short term. For example, for one family with three
children who lost not only their home but their clothing as well, we got them
housing in a motel and provided a debit card to help obtain some clothes and
food. The rewards to this work are small but gratifying - from hugs and handshakes
from the families and thanks from the firemen at the scene. But I often have wondered what becomes of
these families afterwards since I now am aware of how much more needs to be
done to help them rebuild their lives and break the barriers of poverty.
I hope that in the coming year I will have the strength and
stamina to continue and possibly expand my efforts as a community
volunteer. In this way I build on the
values taught me by my father and continue one person’s attempt to live the
Jewish value of tzedakah.
Carl Moskowitz
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