Community Magazine May 2012

To volunteer for the mitzvah man go to www.mitzvah -man.org or call 347-275-1490 Driving for a Non-Driver’s ID In my work helping a predominantly senior population, I am deeply appreciative of Mitzvah Man’s assistance, which I know is just a phone call away. Take, for instance, the case of amanwho calledmewith a challenging dilemma. His elderly parents were in two separate nursing homes, and he himself was in a rehabilitation center. He needed to get a non- driver’s identification card to fulfill a requirement that would enable his family to continue receiving Holocaust restitution checks. He asked me if I knew of anyone who could drive him to get the ID, wait for him and then take him back to his home . I asked why he doesn’t just hire a car service, and he said that the Center required that he have someone go with him. I then asked why he doesn’t hire an aide to escort him, and he responded that he couldn’t afford one. I called the Mitzvah Man and explained the man’s situation. Soon afterward, I received word that a Mitzvah Man hero was going to make arrangements to drive this man where he needs to go, wait for him and take him back. Some people just fall through the cracks. They’re not needy by the government’s definition and so they don’t qualify for the help they require, but they’re also not quite able enough to do everything on their own. Into this cloudy picture of inertia comes the can-do spirit and sunshine of the Mitzvah Man, a gentleman who manages a vast network of heroic volunteers to help people who need favors that are large, small, and everything in between. -Alan Magill A Chess Mate An older man who lives in an assisted living home really loves chess. Since none of his peers at the Home play the game, the recreation director agreed to play with him one game a week. However, given his busy schedule and the length of the chess games, the director often had to interrupt the game or cut it short to attend to his other responsibilities. The director heard about a chess club at the local library, but it was too difficult for this man to get there on schedule. Desperately seeking a solution, the recreational director called the Mitzvah Man, and in a short time, a Mitzvah Man hero volunteered to play chess with this man on a weekly basis. The two men both thoroughly enjoy the games, which they play in a slow, relaxed manner. They have developed a solid friendship, and both look forward to the time they spend together. -Alan Magill Playing chess with my new friend is great, because no matter what moves I make on the board, I end up feeling like a winner. Thanks to a Mitzvah Man hero, the Holocaust survivors in my family will continue to get the help they need. Non-Driver ID Issue 56 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE