Emergency Crisis in Crown Heights!
Dear Friend:
The pleasures of summer are all around us: blazing sunshine, the lure of the swimming pool and the great outdoors, the ice cream truck’s melody as it passes on the street.
But unfortunately, for us at CSSY, there is more stress than ever. For the past two weeks, we have not given out any food coupons because of our huge deficit. This has never occurred before in our 33+ years of existence!
Over 100 Crown Heights families are on the list to receive help from us, at a cost of $6500- $7500 weekly, and CSSY vouchers are accepted in all food stores in Crown Heights.
So many of your friends and neighbors have lost their jobs, or can’t make ends meet, that we can no longer help them at all. The stories I hear on a daily basis are absolutely heartbreaking – we are facing a community-wide crisis.
Please Donate Now! Write your most generous check, or log on to cssy.org and donate by credit card.
I thank you in advance and wish you a happy, healthy, and successful summer- a summer in which all your loved ones and neighbors will be able to enjoy life of satisfaction and plenty.
Checks can be mailed to CSSY
593 Montgomery St. Brooklyn, NY 11225
Sincerely,
Benzion Stock
Those who take tzedaka while being able to hire cleaning ladies and go shopping are ruining it for everybody. Not only do they diminish the amount of money that is available for people who really need it, they also lessen the will of donors to donate.
just donated $10, with less then $100 in my acc rigth now…
sent donation
not sure how you guys do it, but in our place the food (not only kosher, but also regular) costs good 25-35% more than in CH, and we manage to feed 8 people on less than $900 / mo.
Just curious. How can you know that someone eats meat and chicken every day. Have you been to their house every day at supper time?
apologies — no one meant to hurt anyone’s feelings regarding the ice cream truck. The ice cream truck is an extravagant luxury(in my opinion) and was being compared to expensive vacations that the well-heeled or very comfortable Crown Heightsers can afford. I helped Benji write the letter, so that’s how I know. Here’s hoping everyone who can donate DOES donate to CSSY, and that the current crisis will be over immediately, and that no one should need tzedaka any more. Let our good deeds on behalf of CSSY bring Moshiach!
we have food stamps i dont buy junk or expensive food not even meat for shabbos and still doesnt cover we went to food pantries and recieved cake and cookies at times we stopped b/c im not feeding them that for dinner not only that but if you have food allegies it cost more hence celiac and other the aloted 3.5 per person a day on food stamps doesnt cover 3 square meals nor shabbos or yom tov and certanly not glat or chalov yisroel or pas yisroel
It would be a good idea to get feedback about the response to the emergency appeal. It may inspire people to contribute if they didn’t do so already. Seeing a community pull together in time of need is always good news
I gave $18, lets help out our fellow brothers!!!
donated 20 dollars, inspired by #2 and #17
I have 4 kids, my husband lost his job last year. I work and we have food stamps. Yes, it is embarassing to go and wait in line, but its more embarrassing to take money from tzedakah. I get about $900 a month- its not enough to cover how we used to eat, but for now, thats what I have and I make it work. I bake evrything from scratch including bread and we eat very simply. Its not how I would like it to be but better than taking tzedokoh. I know someone who gets vouchers form CSSVY but… Read more »
wow!
maybe before redoing your house and making huge weddings for your children, think about the needy people your supposedly supporting…….and dont ask people like us that can barely make it for tzedakah for your organization.,…
Food stamps are a huge help but they are not meant to provide a full month’s budget. They are meant to help. Believe you me, it is NOT fun to have all your paperwork analyzed, not to mention sit in a stuffy room waiting to be fingerprinted like a criminal. As a single mom of two I receive $526 a month in FS. I make it work because my children are young, but if I have shabbos guests once or twice a month it usually doesn’t last. I buy frugally but we go through loads of fresh fruits and vegetables… Read more »
NO ONE likes to take from a hand out. If they’re asking for it, they need it. Leave the bean counting to gd, perhaps he won’t be so meticulous when counting your shortfalls
Zeekrewards.com is MLM fraud. No one but the people at the very top, who start the fraud, make any money from it.
By all means, get a job or even sell on EBay to get off tzedoko and welfare, but frauds like Zeekrewards.com will only sink you further into a financial hole.
The American system is geared towards making the very poor better off than most, and therefore keeping them on welfare as long as possible. Because there are very strict limits as to how much money you can make in order to qualify for benefits, it is a very low amount. If you earn just over that amount you A) Don’t have a low enough income to qualify for benefits and B) don’t have enough money for many necessities. Even for people who have decent jobs, insurance premiums are going so high that you now have to be either very poor… Read more »
BS”D There are many people who work hard, earn a ‘decent’ income – and can’t make ends meet because of a terrible fraud in all religious homes. We all pay our tuition expenses which are collected in our property taxes either from us or from our landlords. We are then demanded – in this ‘free’ country – to pay again if we ‘want’ our children to be taught in a way that we choose. this is a fraud and runs contrary to our civil rights. We don’t ‘want’ education including G-d as a foundation to morals, it’s a basic tenet… Read more »
A regular family receiving food stamps will only cover about half month due to kosher food prices. Even if they are very stingie on how they spend. So yes someone who’s struggling to make ends meat will have there family Hungary and this is where bengi comes in and helps that family. Theirs no greater mitzva then helping a family eat. Do u have any idea how families don’t know how to make shaboss. You shall never be tested. It seems like your spoiled. May hashem always grant you with pleasure but don’t forget the poor
You guys make it sound like a child is underpriviledged if they don’t get ice cream from that truck kids need to learn that they can’t always have everything they want my kids tell me that they come every day to Bais Rivkah Lefferst during the warm months and the fact that there are some kids that buy ice cream and eat it right in front of all the other kids, makes all the other kids feel bad that they don’t have and there are kids who steal money from their parents or other sources to be able to buy… Read more »
It all depends where you shop if you spend a little time you can find very fair prices for example lands end t-shirts 30% off (entire site) until tomorrow here’s a link for a really cheap t-shirt for girls: http://www.landsend.com/pp/girls-long-sleeve-feminine-fit-super-t-shirt~185927_1187.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::BLA&CM_MERCH=IDX_girls-_-tops-_-t-shirts-knit-tops-_-long-sleeve&origin=index make sure you click on the right group “little girl” or big girl” you can search for “long sleeves” using the search options on the left, sevearl of the t-shirts though do not have tznius necklines so you have to be careful there are only some colors left, but it is 4.99/t-shirts PLUS 30% off Promotion Code: OCEAN30, PIN: 5230… Read more »
Hi people i understand there a issue income that people are e having i would like to recommend a company that I have been involved with for some that’s been provinding me with a steady cash flow of income it’s called zeekrewards.com if you like to hear more you can email me at [email protected] hatzlocho
I hope you are now educated in the Temporary Assistance Food Program of NYC.
Maybe we have jumped down your throat, but for future reference try to have the proper sources to support your statement.
even with careful frugal shopping and not buying expensive food items,
$18
$19, chai after cc fees
Also struggling, but inspired by the above.
How about 1000 comments on this story of $18 donations!?
That would make it most commented, and even more would give.
Moshiach Now!
it’s very, very possible to have much lower grocery bills by simply putting some thought and planning into what and how to buy. There is no need for the average person to consume huge amounts of chicken/meat or dairy which are typically the most expensive foods. In fact, it’s really healthier not to. the problem in crown heights is that everyone wants to live “rich”. But in the big wide world, people cook and eat what they can afford. Not what they wish they could afford. Or think they should be able to afford.
So, did everyone that commented, AND everyone that read them donate at least $18-54 to CSSY?
I have a large family K”H with huge grocery bills that exceed $2000. a month. And I often wonder how regular families can pay these high bills, not to mention tuition, rent or mortgage, etc…. I can’t believe how people like #2 can’t understand the huge food expense that families have.
1. You can be ineligible for food stamps yet after paying rent and tuition there’s basically no money left.
2. Food stamps usually don’t cover the full food expenses of a frum family
Many people are not eligible for Food Stamps. Hardworking people who have ‘decent’ jobs but are not income eligible. Read the income guidelines. After rent, utilities,basic toiletries, medical expenses etc… many families struggle to put food on the table.
are you sure you commented on the right article?
I only get about four hundred $ a month on f stamps and no I can not make it just on food stamps- I have a family of five to feed.
#2: Many people who are “on the books” don’t qualify for food stamps. But there are food pantries, etc. Unfortunately there are people who would qualify but can’t get it together to get food stamps and/or are too embarrassed or “particular” to go to the pantry. Then there are those who buy expensive food with their food stamps and have difficulty making it through the month….
maybe its time that those who dont need it dont take it so those who need it will get it
and not just here but from the govt as well
You obviously have never had to sink to that level where you need to sit with groups of people waiting to receive your monthly allotment that barely covers what is needed to feed a family or you wouldn’t be asking that.
inspired by #4, and gave $18.
just give $18 if thats all you can- every penny helps.
gdole tzedoka shemikareves es hageulah!
Our families have to pay for school, camp – and yes it is a necessity for our city kids to go to camp (not necessarily a $10,000 summer home, but camp), kosher food is expensive, tznius clothing is expensive
We must help, if you and/or your spouse is working, you can (barely) cover your bills, then help out your neighbor or even your relative -it is our communty we’re talkin about
It’s true we live in a nation of chesed and people can apply for many social programs
BUT, it is not the panacea you think! You must be eligible, unemployment and disability have waiting periods, and Yidden have much more expenses than the average American family
Hashem expects us to take care of our own, that is why YOU have a job, not to look your nose down at others, but to lift them up in a bakovodike way – GO CSSY!
Just made a donation online.
IMPORTANT
The link on this site takes you to the CSSY Zirkind fund. If you want to donate to the general fund you need to click the “donate now” tab on the TOP of the page.
A number of these families either a) have enough income that they don’t qualify for food stamps but have other expenses like medical expenses that kill their budget, or b) food stamps pays 31.50 per family member per week. For a single mother of two that means she has 94.50 per week to cover all her food needs – that’s not enough to buy groceries in CH, let alone have shabbos food.
This is a worthy cause!! Donate whatyou can,lets help our community.
Just made a donation of $18. Also struggling, but I can afford $18 BH. If a thousand readers gave $18 we could feed all these families for a couple weeks. C’Mon guys, 18 bucks.. you can do it!
OPEN YOUR WALLET, TAKE OUT A DOLLAR AND GIVE ME THE REST!™
i just think that this is pushet mamash not correct! wow go bunk 5!!!
I never understood how people can go hungry if they are eligible for food stamps … Please explain.
my husband B”H has a job. Of course we are all struggling to make ends meet, but I will iyh send a check today!