Dear Havens Fund,
For more than a quarter of a century, The Havens Relief Fund Society has been a beacon of hope for children and families. In emergencies, tragedies, and times of utter hopelessness, we have turned to Havens for the help — unavailable anywhere else — that has made all the difference in the lives of so many desperate families.
In 1985, you saved the home of the young mother and her three-year-old son recently abandoned by her husband and threatened with eviction.
In 1989, your generosity made it possible for a distraught mother to travel to and from the Bronx for three months of specialized training she needed to be able to safely bring her severely brain damaged 7-year-old son home to live.
In 1996, you helped us purchase a wheelchair for an 11-year-old boy, the oldest of three children — all reunited with their mother after she successfully completed rehabilitation and supervised visits.
In 2001, you made it possible for a formerly homeless 14-year-old girl to purchase the clothing her new school required to meet their strict dress code. She subsequently graduated with distinction, graduated from college, and now is working in a well-paying job in the City.
More recently, you were there for a young immigrant mother whose husband was viciously beaten to death in a racial hate crime. Deprived of his income, she soon ran out of money. Thanks to you, she and her three-year-old son had the emergency funds they needed for food and basic household supplies until she got back on her feet.
These are just a very few examples of the many families your goodness has touched and transformed. Some have survived fires and others floods; many are recovering from domestic violence. On all their behalf, I send you my profound and heartfelt thanks for being the "port" we can turn to in so many storms.
Thank you letter from a long-term Havens Almoner