The Climate of the Community is the Responsibility of the Citizens of the Community
Maui Wildfires:
How We Can Help
Max Whittaker for The New York Times
On August 8, 2023, the island of Maui was ravaged by a deadly wildfire. At least 99 people are confirmed dead, and the toll is expected to rise as the awful work of looking for victims continues.
If you are interested in helping, below are the organizations spearheading those efforts. The information and list comes from The New York Times:
"State officials recommend that donations should be made to well-known organizations, stressing the importance of verifying that your chosen charity is legitimate. Officials in Hawaii have said that any charity that solicits donations in the state must be registered with the Department of the Attorney General. The status of a charity can be verified here on Hawaii’s official website.
Charity Navigator and GuideStar are two organizations that provide information on nonprofit groups and aid agencies. These organizations can also direct you to reputable ones."
"How you can help"
"The Hawaii Community Foundation is asking for monetary donations. This fund is used to support communities affected by the wildfires.
Maui United Way is also asking for money. The organization promises to provide immediate financial assistance through grants to nonprofits at the forefront of relief efforts and to households that have been affected.
The American Red Cross is also providing disaster relief for those forced to flee their homes.
The Maui Food Bank is accepting monetary donations, as well as certain foods, toiletries and household items."
"Helping animals"
"Most of the rescue and relief efforts are aimed at helping humans but animals are also often in need during natural disasters.
The Maui Humane Society said on Thursday that its shelters were already over capacity before the fires and urged people foster a dog. The organization said it was also looking for donations of pet food, pop-up kennels and litter. In a statement on Facebook, the group said that donations of supplies could be dropped off directly at the Maui Humane Society location on the island, or delivered through its Amazon wishlist. People can also offer help in the Maui Fires Pets Help Group, which will enable pet owners to connect with others without straining the society’s resources."
Holocaust Remembrance 2023
The Town of Concord’s Annual Holocaust Remembrance, co-sponsored by the Concord-Carlisle Human Rights Council, was held on Sunday, April 23rd at 7:00 PM at the Concord Town House.
This year, we were honored to welcome Sara Cohen, a member of Concord’s Kerem Shalom. Sara was born in Athens, Greece in 1948 to parents who had survived the Holocaust. The Cohens emigrated to the United States in 1956 and settled in Boston. Sara was an art teacher and grant writer in the Boston Public Schools for 32 years and was the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship. In her retirement, she began a second career creating documentaries, specializing in interviewing Holocaust survivors in an effort to memorialize their stories. Her documentaries have been featured in local cable TV programs and have been presented in numerous venues in Boston, New York, Athens and Israel. Sara shared her family’s story and reflected on growing up in the Boston area as a child of Holocaust survivors and as an immigrant from Greece.
The event was recorded and is available to view on YouTube by clicking the button below:
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Photo, Court Booth
Emergency Shelter for Families Experiencing Homelessness
Families have arrived for medium and long-term stays at the Emergency Shelter at the Best Western on Elm Street in Concord. If you are looking for ways to help, please click on the buttons below to go to The Concord-Carlisle Community Chest and/or The Town of Concord websites where there is updated information on how you can help.
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