Page 18 February 2 0 14 Arcadia Google group works together to change lives By Jennifer Koeninger Over the past 3 years, our neighborhood Google group, The Arcadiaparents (http:// groups.google.com/group/arcadiaparents) has worked with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on their annual Holiday Giving Campaign. Usually, we collect and deliver necessary items for refugee families and our group has been so generous in the past that the IRC has begun to hold back their most dire cases for us to handle. This year was no exception. We were given three families, one of whom was in a very grave situation. Desire’, Mediatrice, and their father, Marcel, were brought to Phoenix with the help of the (IRC) in March of 2006. The children’s mother had passed away while escaping their home country of Burundi. After enduring many hardships once arriving in the United States, the siblings got the worst news they could possibly receive. On the night of November 18, they were told that their father was hit and killed by a car. The 15-year-old boy and his 20-year- old sister were left on their own. Mediatrice immediately began to worry if she’d be able to keep her brother, whom she’d been raising since she was five years old. She was desperately afraid that, because she did not have a substantial income, her brother would be removed from her and placed in foster care. What she didn’t know was that the IRC had contacted me to request that the Arcadiaparents sponsor them for the holidays. Of course, we would be able to help but they needed so much more than toiletries and light bulbs. Unbeknownst to them, I contacted an organization called Boys Hope Girls Hope (BHGH) about Desi. Boys Hope Girls Hope is a 25-year- old organization that provides financial, academic, and emotional support for children in situations of significant need. They give children the chance to attend some of the best grammar and high schools in the Valley. In addition to a community-based program whereby they offer everything from tuition assistance to uniforms and school supplies, they also have a residential program. This program would be perfect for Desi. Once BHGH heard about this boy, they immediately sprang into action. Less than a week after burying their father, the brother and sister were surrounded by strangers who truly cared about their future. Not only would Desi not be placed in foster care, he would be able to live in a home where all of his needs would be met. He would receive counseling and tutoring, and would be surrounded by boys who would become like his brothers. Desire’ was accepted into the BHGH program on 12/22 and he moved into the Boys Hope House on January 5. He will have to work harder than ever in order to rise to the rigorous standards of the program but he feels that he can do it. He will have so much support that I feel confident he will succeed. For Mediatrice, this was the answer to her prayers. She went from having to make decisions like whether to use her last $20 to buy herself a black dress or get her brother a haircut for their father’s funeral, to knowing that she would no longer have to worry about being financially responsible for her brother. She would be able to return to college and, better yet, BHGH would work with her on getting tuition assistance. There have been so many miracles surrounding this pair since they were referred to the Arcadiaparents Google Group. Scores of people were touched by Desi and Media’s story and have gone to great lengths to make their lives easier. This community and BHGH have been truly amazing in their willingness to help two strangers and I am incredibly proud and touched to have been a part of this experience. For more information on Boys Hope Girls Hope, please find their information at www.bhghaz.org. To join the Arcadiaparents Google Group, email jkoeninger@gmail.com. Jennifer Koeninger is the founder of Arcadia Google Group. The group, made up of over 400 Arcadia neighbors, uses Google to form an old neighborhood feel via email and technology. Desire’ and Mediatrice were given a second chance because of the kindness shown by the Arcadia Google Group. MECH JOB INFORMATION PROJ. NO.: 7757822/602824980 JOB NAME: Retail Chin Olsen Campbell SPECIFICATIONS TRIM SIZE: 10.25" × 6" FINISHED SIZE: 10.25” × 6” NOTES © 2013 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC766749 12/13 NY CS 7757822 Preserving and Enhancing Wealth Those individuals who have the skills and determination to create significant wealth are not necessarily well prepared to manage it. There are highly complex and time-consuming financial planning, asset management and other issues to consider. These are matters that successful people often don’t have the time, inclination or specialized knowledge to address. 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