From Personal Struggles to Community Impact
Hi, I'm Jacqueline, 62, living with major depressive disorder, mild dementia, physical challenges and PTSD, I reluctantly joined Instagram to stay updated on my local peace marches and it was through this platform I befriended a young man from Gaza.
His personal story resonated with me. His photo reminded me of my grandsons on prom night, just a few years between them but both vastly different lives, experiences and responsibilities. His mother suffers from schizophrenia and had gone without medication after fleeing multiple times, losing their belongings along the way. While my funds are limited, I've helped him purchase desperately needed treatment. I do my best to support him and his family but that, like many of us is financially limited. But all he ever asked of me was to share his cause with others. I felt hopeless, confused and anxious using social media.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
As someone who struggles with panic attacks I'm often isolated. Frustrated by my lack of social media presence, and no one to share his cause with. I had to think outside the box. After lots of frustration and feeling like a failure, I slowly realized "I can't be the only person feeling like this"
Many people like me don't or can't use on-line media. Left feeling overwhelmed and crawling back into my own pity party, for a while at least. Eventually the idea of creating Maa's Food Tree, a way to bring fundraising into the real-world community.
My Inspiration
Meet Mahmoud, who had planned to escape to Egypt with his family early in the war. However it cost thousands of dollars. An American woman named Jean set up a successful GoFundMe page, but before they raised the needed funds, the border was closed. Mahmoud used some of these funds to purchase food and supplies for his family, but he also shared donations with other families in Maa refugee camp.
The Creation of The Neighbourhood Project
Mahmoud, along with his brother Ahmed and friend Jamal, established "Maa's Neighbourhood Project," which distributes food and supplies to 490 families at Maa's Refuge Camp. Friends Alaa and Khaled coordinate transport and purchases, while Saed manages the accounting.
Funds
It costs around $3,000 a week to support a whole camp. that's approximately $8 or £6 a week per family. My goal is to help Mahmoud's team grow so they can duplicate their project throughout Gaza, with the help of Maa's Food Tree.
Healthy Meals ?
Children are dying of starvation and thirst, there are ways, other than the usual channels to access food and other supply's but it is very expensive. By no means are we aiding supply of healthy meals, but we are ensuring meals and saving children's lives.
Flexible Scheduling
Maa's Food Tree fund collections, will be issued weekly directly to "Maa Neighbourhood Project. Some other funding projects have experienced people's funding pages have been frozen and unable to access the donations. The process is best to not build up any money being transferred. Transferring directly into a bank account is preferrable, but flexibility for back-up is essential.
Join me can you spare 1 or 2 hours a week ?
I’m currently a team of me, myself and I. But I am looking for like-minded local volunteers to join me. Particularly with skills in:
• Web site maintenance
• A financial administrator
• Graphics
• Social media marketing
• Off line network partnering
• Initiative expansion planner
• Muslims, well wishers and local Palestinians