Send Rafael to school

One kind gesture can change a life.
One person at a time can help change the world.

 THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN! RAFAEL IS OFF TO HIS NEW SCHOOL! WE DID IT!!!

Please help me help Rafael (Rafi), a nine year old boy from Bridgeport CT.  Rafi lives with his parents and his two brothers, one of whom is his twin, Joseph, who is blind. The twins were born prematurely and although Joseph is blind he doing well in school.  Rafi, on the other hand, has struggled academically and the public school he attends cannot meet his needs.

I met Rafael four years ago when I volunteered at his school to help children who were struggling to learn to read. Rafi and I have been working together ever since. Rafi is a sweet, soft-spoken 3rd grader with a love of learning. He works super hard and tries not to get frustrated when a concept is challenging. Rafi is the kind of kid in whom you want to invest your time because he asks to learn. Over the years, colleagues and friends of mine have graciously volunteered their time to provide OT, PT, academic testing and tutoring. Rafi is now reading above grade level and doing well in all his classes. I continue to tutor him and think he can go far and achieve a lot if he is in the right environment. To that end, one of the many volunteers helping Rafi has found an academically supportive private school that has offered Rafi admission and is willing to pay for 80% of his education.

As they say, it takes a village to raise a child and I am calling upon my village, my friends, to help me support this child. Rafi’s parents are incredibly supportive and doing all they can to help Rafi but they do not have the means to pay for school.  We need funding to pay for the remaining 20% of his educational costs.  As soon as the money is raised, Rafi can start at the new school. I ask you on this Day of Giving to give to Rafi; if we are successful he will be able to begin at his new school before the New Year. 

I know Rafi will use what we give him to give back to the world and I promise to keep you informed of his progress so we can all see the benefits of our gift.  I thank you on behalf of Rafi and his family.