BH STARFISH SQUAD
BH Starfish Squad Stories...
Family / Isaiah Butler & Family (shared with permission) - family help due to heart transplant
In 2008, while at school, Isaiah Butler suffered a heart attack (he was born in 1998 with a heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy). This lead to surgery and doctors placing a defibrillator within Isaiah to maintain his condition. The heart attack caused both sides of Isaiah's heart irreparable damage to which his lungs have been affected by constant fluid build up. Isaiah is currently on the donor list for a heart transplant in 2012.
Due to all of this his mother was unable to continue to work full time as she had to go back and forth from Stamford to Boston Children's hospital making it very difficult to take care of her home, other children and bills.
BH Help: In 2012 we put a team together to help with an offer of gift cards for food and gas. We also assisted with donations of cleaning products so the house would be sanitized when her son returned home. We did everything we could to raise awareness. News 12 took an interest. Soon local businesses joined into help; Air purifier (valued at more than $1k and house cleaning/sanitizing service offered directly to the family for FREE by Servicemaster.
Also a new washer & dryer from Aitoro Appliance directly to the family- FREE
Christmas presents from a Backyard Humanitarian family - everything they wished for & more.
A gift from a Backyard Humanitarian & United States Army Veteran
Today, on my return from the Army/Navy game, I had the great honor of meeting in person the family of a terrific young man I have come to know. His name is Isaiah (Izzy) Butler. He is a young teen recovering from a transplant to replace a heart severely defective at birth. He lives with his Mom and Grandma and siblings. They are scuffling with trying to keep up with the financial impacts of this. They are people who are just out there working hard and playing by the rules. I got to know them through Angela Malizia and the Backyard Humanitarians. The Stamford Boys and Girls Club hosted a Zumba fundraiser. It was terrific to see all the participants! I presented the family with a football for Izzy signed by West Point's entire football team, a coin from yesterday's Army/Navy game and my check for $250 given on my behalf for all the Backyard Humanitarians who have worked so hard to help this family. At a later date, I will sponsor a trip for them to visit West Point. I am working on how to do more to help these really special people. Shown in this picture are his Mom, Grandma and sister. - Archie Elam - VFW Commander
2018 - Keep up with Isaiah and see how he is doing today on the Hearts for Izzy Facebook Page.
BH FOR LIFE 4 LONI
To help a Stamford family, specifically 2 young children;
4 years old and 5 months old. We helped in immediate way with: food, formula & diapers.
***Diapers for Preston (2) two years old L - XL Overnight Brand (CVS carries them
***Diapers for Ciara who is (5) five months wears size 3 any brand
***Formula for Ciara "CiCi" ~ Similac (sensitive)
***Baby Food for CiCi ~ Rice/Oatmeal cereal, baby fruit jars (stage 2)
Family / Stamford Family - Wheelchair ramp for mom (anonymous donation from fundraiser)
Friend / Hotel room during emergency - snow storm (shelters overflowed)
Friend / Homeless senior citizen - winter boots, information for help/shelter ( he is now in a senior home)
"Joe" - Stamford resident, hard worker, father. Joe went lived and worked in the Stamford area. He lost his job and then became ill and faced serious health issues. He lost his home, vehicle and employment. At first, he was able to stay with a family member for a while until she became too ill herself. Then he had no place to live. He was in a desperate situation. He was able to make an arrangement at a family owned hotel temporarily. This was thanks to the kindness and generosity of the owner but they had bills to pay and could not afford many more days. So one of Joe's friends contacted us to help.
BH Help: With the help of BH friends who chipped in together, we were able to help pay part of the room cost directly to the hotel to help the owner so Joe could be assured a room and stay inside through the winter. With BH moral support & help with referrals and resources, Joe felt less fearful of his future, less alone and regained confidence and hope to be able to work out a plan with his work. He knew that his future would include volunteering and giving back.
In 2008, while at school, Isaiah Butler suffered a heart attack (he was born in 1998 with a heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy). This lead to surgery and doctors placing a defibrillator within Isaiah to maintain his condition. The heart attack caused both sides of Isaiah's heart irreparable damage to which his lungs have been affected by constant fluid build up. Isaiah is currently on the donor list for a heart transplant in 2012.
Due to all of this his mother was unable to continue to work full time as she had to go back and forth from Stamford to Boston Children's hospital making it very difficult to take care of her home, other children and bills.
BH Help: In 2012 we put a team together to help with an offer of gift cards for food and gas. We also assisted with donations of cleaning products so the house would be sanitized when her son returned home. We did everything we could to raise awareness. News 12 took an interest. Soon local businesses joined into help; Air purifier (valued at more than $1k and house cleaning/sanitizing service offered directly to the family for FREE by Servicemaster.
Also a new washer & dryer from Aitoro Appliance directly to the family- FREE
Christmas presents from a Backyard Humanitarian family - everything they wished for & more.
A gift from a Backyard Humanitarian & United States Army Veteran
Today, on my return from the Army/Navy game, I had the great honor of meeting in person the family of a terrific young man I have come to know. His name is Isaiah (Izzy) Butler. He is a young teen recovering from a transplant to replace a heart severely defective at birth. He lives with his Mom and Grandma and siblings. They are scuffling with trying to keep up with the financial impacts of this. They are people who are just out there working hard and playing by the rules. I got to know them through Angela Malizia and the Backyard Humanitarians. The Stamford Boys and Girls Club hosted a Zumba fundraiser. It was terrific to see all the participants! I presented the family with a football for Izzy signed by West Point's entire football team, a coin from yesterday's Army/Navy game and my check for $250 given on my behalf for all the Backyard Humanitarians who have worked so hard to help this family. At a later date, I will sponsor a trip for them to visit West Point. I am working on how to do more to help these really special people. Shown in this picture are his Mom, Grandma and sister. - Archie Elam - VFW Commander
2018 - Keep up with Isaiah and see how he is doing today on the Hearts for Izzy Facebook Page.
BH FOR LIFE 4 LONI
To help a Stamford family, specifically 2 young children;
4 years old and 5 months old. We helped in immediate way with: food, formula & diapers.
***Diapers for Preston (2) two years old L - XL Overnight Brand (CVS carries them
***Diapers for Ciara who is (5) five months wears size 3 any brand
***Formula for Ciara "CiCi" ~ Similac (sensitive)
***Baby Food for CiCi ~ Rice/Oatmeal cereal, baby fruit jars (stage 2)
Family / Stamford Family - Wheelchair ramp for mom (anonymous donation from fundraiser)
Friend / Hotel room during emergency - snow storm (shelters overflowed)
Friend / Homeless senior citizen - winter boots, information for help/shelter ( he is now in a senior home)
"Joe" - Stamford resident, hard worker, father. Joe went lived and worked in the Stamford area. He lost his job and then became ill and faced serious health issues. He lost his home, vehicle and employment. At first, he was able to stay with a family member for a while until she became too ill herself. Then he had no place to live. He was in a desperate situation. He was able to make an arrangement at a family owned hotel temporarily. This was thanks to the kindness and generosity of the owner but they had bills to pay and could not afford many more days. So one of Joe's friends contacted us to help.
BH Help: With the help of BH friends who chipped in together, we were able to help pay part of the room cost directly to the hotel to help the owner so Joe could be assured a room and stay inside through the winter. With BH moral support & help with referrals and resources, Joe felt less fearful of his future, less alone and regained confidence and hope to be able to work out a plan with his work. He knew that his future would include volunteering and giving back.
An old man had a habit of early morning walks on the beach.
One day, after a storm, he saw a human figure in the distance moving like a dancer.
As he came closer he saw that it was a young woman and she was not dancing but was reaching down to the sand, picking up a starfish
and very gently throwing them into the ocean.
“Young lady,” he asked, “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”
“The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in they will die", she said.
“But young lady, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly make a difference.”
The young woman listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves,
“It made a difference for that one.”
The old man looked at the young woman and thought about what she had done.
Inspired, he joined her in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
One day, after a storm, he saw a human figure in the distance moving like a dancer.
As he came closer he saw that it was a young woman and she was not dancing but was reaching down to the sand, picking up a starfish
and very gently throwing them into the ocean.
“Young lady,” he asked, “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”
“The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in they will die", she said.
“But young lady, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly make a difference.”
The young woman listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves,
“It made a difference for that one.”
The old man looked at the young woman and thought about what she had done.
Inspired, he joined her in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
