December 23, 2025 • 38 mins
Dan presented NightSide’s annual Charity Combine, featuring 20 local charities and organizations that offer a wide range of services that support local communities.
This hour:
The Shadow Fund - https://shadowfundne.org/
The Fidrych Foundation - http://www.markfidrychfoundation.org/
Adopt a Platoon Southie Style - https://www.adoptaplatoonsouthiestyle.com
Matt Brown Foundation - https://www.mattbrownfoundation.org/
Mary Ann Brett Food Pantry - https://stteresaofcalcuttadorchester.org/food-pantry/ - 617-436-2190
Second Serve Resale - https://www.secondserveresale.org/
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Eastern, MA - https://emassbigs.org/
Kisoro Children’s Foundation - https://www.kisorochildren.org/
Adult Congenital Heart Association - https://www.achaheart.org/
People Helping People-The Burlington Food Pantry - https://www.peoplehelpingpeopleinc.org/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night's Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBSY, Boston's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome to the twenty twenty five thirteenth annual edition of
the Night Side Charity Combine. Without any further ado, we're
going to get to the first one of our charities.
This is a program that my daughter suggested to me
thirteen years ago or twelve years ago. Now this is
year number thirteen. We are welcoming Dianne Sullivan, the founder
(00:29):
of the Shadow Fund, a great charity here based in
Merrimack Valley in which Diane Sullivan receives no compensation whatsoever
for this great charity and provides veterinary care for people
who do not have the money the funds to take
(00:52):
care of their pets. I call her Saint Diane, a
professor and assistant dean at the Massachusetts School of Law.
Diane's Diane. We've got just a few minutes. How can folks,
first of all, understand the Shadow Fund and how it
started a long time ago.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
The Shadow Fund is a nonprofit where we help veterans,
elderly disabled folks, a lot of families with sick kids
or a single family home without the resources to help
a beloved pet who is suddenly injured or sick. The
pet is going to be euthanized, and sometimes it's really
(01:35):
the person's only positive person in their life. So we
step in and we are able to help with resources
to save the life of a pet. Was started Don
because there was a veteran who's the dog was his
only friend in the world, and the dog had an
(01:58):
ACL injury. He could not afford the surgery that was necessary,
was going to quit his job. I heard about it
and I said to him, Robert, don't quit your job,
because where are you going to live? He says, I
have to save my dog. So myself, as well as
the law students, we all stepped in and we helped
(02:19):
Robert and it's taken off from there.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
And how many people, how many pets families have you helped?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Dan?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I don't know the number by that, thousands and thousands.
At this point, we've been doing this a long time,
close to twenty years, so we get sometimes three to
five calls in a day, so doing the math, that's
quite a number, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
And the website is shadow FUNDNEF New England dot org,
shadow Fund All one wordne dot org. Diane, you've done
such wonderful work over the years. I wish you a
great crit smith. You are Saint Diane. As far as
I am concerned, I want you to know that you've
(03:04):
done such a great job. And if anybody is looking
for a charity to support financially and otherwise, just go
to shadowfundne dot com. It's not org, it's it's is
it where it is?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Sun dot coat?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Thank you? Okay, I misread it there for a second,
so thank you. It's a five oh one C three
uh and it's been in operation now for close to
fifteen years if my memory serves.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
That's right, Dan, and I wish you the happy holidays.
But most importantly, thanks for all you do to help
the Shadow Fund. We greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well my pleasure. It's such a great charity. Thank you, Diane.
Say hot. Everybody out there forming law in the whole.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Gang okay, and they also just say hello to you
and happy holidays.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Thanks so much, thanks Diane.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Okay, good night.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
All right, we're gonna go, Rob. Why don't you bring
up I Fidrich and fidridg is the she runs the
Fidrich Foundation. Anybody in central Massachusetts knows the name Fidrich.
Ian was married to Mark Fidrich, a great pitcher who
burst onto the scene of Major League baseball in the
(04:15):
summer of nineteen seventy six. Sadly we lost Mark at
a horrible accident, but Ian is carried on his legacy,
his sports legacy. Ian, welcome back to night Side. Thanks
for joining us again. How are you this evening?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Very well and thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
He's great, Our pleasure, our pleasure. Your husband had such
an impact on baseball in that magical summer of nineteen
seventy six. It seems like such a long time ago,
but you know, he burst onto the scene and then
he had some arm trouble and all of that. What
does this foundation do that honors his great memory?
Speaker 4 (05:01):
So we support programs special needs athletes, and we've been
doing it for just about sixteen years now since he
passed away. And that was part of his legacy during
his lifetime. So he was a big chan and supporter
of special Olympics and such and tried to carry that
(05:25):
on after his death.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
And you function with supporting kids, particularly in what I
would call the western Massachusetts suburbs. Give us some of
the communities that you help out in.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Many of the Worcester County neighborhoods, so Lancaster, Westboro, Northboro, Southborough, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Webster.
We do a special Olympic skiing program and they actually
ski up at Watchuset Mountain, which is in the Princeton area.
(06:02):
We do a lot of middle school and high school
unified sports programs and we do multiple in the community,
including the north for itself. The webstera Water Ski Collectives
does an adaptive skiing program and they do programming for
(06:25):
the special needs skiers in both Webster and in Shrewsbury
at Lake Quinn Sigamond. I think you may be familiar
with that area.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Very familiar, very familiar, and the foundation always I assume
you could use some volunteers, but more importantly you probably
need continued financial support.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
That's what helps us going. The fans and the community
really make this work well.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Ian.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I just want to direct people. It's the It's the
Mark Fidrich Foundation dot org. And Mark is in a R. K.
Fiedricks is f I D R y c Chfoundation dot org.
Any sports fan can find it easily and he provided
so much great performance and such entertainment He brought baseball
(07:21):
back almost single handedly at a time when baseball was
kind of a downward spiral. But but his his antics
of the bound talking to the baseball as he was
nicknamed Big Bird. Everyone remembers Mark Fidricks and if people
could help you out a little bit, we all would
be so grateful and thank you for what you do.
(07:43):
Hope you and your family have a great Christmas. You
help so many young people out there, particularly kids who
are in challenge your programs. It is such a tribute
to Mark's memory. I thank you again for being with us,
and if we could ever do anything during the year,
you have my number, please call me at any time.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Okay, thank you so much, Dan. This is a great
opportunity for us and I wish you happy holidays.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Right back to you and to you and to you
and yours. Thanks Anne so much. We are going to
take a break. We're going to be talking. Coming up
with Adopted Platoon Southeast Style. Kelly and Conroy awaits on
the other side, back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
It's Nightside with.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Boston's news Radio, one of my favorite charities. Adopted Platoon
Southeas Style. Kelly and Conroy joins us Kelly and you
folks have been around now about five years. How do adopt?
How did adopted Platoon Southea style get started?
Speaker 6 (08:44):
Well, it just started Dan on a whim. I just thought,
they're soldiers out there and different members of the military
that need some care packages. So I reached out to
a couple of groups that had small people like small
groups that I could send packages too.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
And then it just has.
Speaker 6 (09:02):
Grown and grown to the point now that I have
my own group. Last year it became a five to
one C three and now I could send anywhere upwards
of from sixty packages a month till next month they'll
have upwards of four hundred, So yeah, it will be
it will be an interesting month of January for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Well, I know that your son served, and that your
son is a West Point graduate, was an officer, and
I know that you were very much involved in that.
But now that he is out of harm's way, you're
continuing this adoptal Platoon SOUTHI style, and obviously you can
use some help, I'm sure, both volunteers as well as
(09:44):
financial right.
Speaker 6 (09:46):
Yes, always each package to mail is at least ten dollars.
It could go anywhere from ten to twenty dollars a package,
so your times that's safe for next month for the
four hundred and then we also have Amazon wish lists
for maybe people that's want to find other ways to
give for the things that we can put inside the
boxes for them. And then I also have ways that
(10:08):
I'd like to pair up with a lot of different
school teachers, particularly grammar school teachers, because, believe it or not,
everyone's favorite thing when they're deployed of the cards and
let us from the kids, that's what they ask for
the most of everything, and I can't put enough of
those in the boxes.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
What's the easiest way for people to get in touch
with you? Adopt the platoon SEALTHI Style.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Our that is our website. Adopt a platoon salthistyle dot
com and then on there we'll have the different ways
to contact us to email. We're also on all the
social media platforms.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Perfect sure, that's pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
You're doing the Lord's work, Thank you so much. A
lot of lonely soldiers out there bring a smile to
their faces exactly.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
And Dan, like you always say about all animals, you
know at the end of your show, so you know,
go to heaven. I sign all of my and all
of my posts with God bless the peacekeepers.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yes, oh absolutely, that's a good one. I should incorporate
that as well. Thanks so much, Kelly, and Merry Christmas.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
Can you get me the opportunity same to you?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
My pleasure. Now I want to talk with Matt Brown.
Matt Brown has been on this show before, but I
always like to have Matt on. Matt wrote a book,
line Change, which is still available. You can find that
young guy who had an accident on ice at the
age of fifteen playing high school hockey. It changed his
life forever. Matt, tell us about your circumstances and what
(11:34):
the Matt Brown Foundation does. You continue to forever pay
it forward.
Speaker 7 (11:39):
Dan, It's great to hear from you. Yeah. So, in
twenty ten, I suffered a spinacle injury playing high school hockey,
and from the very beginning I was super lucky that
my friends and family were by my side and truly
let me know that I wasn't going to go through
what was ahead of me on my own. And you know,
they were with me through high school, when I went
on to college, and you know, as the years went by,
(12:03):
I knew it was time for us to give back
in some way, some shape or form, and I was
able to launch the Matt Brown Foundation in twenty twenty
to help individuals and families and groups living with or
recovering from illness or injury, with a particular emphasis on
the paralysis.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Man, you've done an incredible job, Matt. I mean, having
had this misfortune, you just ended up hitting the boards
at a bad angle. It happens occasionally, but it changed
your life forever. Your book, line Change is something that
everyone should read. That can be found I assume through
your foundation as well. But what you have done for
(12:45):
others is extraordinary. You know, our pald Jack Dougherty is
always talking to me about Matt Brown, and I talked
to other people to have taken your circumstance and turned
it into the positive that it has become. You're an inspiration,
my friend. How can folks help you financially? How can
(13:05):
folks get in touch with you? What's the what's the website?
Speaker 7 (13:09):
So it's it's the Matt Brownfoundation dot org. And you know,
I like to say that I guess I'm the lucky
one with you know, my name on the foundation, but
it's truly those that you know, those that donate in
the marathon, golf and the golf tournaments run the found
with road race that allow us to do what we do.
And you know, we had an unbelievable year last year
(13:29):
where we're able to do one hundred and thirty thousand
dollars in out of our grant program, and that was
on top of seventy five the year before. We're gonna
we're gonna end twenty twenty five, I'm having distributed over
two hundred and thirty five thousand dollars this year alone,
and that's gone to bathroom renovations, home renovations, pieces of
(13:50):
medical equipment for individuals to use. And you know, one
of the things that we like to say is that
we're trying to make someone's day a little bit better
and a little bit easier, someone's tomorrow a little bit
better and a little bit easier than there today. And
it's due to all those that have been able to
help us out financially. Without them, we wouldn't be able
to do any of any of what we've been able
(14:12):
to do.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Well, Matt, you just keep on keeping on Matt Brownfoundation
dot org. Your spectacular human being. And I have no
idea why you had that accident on the ice, but
I'll tell you you have turned into a positive Thank
you my friend, and I say my friend with the
deepest meeting. Best of Christmas and New Year's to you
(14:35):
and everyone in.
Speaker 7 (14:35):
Your family and Dan right back to you on half
of myself, my family and the Foundation to you and
your listeners. Merry Christmas and have a healthy and happy holiday.
Speaker 8 (14:45):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Thanks Matt. Talk soon. One of my favorite charities is
the Mariann Brett Food Pantry, and with us is Jim Brett,
the president of the New England Council, former state representative.
Yours is an amazing charity, Jim Brett. How many families
do you serve in the greater Dorchester area every year
(15:06):
through the pantry named in honor of your mom Mary
and Brett? Right?
Speaker 9 (15:12):
First of all, thanks Stam for give us an opportunity
to give a little background on what we do at
the meriand Brett Food Pantry. This is about our seventeenth
year of gathering all extraordinary volunteers, beginning with my wife, Patty,
who I don't think we'd be able to do what
we do without her, absolutely, and I always say beside
(15:36):
every successful man is that woman beside and we wouldn't
be where we are without her, without a doubt. But
we probably do between eight hundred and a thousand families
a month, and the primarily Dorchester. What we provide is
nutritious food, bags of groceries, we give diapers, we give clothing.
(16:01):
This past week we did probably three to five hundred
toys to almost three hundred families. It's an extraordinary group
of volunteers. We're all as they say, we are volunteers.
No one gets paid, but it's helping our neighbors. And
you know when you see the expression of some of
these people who come in and some of them look
(16:23):
very down, they feel as though they have nothing at all,
and then all of a sudden they're leaving with a
bag of nutritious food, clothing, new clothing that has been donated,
and they also get some toys for their kids, and
all of a sudden they have a smile on their face.
And I'm saying, it's a wonderful feeling to be able
(16:45):
to say you're helping your neighbors one by one. And
as Kathy Tudhill just mentioned in Kathy Charity, these people
all work for a living because we have to record
their names and addresses in order to be able to
receive any of the food that we distribute. So you
get to know them and they say to them. Each
(17:07):
one of them will say, I work two jobs, three jobs.
I work at the hospital from eleven to seven am.
So I go to your food pantry at seven am
Saturday morning, even though it doesn't open till nine. I
wait two hours for what a beg of groceries. So
it's hot warming to see all of these people who
(17:28):
wait in line in the cold weather and the snow
and the rain and just say I'm looking for an
extra bag of groceries to get me through the day
or the weekend. And it's extraordinary to.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
The unbelievable organization. I get to see you every March
at the big fundraiser on St Patrick that weekend, and
you're associated with Saint Teresa of Calcutta Church over Breck
in Dorchester. What is the website, gym real quickly here
so we can get some.
Speaker 9 (17:58):
Our website is down right now. So what I would
says to anyone who's interested in giving a donation, make
it very simple. Mary and Brett Food Pantry, care of
Saint Margaret's Church, seventy three roast Clare Street, R O
S E D L A I R Street, Dorchester O
two one two five.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
If anyone miss if anyone misses that they can, they can.
They can check out the replay here.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
You're a number also if they're interested in giving up
their time and a sadday, Morney, We're open from nine
to eleven six one seven, four three, six to one nine. Oh,
they'll be more than happy to take your name. But
it's a it's a wonderful opportunity for neighbors to help
each other.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
And all right, Jim, Jim Brett, thank you very much
for all you have done over the years for so
many people. The Maryann Food Pantry and I'll see you
on Saint Patrick's Day weekend in Dorchester.
Speaker 9 (18:52):
Thank you Dan for all that you do. Thank Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Merry Christmas to you as well. We're gonna take a
news break. We go back on a talk with HEB
of Second Serve Resale. It's a great charity. These are
all great charities, but they're so different as well. It's
amazing what so many people do for others here in
New England. Back on Nightside after this.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on wb Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Welcome back everybody to our thirteenth annual Nightside charity Combine,
and we are delighted to introduce Amy Hebb of Second
Serve Resale. This is a group out of Rhode Island.
Amy tell us how Second Serve Resale works because it's
a fabulous idea.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Oh hello, Dan, thank you so much for having me on. Well.
Second Serve Resale is an organization as that was formed
five years ago. We had our anniversary last month and
the idea was to give nonprofits the slice of the
second hand boom while at the same time helping the environment.
(20:04):
So we've been doing it for five years and the
idea is this, people donate clothing to us, I put
it on the website, and people buy it on the
website and when you buy something, you get to send
eighty five percent of the proceeds to a nonprofit that
you choose, the buyer chooses, and we're partnered with eighteen nonprofits.
(20:27):
And the idea is that customers use this incentive to
buy resale and then more items stay out of the landfill.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
So it's kind of maximumzed, but you also help a
lot of great charities as well, So there's a secondary
aspect and benefit to this as well. It's a brilliant idea.
How long you've been doing.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
This so for five years now, and yes, I think
that it really maximizes that transaction. And we're partnered with
eighteen nonprofits right now. It kind of fluctuates a little bit,
but you know, this way, you can really make the
most of your purchase and feel good that you're helping
(21:07):
nonprofits and helping the environment, and plus you get something cool.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
We go when people go to the website Second Serve,
Second Serve Resale dot org, your clothes, your cause. We're
a nonprofit selling donated clothes. You decide where the proceeds go.
It's an incredible website. I hope people will go there
Second Serve Resale dot org. Amy, thank you for what
(21:33):
you do down in Rhode Island. And again people can
reach out get information and they can help clean out
their closets and do good. This is an unbelievable idea.
Thank you so much for joining us tonight and thank
you for what you do well.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Thank you so much. And yes, I hope people shop.
I hope people go to the website, and you know
these everyday actions can support long term change. We're really
excited about what we do.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
All right, Thanks, thank you very much. Second Serve Resale
dot org want to welcome a charity that all of
you are familiar with, and that is Big Brothers Big Sisters,
a great charity of eastern Massachusetts with us as Nicholas Ramos,
Senior vice president and head of this organization. Everybody knows
(22:23):
Big Brothers Big Sisters, but for those who don't, Nicholas
give us a quick idea as to what you do,
who you serve, and what help you might need.
Speaker 10 (22:34):
Awesome. Thanks Dan for having us again this year. Well,
we are nonprofit. We've been around a long time. People
have probably heard of us. We serve children and youth
for all genders, and we match them with carrying adults
who can help them in all the facets of life,
right just having somebody in their corner to throw a football,
(22:54):
help with homework, go to a show, whatever it might be.
I think it's it's what you give is the gift
of mentoring, the gift of having somebody who you can
talk to and really having somebody who cares about it.
That's what we focus on creating those relationships building a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
And a lot of these relationships are not transitional or transactional.
I should say, they're long term friendships that come out
of some of these relationships.
Speaker 10 (23:24):
Oh, for sure, it's not rare to see matches that
have been together seven, ten, fifteen, twenty years. Even we've
been around for seventy five years, and it's amazing how
these matches just keep going even beyond when we support them. Now,
so let me let me ask us I believe it's
three years.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yeah, let me ask you a question. Do you need
more big brothers or do you need more big sisters.
I'm told that you have a lot of big sisters,
but you can use a full a few more big brothers,
which might be a great way for singles to meet,
if you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 10 (24:00):
Maybe maybe we can use bigs of all genders.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Right.
Speaker 10 (24:04):
But yeah, we're always looking for big brothers to come
in volunteers for us. But we recently merged with Big
Sister Association of Greater Boston, so we have a large
pool of young women who also need who also want
our services. So we won't take anybody who comes through
our doors that's great.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Okay, So how could folks get in touch with you
either to support you financially? A lot of businesses and
companies make donations of tickets and things like that. But
how can people get in touch with you either to
become a big brother big sister or to support big
brother big sister of Eastern Massachusetts. What's the easiest way?
What's the website?
Speaker 10 (24:39):
Easiest way is our website. It's e sure for Eastern
mass m assbigs dot org. That's easymask takes dot org.
You can donate, you could sign up to be a volunteer.
It takes literally less than two minutes, and we would
welcome anybody.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Sounds great, Nicholas, thank you for what you do. It's great.
It's a great program, and we're so happy to have
you back this year. Thank you so much.
Speaker 10 (25:05):
Thank you for being there.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Happy Holodus, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, all of that and
happy New Years. Now with us is doctor Ellen Williams,
and she is the founder of a great organization. I'm
pretty familiar with the Keisorro Children's Foundation. Uh, doctor Ellen Williams.
Doctor Williams, welcome to night Side. Tell us a little
(25:28):
bit about the Keysorro Children's Foundation, because you do great
work for kids in Uganda right out of Massachusetts.
Speaker 9 (25:37):
Great.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Thank you so much for having me. It really is
a privilege to be able to share some of our
work with our listeners, and obviously incredibly humbling to hear
from all these other amazing charities. What we do is
we work in one very small part of the world,
and we are a small charity, but you know, we
feel like what we're able to do there for the
(25:59):
individuals incredibly important for those individuals. So we started out
building a school that now has ten grades and about
four hundred and fifty children. We supported that school in
a lot of ways, but the real heart and soul
of our program now is that we support scholarships and
full living expenses for just incredibly poor girls who would
(26:23):
otherwise not be able to be in school. We are
now up to about one hundred and twenty five girls
for twenty twenty six and I think the main thing
I would want to tell people about what we do
is that we have no overhead, that every penny of
the donation we receive goes to fund these programs in Uganda.
We don't have any employees. I pay for my own travel.
(26:45):
So it's really something where we can really just support
these girls and we're thrilled to have been able to do.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
So how was it that you found the Kisio School,
I mean the school in Kisuro. I've talked to you
about this many times, But how was it that this
became your you know, really your avocation. You were a
physician for many years, just still a physician, but you
have a second full time job here that you're not
(27:15):
You received no compensation, But how was it that you
found this school? There has to be a.
Speaker 8 (27:19):
Backstory, and the back story is that my oldest son
had lived in Uganda out of college and had gone
back a couple of times with his work and his
medical training. And I had introduced me to someone and
when I went to visit the school that she had
(27:40):
started for the first time, which the first time I
was in Uganda was in twenty fifteen, they were just
housed in a few rooms that were attached to the
side of her father in law's house. And I really
thought she was trying to do something amazing, but I
just didn't see how it was going to survive without
a capital boost. And I guess it was just one
of the only times in my life where I thought,
(28:02):
you know, I can take on this project, or I
cannot take on this project, but if I don't do it,
it's not going to happen. So really came back with
determined to raise the money to build the school, which
was our first project, and just felt like it was
one of those things where you know, you can't fix
all the problems in the world, but sometimes you could
try to fix the one that's right in front of you,
and this was just the problem that was right in
(28:24):
front of me. And I think every time I've gone
back to Uganda, it's just been, you know, more and
more amazing.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
You know.
Speaker 8 (28:32):
I met a girl, you know, one of our girls
who we sponsored, told me a couple of years ago
that she really wanted me to come to her home.
And when I asked her why and said, you want
me to meet your family, and she said, no, no,
I want to show you that I slept on the
floor for fourteen years so that you understand how much
I appreciate the mattress you bought me when I started school.
(28:53):
And I'm like, you don't have to hear too many
of those stories before you feel like you want to
keep doing what you know.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
We're going to try to help you keep doing what
you do. On the website is Kiso children dot org,
but it's spelled k I s O r O Kiso
Children dot org k I s O r O Children
dot org. Doctor Ellen Williams, thank you so much for
(29:19):
what you do on this project. This is one that
I also have strong feelings about and you have inspired
me to support it a little bit and I'm very
proud to know you and to know your family. Thank
you so much.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
Oh well, thanks so much for having me in. Happy
holidays to you and everyone. It's really been a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
All right, thanks doctor Ellen Williams of the Kiso Children's Foundation.
It's Kiso k I s O r O Children dot org. Well,
take a quick break and we come back on and
talk about the Adult Congenital Heart Association and also we
are going to talk about a very important Burlington food pantry.
(30:00):
This is people helping people. The Burlington Food Pantry will
have that and then we will have another full hour
coming up on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Well, as you can tell, a lot of people have
big hearts. All of us have a heart, and therefore
this is an organization, the Adult Congenital Heart Association. Doctor
Mary K. Klein joins us. Doctor Kline, tell us a
little bit about the Adult Congenital Heart Association, because this
is one everybody should be interested in.
Speaker 8 (30:35):
Go right ahead, doctor Klein, Yes, I think they should be. Actually,
about one and one hundred children are born with some
kind of structural defect of heart, and that's the most
prevalent birth defect that there is. For many centuries, probably
(30:56):
there wasn't a whole lot that could be done for
children with congenital heart defects, but in recent decades, a
lot of those children with serious defects have survived to adulthood.
About thirty years ago, my daughter and some friends who
met online back together and said, there needs to be
(31:16):
an organization for adults with congenital heart disease because it's
a very lonely journey. A lot of times people don't
know each other. So the organization was formed ACHA and
we served not just the patients, but also the whole
medical community that works with potental heart patients. What we've
(31:41):
done is we have educational programs, we have webinars, we
have peer support. Somebody wants to be matched up with somebody.
We work on care standards for adults with congenital heart
disease through our accreditation program, and we're also we have
funded some research, but we're also trying to increase the
(32:06):
funding for for new surgeries and new medications.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Well, this is a lot of work. The group is
a national organization. This is not just a local New
England group.
Speaker 8 (32:21):
Correct that that is true. It started in my home
actually in Boston, but it is now a national organization.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yes, so important and the easiest way that folks can
get in touch with you, either to get more information
about the types of heart defects and living with congenital
heart defects and patient research, all they have to do
is go to the what would be the initials of
Adult Congenital Heart Association ac H aheart dot org. You
(32:55):
couldn't make it any simple.
Speaker 8 (32:57):
No, that's huge amount information there, a huge amount.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I'm looking at the website right now, a jan It's
a wonderful organization. Your daughter and her friends and you
were carrying on the legacy of your daughter and on
behalf of all of us who have hearts. We thank
the ACHA for all that you do so the Adult
Congenital Heart Association ACHA Heart All One Word dot Org.
(33:25):
Thank you doctor Klein.
Speaker 8 (33:28):
Well, thank you Dan. I really appreciate your having a son,
and Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Merry Christmas to you as well. Thank you so much. Okay,
we are going to wrap the hour with Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald.
She's with a group called People Helping People the Burlington
Food Pantry. Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald, I know you're a loyal
Nightside listener, so welcome both as a listener but also
(33:54):
more importantly as a representative of People Helping People the
Burlington Food Pantry. We have met before, well, when I
spoke in Burlington several years ago. How are you this
evening and tell us a little bit about the Burlington
Food Pantry.
Speaker 11 (34:08):
Well, thank you again, Dan for having us on. I'm
honored that you picked our organization. So People Helping People
in the Burlington Food Pantry began their journey in the
nineteen seventies and by nineteen eighty eight we became incorporated
as the People Helping People with an Umbrella organization, which
combined the food pantry, the holiday programs, and the covenants
(34:31):
of basic needs. So we just finished our holiday programs
which was amazing.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
This year.
Speaker 11 (34:37):
The UCC Church in Burlington, along with all the churches
people helping people. The Rotary Club this year was able
to give three hundred and fifty individuals Thanksgiving dinners and
were we received benefits from the Greater Boston Food Bank,
so all the turkeys came from the food Bank and
(34:58):
no charge.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Well, how much of a problem do you have? You know,
when we think about Burlington and those surrounding communities, those
are not poor communities, but there's a need that you feel.
Tell us about it.
Speaker 11 (35:14):
You know, there's a major misconception about food and security
and need. You know, people think you're unemployed, you're poor,
but it's really the people are working hard but still
want to be able to afford basic nexcessities. Life is expensive,
posing utilities, healthcare, food. Burlington has a population of seniors
(35:35):
of twenty one percent. Twenty percent of our population is
senior citizens. And think about it, people that moved into
Burlington in the late fifties, early sixties, they're in their
eighties and nineties now and they're living on Social Security
checks that are a lot less than people who are
retiring now in the mid sixties, and then maybe they've
lost a spouse and you're living on one Social Security check.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Expensive, So how can people reach out get in contact
with you. I assume that contributions would be appreciated or
volunteers would be appreciated as well. What's the easiest way
to get in touch with the Berlings and food pantry?
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Okay?
Speaker 11 (36:15):
So there's a couple of things. So People Helping People
Ink Drug Org is our website.
Speaker 8 (36:21):
Okay, not everybody here.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Say let me say that again slowly. People Helping People
Inc i nc dot org okay. And what's the other way?
Speaker 11 (36:30):
And then the other thing is not everybody has a computer,
So if you need help, our phone, if the food
pantry is seven eight to one to seven oh six
six two five, okay. And we just want to I
just want to say that people helping people exist to
make sure families in our community don't go fall through
(36:53):
the cracks during life's hottest moments. No one should have
to face hard times alone. And we're blessed in Ellington
that we have a number of nonprofits.
Speaker 8 (37:02):
We all work together.
Speaker 11 (37:04):
So if you need help, if you need help, pick
up the phone and call us. If we can't help you,
we'll put point in the direction where you can get help.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Okay, am right. My more thing.
Speaker 11 (37:15):
I want to say one more thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
I got a schedules, go ahead quick.
Speaker 11 (37:22):
We would love volunteers. We would love volunteers. We'll looking
for expertise and grant writing, book keeping, fundraising, annual giving campaigns,
so anything, we would appreciate it. And thank you Dan
for letting me have this time tonight.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
No problem, Thank you very much. Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald. And
by the way, if you've missed any of the information, Rob,
I hope you got that number seven eight one two
seven oh six six two five. All of it will
be posted at our web page, which is Nightside on
Demand dot com. This podcast, this hour, the ten, and
(37:55):
the eleven will be posted sometime early tomorrow orrow morning,
So when you get up you can if you've missed
one of them tonight, or if you want to listen,
re listen to what you've done, or to re listen
to anything. Nightside on Demand dot Com Second Hour is
coming at you right here. This is the last hour
of the broadcast. Here. It's important to me, it's important
(38:17):
to Rob wbz's thirteenth Annual or Nightside's thirteenth Annual Charity combine,
we will continue with ten more great charities on the
other side of the eleven o'clock News
It's Night's Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBSY, Boston's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome to the twenty twenty five thirteenth annual edition of
the Night Side Charity Combine. Without any further ado, we're
going to get to the first one of our charities.
This is a program that my daughter suggested to me
thirteen years ago or twelve years ago. Now this is
year number thirteen. We are welcoming Dianne Sullivan, the founder
(00:29):
of the Shadow Fund, a great charity here based in
Merrimack Valley in which Diane Sullivan receives no compensation whatsoever
for this great charity and provides veterinary care for people
who do not have the money the funds to take
(00:52):
care of their pets. I call her Saint Diane, a
professor and assistant dean at the Massachusetts School of Law.
Diane's Diane. We've got just a few minutes. How can folks,
first of all, understand the Shadow Fund and how it
started a long time ago.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
The Shadow Fund is a nonprofit where we help veterans,
elderly disabled folks, a lot of families with sick kids
or a single family home without the resources to help
a beloved pet who is suddenly injured or sick. The
pet is going to be euthanized, and sometimes it's really
(01:35):
the person's only positive person in their life. So we
step in and we are able to help with resources
to save the life of a pet. Was started Don
because there was a veteran who's the dog was his
only friend in the world, and the dog had an
(01:58):
ACL injury. He could not afford the surgery that was necessary,
was going to quit his job. I heard about it
and I said to him, Robert, don't quit your job,
because where are you going to live? He says, I
have to save my dog. So myself, as well as
the law students, we all stepped in and we helped
(02:19):
Robert and it's taken off from there.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
And how many people, how many pets families have you helped?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Dan?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I don't know the number by that, thousands and thousands.
At this point, we've been doing this a long time,
close to twenty years, so we get sometimes three to
five calls in a day, so doing the math, that's
quite a number, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
And the website is shadow FUNDNEF New England dot org,
shadow Fund All one wordne dot org. Diane, you've done
such wonderful work over the years. I wish you a
great crit smith. You are Saint Diane. As far as
I am concerned, I want you to know that you've
(03:04):
done such a great job. And if anybody is looking
for a charity to support financially and otherwise, just go
to shadowfundne dot com. It's not org, it's it's is
it where it is?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Sun dot coat?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Thank you? Okay, I misread it there for a second,
so thank you. It's a five oh one C three
uh and it's been in operation now for close to
fifteen years if my memory serves.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
That's right, Dan, and I wish you the happy holidays.
But most importantly, thanks for all you do to help
the Shadow Fund. We greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well my pleasure. It's such a great charity. Thank you, Diane.
Say hot. Everybody out there forming law in the whole.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Gang okay, and they also just say hello to you
and happy holidays.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Thanks so much, thanks Diane.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Okay, good night.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
All right, we're gonna go, Rob. Why don't you bring
up I Fidrich and fidridg is the she runs the
Fidrich Foundation. Anybody in central Massachusetts knows the name Fidrich.
Ian was married to Mark Fidrich, a great pitcher who
burst onto the scene of Major League baseball in the
(04:15):
summer of nineteen seventy six. Sadly we lost Mark at
a horrible accident, but Ian is carried on his legacy,
his sports legacy. Ian, welcome back to night Side. Thanks
for joining us again. How are you this evening?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Very well and thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
He's great, Our pleasure, our pleasure. Your husband had such
an impact on baseball in that magical summer of nineteen
seventy six. It seems like such a long time ago,
but you know, he burst onto the scene and then
he had some arm trouble and all of that. What
does this foundation do that honors his great memory?
Speaker 4 (05:01):
So we support programs special needs athletes, and we've been
doing it for just about sixteen years now since he
passed away. And that was part of his legacy during
his lifetime. So he was a big chan and supporter
of special Olympics and such and tried to carry that
(05:25):
on after his death.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
And you function with supporting kids, particularly in what I
would call the western Massachusetts suburbs. Give us some of
the communities that you help out in.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Many of the Worcester County neighborhoods, so Lancaster, Westboro, Northboro, Southborough, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Webster.
We do a special Olympic skiing program and they actually
ski up at Watchuset Mountain, which is in the Princeton area.
(06:02):
We do a lot of middle school and high school
unified sports programs and we do multiple in the community,
including the north for itself. The webstera Water Ski Collectives
does an adaptive skiing program and they do programming for
(06:25):
the special needs skiers in both Webster and in Shrewsbury
at Lake Quinn Sigamond. I think you may be familiar
with that area.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Very familiar, very familiar, and the foundation always I assume
you could use some volunteers, but more importantly you probably
need continued financial support.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
That's what helps us going. The fans and the community
really make this work well.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Ian.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I just want to direct people. It's the It's the
Mark Fidrich Foundation dot org. And Mark is in a R. K.
Fiedricks is f I D R y c Chfoundation dot org.
Any sports fan can find it easily and he provided
so much great performance and such entertainment He brought baseball
(07:21):
back almost single handedly at a time when baseball was
kind of a downward spiral. But but his his antics
of the bound talking to the baseball as he was
nicknamed Big Bird. Everyone remembers Mark Fidricks and if people
could help you out a little bit, we all would
be so grateful and thank you for what you do.
(07:43):
Hope you and your family have a great Christmas. You
help so many young people out there, particularly kids who
are in challenge your programs. It is such a tribute
to Mark's memory. I thank you again for being with us,
and if we could ever do anything during the year,
you have my number, please call me at any time.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Okay, thank you so much, Dan. This is a great
opportunity for us and I wish you happy holidays.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Right back to you and to you and to you
and yours. Thanks Anne so much. We are going to
take a break. We're going to be talking. Coming up
with Adopted Platoon Southeast Style. Kelly and Conroy awaits on
the other side, back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
It's Nightside with.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Boston's news Radio, one of my favorite charities. Adopted Platoon
Southeas Style. Kelly and Conroy joins us Kelly and you
folks have been around now about five years. How do adopt?
How did adopted Platoon Southea style get started?
Speaker 6 (08:44):
Well, it just started Dan on a whim. I just thought,
they're soldiers out there and different members of the military
that need some care packages. So I reached out to
a couple of groups that had small people like small
groups that I could send packages too.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
And then it just has.
Speaker 6 (09:02):
Grown and grown to the point now that I have
my own group. Last year it became a five to
one C three and now I could send anywhere upwards
of from sixty packages a month till next month they'll
have upwards of four hundred, So yeah, it will be
it will be an interesting month of January for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Well, I know that your son served, and that your
son is a West Point graduate, was an officer, and
I know that you were very much involved in that.
But now that he is out of harm's way, you're
continuing this adoptal Platoon SOUTHI style, and obviously you can
use some help, I'm sure, both volunteers as well as
(09:44):
financial right.
Speaker 6 (09:46):
Yes, always each package to mail is at least ten dollars.
It could go anywhere from ten to twenty dollars a package,
so your times that's safe for next month for the
four hundred and then we also have Amazon wish lists
for maybe people that's want to find other ways to
give for the things that we can put inside the
boxes for them. And then I also have ways that
(10:08):
I'd like to pair up with a lot of different
school teachers, particularly grammar school teachers, because, believe it or not,
everyone's favorite thing when they're deployed of the cards and
let us from the kids, that's what they ask for
the most of everything, and I can't put enough of
those in the boxes.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
What's the easiest way for people to get in touch
with you? Adopt the platoon SEALTHI Style.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Our that is our website. Adopt a platoon salthistyle dot
com and then on there we'll have the different ways
to contact us to email. We're also on all the
social media platforms.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Perfect sure, that's pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
You're doing the Lord's work, Thank you so much. A
lot of lonely soldiers out there bring a smile to
their faces exactly.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
And Dan, like you always say about all animals, you
know at the end of your show, so you know,
go to heaven. I sign all of my and all
of my posts with God bless the peacekeepers.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yes, oh absolutely, that's a good one. I should incorporate
that as well. Thanks so much, Kelly, and Merry Christmas.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
Can you get me the opportunity same to you?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
My pleasure. Now I want to talk with Matt Brown.
Matt Brown has been on this show before, but I
always like to have Matt on. Matt wrote a book,
line Change, which is still available. You can find that
young guy who had an accident on ice at the
age of fifteen playing high school hockey. It changed his
life forever. Matt, tell us about your circumstances and what
(11:34):
the Matt Brown Foundation does. You continue to forever pay
it forward.
Speaker 7 (11:39):
Dan, It's great to hear from you. Yeah. So, in
twenty ten, I suffered a spinacle injury playing high school hockey,
and from the very beginning I was super lucky that
my friends and family were by my side and truly
let me know that I wasn't going to go through
what was ahead of me on my own. And you know,
they were with me through high school, when I went
on to college, and you know, as the years went by,
(12:03):
I knew it was time for us to give back
in some way, some shape or form, and I was
able to launch the Matt Brown Foundation in twenty twenty
to help individuals and families and groups living with or
recovering from illness or injury, with a particular emphasis on
the paralysis.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Man, you've done an incredible job, Matt. I mean, having
had this misfortune, you just ended up hitting the boards
at a bad angle. It happens occasionally, but it changed
your life forever. Your book, line Change is something that
everyone should read. That can be found I assume through
your foundation as well. But what you have done for
(12:45):
others is extraordinary. You know, our pald Jack Dougherty is
always talking to me about Matt Brown, and I talked
to other people to have taken your circumstance and turned
it into the positive that it has become. You're an inspiration,
my friend. How can folks help you financially? How can
(13:05):
folks get in touch with you? What's the what's the website?
Speaker 7 (13:09):
So it's it's the Matt Brownfoundation dot org. And you know,
I like to say that I guess I'm the lucky
one with you know, my name on the foundation, but
it's truly those that you know, those that donate in
the marathon, golf and the golf tournaments run the found
with road race that allow us to do what we do.
And you know, we had an unbelievable year last year
(13:29):
where we're able to do one hundred and thirty thousand
dollars in out of our grant program, and that was
on top of seventy five the year before. We're gonna
we're gonna end twenty twenty five, I'm having distributed over
two hundred and thirty five thousand dollars this year alone,
and that's gone to bathroom renovations, home renovations, pieces of
(13:50):
medical equipment for individuals to use. And you know, one
of the things that we like to say is that
we're trying to make someone's day a little bit better
and a little bit easier, someone's tomorrow a little bit
better and a little bit easier than there today. And
it's due to all those that have been able to
help us out financially. Without them, we wouldn't be able
to do any of any of what we've been able
(14:12):
to do.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Well, Matt, you just keep on keeping on Matt Brownfoundation
dot org. Your spectacular human being. And I have no
idea why you had that accident on the ice, but
I'll tell you you have turned into a positive Thank
you my friend, and I say my friend with the
deepest meeting. Best of Christmas and New Year's to you
(14:35):
and everyone in.
Speaker 7 (14:35):
Your family and Dan right back to you on half
of myself, my family and the Foundation to you and
your listeners. Merry Christmas and have a healthy and happy holiday.
Speaker 8 (14:45):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Thanks Matt. Talk soon. One of my favorite charities is
the Mariann Brett Food Pantry, and with us is Jim Brett,
the president of the New England Council, former state representative.
Yours is an amazing charity, Jim Brett. How many families
do you serve in the greater Dorchester area every year
(15:06):
through the pantry named in honor of your mom Mary
and Brett? Right?
Speaker 9 (15:12):
First of all, thanks Stam for give us an opportunity
to give a little background on what we do at
the meriand Brett Food Pantry. This is about our seventeenth
year of gathering all extraordinary volunteers, beginning with my wife, Patty,
who I don't think we'd be able to do what
we do without her, absolutely, and I always say beside
(15:36):
every successful man is that woman beside and we wouldn't
be where we are without her, without a doubt. But
we probably do between eight hundred and a thousand families
a month, and the primarily Dorchester. What we provide is
nutritious food, bags of groceries, we give diapers, we give clothing.
(16:01):
This past week we did probably three to five hundred
toys to almost three hundred families. It's an extraordinary group
of volunteers. We're all as they say, we are volunteers.
No one gets paid, but it's helping our neighbors. And
you know when you see the expression of some of
these people who come in and some of them look
(16:23):
very down, they feel as though they have nothing at all,
and then all of a sudden they're leaving with a
bag of nutritious food, clothing, new clothing that has been donated,
and they also get some toys for their kids, and
all of a sudden they have a smile on their face.
And I'm saying, it's a wonderful feeling to be able
(16:45):
to say you're helping your neighbors one by one. And
as Kathy Tudhill just mentioned in Kathy Charity, these people
all work for a living because we have to record
their names and addresses in order to be able to
receive any of the food that we distribute. So you
get to know them and they say to them. Each
(17:07):
one of them will say, I work two jobs, three jobs.
I work at the hospital from eleven to seven am.
So I go to your food pantry at seven am
Saturday morning, even though it doesn't open till nine. I
wait two hours for what a beg of groceries. So
it's hot warming to see all of these people who
(17:28):
wait in line in the cold weather and the snow
and the rain and just say I'm looking for an
extra bag of groceries to get me through the day
or the weekend. And it's extraordinary to.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
The unbelievable organization. I get to see you every March
at the big fundraiser on St Patrick that weekend, and
you're associated with Saint Teresa of Calcutta Church over Breck
in Dorchester. What is the website, gym real quickly here
so we can get some.
Speaker 9 (17:58):
Our website is down right now. So what I would
says to anyone who's interested in giving a donation, make
it very simple. Mary and Brett Food Pantry, care of
Saint Margaret's Church, seventy three roast Clare Street, R O
S E D L A I R Street, Dorchester O
two one two five.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
If anyone miss if anyone misses that they can, they can.
They can check out the replay here.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
You're a number also if they're interested in giving up
their time and a sadday, Morney, We're open from nine
to eleven six one seven, four three, six to one nine. Oh,
they'll be more than happy to take your name. But
it's a it's a wonderful opportunity for neighbors to help
each other.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
And all right, Jim, Jim Brett, thank you very much
for all you have done over the years for so
many people. The Maryann Food Pantry and I'll see you
on Saint Patrick's Day weekend in Dorchester.
Speaker 9 (18:52):
Thank you Dan for all that you do. Thank Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Merry Christmas to you as well. We're gonna take a
news break. We go back on a talk with HEB
of Second Serve Resale. It's a great charity. These are
all great charities, but they're so different as well. It's
amazing what so many people do for others here in
New England. Back on Nightside after this.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on wb Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Welcome back everybody to our thirteenth annual Nightside charity Combine,
and we are delighted to introduce Amy Hebb of Second
Serve Resale. This is a group out of Rhode Island.
Amy tell us how Second Serve Resale works because it's
a fabulous idea.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Oh hello, Dan, thank you so much for having me on. Well.
Second Serve Resale is an organization as that was formed
five years ago. We had our anniversary last month and
the idea was to give nonprofits the slice of the
second hand boom while at the same time helping the environment.
(20:04):
So we've been doing it for five years and the
idea is this, people donate clothing to us, I put
it on the website, and people buy it on the
website and when you buy something, you get to send
eighty five percent of the proceeds to a nonprofit that
you choose, the buyer chooses, and we're partnered with eighteen nonprofits.
(20:27):
And the idea is that customers use this incentive to
buy resale and then more items stay out of the landfill.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
So it's kind of maximumzed, but you also help a
lot of great charities as well, So there's a secondary
aspect and benefit to this as well. It's a brilliant idea.
How long you've been doing.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
This so for five years now, and yes, I think
that it really maximizes that transaction. And we're partnered with
eighteen nonprofits right now. It kind of fluctuates a little bit,
but you know, this way, you can really make the
most of your purchase and feel good that you're helping
(21:07):
nonprofits and helping the environment, and plus you get something cool.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
We go when people go to the website Second Serve,
Second Serve Resale dot org, your clothes, your cause. We're
a nonprofit selling donated clothes. You decide where the proceeds go.
It's an incredible website. I hope people will go there
Second Serve Resale dot org. Amy, thank you for what
(21:33):
you do down in Rhode Island. And again people can
reach out get information and they can help clean out
their closets and do good. This is an unbelievable idea.
Thank you so much for joining us tonight and thank
you for what you do well.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Thank you so much. And yes, I hope people shop.
I hope people go to the website, and you know
these everyday actions can support long term change. We're really
excited about what we do.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
All right, Thanks, thank you very much. Second Serve Resale
dot org want to welcome a charity that all of
you are familiar with, and that is Big Brothers Big Sisters,
a great charity of eastern Massachusetts with us as Nicholas Ramos,
Senior vice president and head of this organization. Everybody knows
(22:23):
Big Brothers Big Sisters, but for those who don't, Nicholas
give us a quick idea as to what you do,
who you serve, and what help you might need.
Speaker 10 (22:34):
Awesome. Thanks Dan for having us again this year. Well,
we are nonprofit. We've been around a long time. People
have probably heard of us. We serve children and youth
for all genders, and we match them with carrying adults
who can help them in all the facets of life,
right just having somebody in their corner to throw a football,
(22:54):
help with homework, go to a show, whatever it might be.
I think it's it's what you give is the gift
of mentoring, the gift of having somebody who you can
talk to and really having somebody who cares about it.
That's what we focus on creating those relationships building a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
And a lot of these relationships are not transitional or transactional.
I should say, they're long term friendships that come out
of some of these relationships.
Speaker 10 (23:24):
Oh, for sure, it's not rare to see matches that
have been together seven, ten, fifteen, twenty years. Even we've
been around for seventy five years, and it's amazing how
these matches just keep going even beyond when we support them. Now,
so let me let me ask us I believe it's
three years.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yeah, let me ask you a question. Do you need
more big brothers or do you need more big sisters.
I'm told that you have a lot of big sisters,
but you can use a full a few more big brothers,
which might be a great way for singles to meet,
if you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 10 (24:00):
Maybe maybe we can use bigs of all genders.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Right.
Speaker 10 (24:04):
But yeah, we're always looking for big brothers to come
in volunteers for us. But we recently merged with Big
Sister Association of Greater Boston, so we have a large
pool of young women who also need who also want
our services. So we won't take anybody who comes through
our doors that's great.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Okay, So how could folks get in touch with you
either to support you financially? A lot of businesses and
companies make donations of tickets and things like that. But
how can people get in touch with you either to
become a big brother big sister or to support big
brother big sister of Eastern Massachusetts. What's the easiest way?
What's the website?
Speaker 10 (24:39):
Easiest way is our website. It's e sure for Eastern
mass m assbigs dot org. That's easymask takes dot org.
You can donate, you could sign up to be a volunteer.
It takes literally less than two minutes, and we would
welcome anybody.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Sounds great, Nicholas, thank you for what you do. It's great.
It's a great program, and we're so happy to have
you back this year. Thank you so much.
Speaker 10 (25:05):
Thank you for being there.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Happy Holodus, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, all of that and
happy New Years. Now with us is doctor Ellen Williams,
and she is the founder of a great organization. I'm
pretty familiar with the Keisorro Children's Foundation. Uh, doctor Ellen Williams.
Doctor Williams, welcome to night Side. Tell us a little
(25:28):
bit about the Keysorro Children's Foundation, because you do great
work for kids in Uganda right out of Massachusetts.
Speaker 9 (25:37):
Great.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Thank you so much for having me. It really is
a privilege to be able to share some of our
work with our listeners, and obviously incredibly humbling to hear
from all these other amazing charities. What we do is
we work in one very small part of the world,
and we are a small charity, but you know, we
feel like what we're able to do there for the
(25:59):
individuals incredibly important for those individuals. So we started out
building a school that now has ten grades and about
four hundred and fifty children. We supported that school in
a lot of ways, but the real heart and soul
of our program now is that we support scholarships and
full living expenses for just incredibly poor girls who would
(26:23):
otherwise not be able to be in school. We are
now up to about one hundred and twenty five girls
for twenty twenty six and I think the main thing
I would want to tell people about what we do
is that we have no overhead, that every penny of
the donation we receive goes to fund these programs in Uganda.
We don't have any employees. I pay for my own travel.
(26:45):
So it's really something where we can really just support
these girls and we're thrilled to have been able to do.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
So how was it that you found the Kisio School,
I mean the school in Kisuro. I've talked to you
about this many times, But how was it that this
became your you know, really your avocation. You were a
physician for many years, just still a physician, but you
have a second full time job here that you're not
(27:15):
You received no compensation, But how was it that you
found this school? There has to be a.
Speaker 8 (27:19):
Backstory, and the back story is that my oldest son
had lived in Uganda out of college and had gone
back a couple of times with his work and his
medical training. And I had introduced me to someone and
when I went to visit the school that she had
(27:40):
started for the first time, which the first time I
was in Uganda was in twenty fifteen, they were just
housed in a few rooms that were attached to the
side of her father in law's house. And I really
thought she was trying to do something amazing, but I
just didn't see how it was going to survive without
a capital boost. And I guess it was just one
of the only times in my life where I thought,
(28:02):
you know, I can take on this project, or I
cannot take on this project, but if I don't do it,
it's not going to happen. So really came back with
determined to raise the money to build the school, which
was our first project, and just felt like it was
one of those things where you know, you can't fix
all the problems in the world, but sometimes you could
try to fix the one that's right in front of you,
and this was just the problem that was right in
(28:24):
front of me. And I think every time I've gone
back to Uganda, it's just been, you know, more and
more amazing.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
You know.
Speaker 8 (28:32):
I met a girl, you know, one of our girls
who we sponsored, told me a couple of years ago
that she really wanted me to come to her home.
And when I asked her why and said, you want
me to meet your family, and she said, no, no,
I want to show you that I slept on the
floor for fourteen years so that you understand how much
I appreciate the mattress you bought me when I started school.
(28:53):
And I'm like, you don't have to hear too many
of those stories before you feel like you want to
keep doing what you know.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
We're going to try to help you keep doing what
you do. On the website is Kiso children dot org,
but it's spelled k I s O r O Kiso
Children dot org k I s O r O Children
dot org. Doctor Ellen Williams, thank you so much for
(29:19):
what you do on this project. This is one that
I also have strong feelings about and you have inspired
me to support it a little bit and I'm very
proud to know you and to know your family. Thank
you so much.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
Oh well, thanks so much for having me in. Happy
holidays to you and everyone. It's really been a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
All right, thanks doctor Ellen Williams of the Kiso Children's Foundation.
It's Kiso k I s O r O Children dot org. Well,
take a quick break and we come back on and
talk about the Adult Congenital Heart Association and also we
are going to talk about a very important Burlington food pantry.
(30:00):
This is people helping people. The Burlington Food Pantry will
have that and then we will have another full hour
coming up on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Well, as you can tell, a lot of people have
big hearts. All of us have a heart, and therefore
this is an organization, the Adult Congenital Heart Association. Doctor
Mary K. Klein joins us. Doctor Kline, tell us a
little bit about the Adult Congenital Heart Association, because this
is one everybody should be interested in.
Speaker 8 (30:35):
Go right ahead, doctor Klein, Yes, I think they should be. Actually,
about one and one hundred children are born with some
kind of structural defect of heart, and that's the most
prevalent birth defect that there is. For many centuries, probably
(30:56):
there wasn't a whole lot that could be done for
children with congenital heart defects, but in recent decades, a
lot of those children with serious defects have survived to adulthood.
About thirty years ago, my daughter and some friends who
met online back together and said, there needs to be
(31:16):
an organization for adults with congenital heart disease because it's
a very lonely journey. A lot of times people don't
know each other. So the organization was formed ACHA and
we served not just the patients, but also the whole
medical community that works with potental heart patients. What we've
(31:41):
done is we have educational programs, we have webinars, we
have peer support. Somebody wants to be matched up with somebody.
We work on care standards for adults with congenital heart
disease through our accreditation program, and we're also we have
funded some research, but we're also trying to increase the
(32:06):
funding for for new surgeries and new medications.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Well, this is a lot of work. The group is
a national organization. This is not just a local New
England group.
Speaker 8 (32:21):
Correct that that is true. It started in my home
actually in Boston, but it is now a national organization.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yes, so important and the easiest way that folks can
get in touch with you, either to get more information
about the types of heart defects and living with congenital
heart defects and patient research, all they have to do
is go to the what would be the initials of
Adult Congenital Heart Association ac H aheart dot org. You
(32:55):
couldn't make it any simple.
Speaker 8 (32:57):
No, that's huge amount information there, a huge amount.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I'm looking at the website right now, a jan It's
a wonderful organization. Your daughter and her friends and you
were carrying on the legacy of your daughter and on
behalf of all of us who have hearts. We thank
the ACHA for all that you do so the Adult
Congenital Heart Association ACHA Heart All One Word dot Org.
(33:25):
Thank you doctor Klein.
Speaker 8 (33:28):
Well, thank you Dan. I really appreciate your having a son,
and Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Merry Christmas to you as well. Thank you so much. Okay,
we are going to wrap the hour with Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald.
She's with a group called People Helping People the Burlington
Food Pantry. Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald, I know you're a loyal
Nightside listener, so welcome both as a listener but also
(33:54):
more importantly as a representative of People Helping People the
Burlington Food Pantry. We have met before, well, when I
spoke in Burlington several years ago. How are you this
evening and tell us a little bit about the Burlington
Food Pantry.
Speaker 11 (34:08):
Well, thank you again, Dan for having us on. I'm
honored that you picked our organization. So People Helping People
in the Burlington Food Pantry began their journey in the
nineteen seventies and by nineteen eighty eight we became incorporated
as the People Helping People with an Umbrella organization, which
combined the food pantry, the holiday programs, and the covenants
(34:31):
of basic needs. So we just finished our holiday programs
which was amazing.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
This year.
Speaker 11 (34:37):
The UCC Church in Burlington, along with all the churches
people helping people. The Rotary Club this year was able
to give three hundred and fifty individuals Thanksgiving dinners and
were we received benefits from the Greater Boston Food Bank,
so all the turkeys came from the food Bank and
(34:58):
no charge.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Well, how much of a problem do you have? You know,
when we think about Burlington and those surrounding communities, those
are not poor communities, but there's a need that you feel.
Tell us about it.
Speaker 11 (35:14):
You know, there's a major misconception about food and security
and need. You know, people think you're unemployed, you're poor,
but it's really the people are working hard but still
want to be able to afford basic nexcessities. Life is expensive,
posing utilities, healthcare, food. Burlington has a population of seniors
(35:35):
of twenty one percent. Twenty percent of our population is
senior citizens. And think about it, people that moved into
Burlington in the late fifties, early sixties, they're in their
eighties and nineties now and they're living on Social Security
checks that are a lot less than people who are
retiring now in the mid sixties, and then maybe they've
lost a spouse and you're living on one Social Security check.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Expensive, So how can people reach out get in contact
with you. I assume that contributions would be appreciated or
volunteers would be appreciated as well. What's the easiest way
to get in touch with the Berlings and food pantry?
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Okay?
Speaker 11 (36:15):
So there's a couple of things. So People Helping People
Ink Drug Org is our website.
Speaker 8 (36:21):
Okay, not everybody here.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Say let me say that again slowly. People Helping People
Inc i nc dot org okay. And what's the other way?
Speaker 11 (36:30):
And then the other thing is not everybody has a computer,
So if you need help, our phone, if the food
pantry is seven eight to one to seven oh six
six two five, okay. And we just want to I
just want to say that people helping people exist to
make sure families in our community don't go fall through
(36:53):
the cracks during life's hottest moments. No one should have
to face hard times alone. And we're blessed in Ellington
that we have a number of nonprofits.
Speaker 8 (37:02):
We all work together.
Speaker 11 (37:04):
So if you need help, if you need help, pick
up the phone and call us. If we can't help you,
we'll put point in the direction where you can get help.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Okay, am right. My more thing.
Speaker 11 (37:15):
I want to say one more thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
I got a schedules, go ahead quick.
Speaker 11 (37:22):
We would love volunteers. We would love volunteers. We'll looking
for expertise and grant writing, book keeping, fundraising, annual giving campaigns,
so anything, we would appreciate it. And thank you Dan
for letting me have this time tonight.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
No problem, Thank you very much. Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald. And
by the way, if you've missed any of the information, Rob,
I hope you got that number seven eight one two
seven oh six six two five. All of it will
be posted at our web page, which is Nightside on
Demand dot com. This podcast, this hour, the ten, and
(37:55):
the eleven will be posted sometime early tomorrow orrow morning,
So when you get up you can if you've missed
one of them tonight, or if you want to listen,
re listen to what you've done, or to re listen
to anything. Nightside on Demand dot Com Second Hour is
coming at you right here. This is the last hour
of the broadcast. Here. It's important to me, it's important
(38:17):
to Rob wbz's thirteenth Annual or Nightside's thirteenth Annual Charity combine,
we will continue with ten more great charities on the
other side of the eleven o'clock News
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