It started with a short column in the Los Angeles Times by Steve Lopez about a unique non-profit organization based in Los Angeles known as Program for Torture Victims ("PTV"). The organization assists persons who have been victims of torture in their native countries by helping relocate the victims and their families to the Los Angeles area and providing them with psychological counseling, medical aid, and donations of clothing, household goods and financial assistance to help give them a fresh start here. The article's moving portrayal of the horrors suffered by one of the torture victims in her own country, her absence from her seven children for six years as she fled her country to live in Los Angeles to save her life, and her unerring Catholic faith, notwithstanding her torture, and conviction that God would reunite her with her family compelled St. Mel teacher Judy Ingraffia to action.
Mrs. Ingraffia contacted PTV to learn more about the organization and what she and her students could do to help. Under her organization and leadership, Mrs. Ingraffia designed a Christian Service project for the third, fourth and fifth grade students. St. Mel School was assigned to assist six families of torture victims sponsored by PTV who have been relocated to the Los Angeles area. The families were divided among the participating classrooms, and the students were given specific information about the family they were assisting, including the number of members in the household, the age and gender of each of the children, and a copy of the family's "wish list" of items that they needed most. Over the course of three months, students and their families held bake sales, sold lemonade at homemade stands on the weekends, and found many other creative ways to raise money to help these families.
The Christian Service project was designed for the students to make a personal connection with the families. Students wrote cards and letters of encouragement and support which were included in the boxes of good delivered to PTV for these families.
This project was an overwhelming success thanks to the leadership and enthusiasm of the teachers and tremendous support of the families of St. Mel School. Thanks to their efforts, St. Mel School was able to donate over $3,000 in cash plus dozens of boxes of household goods, toys, clothing and personal care items to assist members of our local Los Angeles community in need. If you would like more information about the Program for Torture Victims, please visit its website at www.ptvla.org . |
