Established to assist students in Batavia City School District, the Twenty-five Neediest Children's Fund is a cause that’s been around since the 1930s, and fund committee members are hoping the community will continue its compassionate streak of generosity this year, fund committee member Nann Zorn says.
“We’d like to have enough money to carry us through the whole year,” Zorn said to The Batavian Monday.
The Twenty-five Neediest Children's Fund uses monetary donations for the assorted needs of Batavia City School District students. Those needs include everything from medical and dental care, prescription drugs, clothing, shoes and sneakers to eye exams, glasses, counseling, and other educational needs. It is nicknamed “The Quiet Fund” because it arrives without fanfare in a yearly one-time appeal seeking community support. An effort meant to benefit local children as soon as their needs are identified, it is “a true charity in every sense of the word,” committee members said in a letter issued to The Batavian.
Contrary to many other fundraisers, this one pours all donations back into the needs of district children, Zorn said. There are no administrative costs and 100 percent of the donations received are used for the benefit of children in need.
“Every gift is a gift of love and is an affirmation that no child should go without,” the letter states.
The fund stems from The Great Depression, an era when parents couldn’t even afford their child’s overnight stay at the hospital. School nurses noticed that some children were “falling through the cracks” when their needs of eye glasses, dental work or minor surgery went unmet. At that time, the cost for a child having his/her tonsils removed was $7.50 per each night’s hospital stay, which many families could not afford. Physicians waived their fees for the medical procedure, but that overnight fee proved to be too steep for some families to proceed.
It was out of that tremendous need that the Twenty-five Neediest Children's Fund grew into existence, Zorn said.
“Ever since, this fund has assisted children in the Batavia City Schools in complete anonymity. No family or child is ever identified to us by name, as to preserve the dignity of the family,” the letter states.
Even though it was initially intended to help out 25 of the most needy children, the fund’s scope has become unlimited to include as many of them as possible, Zorn said. Over the years “hundreds and hundreds” of children have received assistance, she said.
As students’ needs are identified by teachers, their school nurse, or district social worker Julie Wasilewski, the concerns are conveyed to registered nurse Nancy Haitz of the district’s Office of the Coordinator of Health Services. Haitz contacts the child’s parents, and if it is determined that they are in need of assistance, the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund steps in to help. The parents then select what care is to be provided, and by whom, in order to provide a remedy. Bills are then submitted to the Fund for payment. There is no red tape, no publicity, and there are no strings attached, as the only purpose is to serve the child in need.
Anyone interested in contributing to this fund may make their check payable to: Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc., care of Nann K. Zorn, 12 River St., Batavia, NY, 14020.
To assist a child and their parent in this way “is a wonderful and immeasurable gift,” committee members said.
“On behalf of the children and their parents, helped by your generosity and gifts of love, we extend to you a most sincere thank you and warm holiday wishes,” signed by the Twenty-five Neediest Children's Fund Committee members Sara Zorn Schroeder, Nancy Arras, Benjamin J. Bonarigo, Nancy Haitz, Virginia Tiede and Nann K. Zorn.
