January 21st, 2024 – Soon after the October 7th massacre by Hamas in Israel, NBC sent a filming crew to the city of Ofakim to report and interview Ori, a 12-year-old boy whose father and brother were murdered while trying to defend their home.
Once aired on TV in the United States, 12-year-old Chayton was deeply moved by Ori’s story after watching the interview about him and his family on NBC News. He and his parents then decided they would do whatever they could to show love to Ori and send him support from the USA. They looked online and found Helping Hand Coalition (via a Daily Israel affiliate), which supports people in need in Israel. They contacted Andre Gasiorowski to see if the Helping Hand Coalition for Israel would partner with Chayton and support Ori and other orphaned kids on the ground. Andre, on behalf of Helping Hand Coalition, very happily agreed. The goal that Chayton and his family set was to help and reach ALL of the orphaned kids from the October 7th massacre. Currently, that includes over 200 children of all ages whose parents were murdered on October 7th – over 40 kids who lost both parents and the remainder who lost one parent.
The help for these orphans immediately began:
- The first wave was a $700 generous financial gift of love to support Ori’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah. A Helping Hand Coalition team member (Sebastien) hand-delivered the check to Ori in Ofakim and conveyed the love sent from the USA.
- The second wave was $3,300 in support that Chayton and his family raised, which was given out through Helping Hand Coalition for an event organized by the Ofakim Municipality in the city of Ofakim for 33 orphaned children, including Ori.
- The third wave will include a container of toys that Chayton and his family are working to send (via a donation from a USA toy company) that will be distributed by Helping Hand Coalition to the orphaned kids during the Jewish holiday of Purim (in late March).
- The fourth wave will include a massive event organized by Helping Hand Coalition in June, during the school summer break, with all orphaned kids when Chayton and his family visit Israel for the first time and meet these kids in person.
To view the follow-up NBC video article:
