10%

Count Your Blessings

A Personal Note From Michelle

By FOREFRONT Charity

December 2^nd, 2020

“What are you doing for spring break, Ms. Chang?”. While this simple question was probably asked just to delay whatever sleep-inducing Algebra II lesson I was giving in 2018, I fell for it and shared about my upcoming trip to India. Of course, that just led to more student questions about FOREFRONT, because I teach the best kids. They are so smart, hard-working, and most importantly, kind. Whenever they hear of a need, they want to help too.

My students stayed after school for several days to write letters of encouragement and draw word art for children living in an orphanage that FOREFRONT partners with. When I came back from my India trip with reply letters and videos from the orphanage, my students’ compassion grew even more. They exclaimed “wow we’re so privileged,” “can I go with you to India next time?”, and my favorite “I want to work with a nonprofit someday too!”. They shared about FOREFRONT’s work on their social media in the savviest Gen Z ways and even wrote letters to the Obama Foundation to advocate for more funding for international educational equity. I’m a proud educator every day, but this particular memory of my kids is one of my favorites.

Now what I didn’t mention to you about my kids is that they are far from privileged themselves. Going without is not a distanced story, it is their lived experience. All face racism. Many have lost loved ones to violence, poor health care, and substance abuse. Some have incarcerated parents, some have no memory of their parents, some live in foster care with a handful of siblings to care for. They know how hard it is to be a kid without basic life necessities, yet with big dreams. They know first-hand how life-changing clean water, education, and medical care, and empowerment can be.

Why should you count your blessings? Because in difficult times, in times when you feel you can’t possibly give because you have so little, counting your blessings transforms your perspective. Counting your blessings rids you of fixation over your needs and wants. It gives you instead gratitude and strength to believe that somehow, there is math magic in generosity. If you give what little you have, it will multiply. Every time.

I know I’m probably preaching to the choir, but given that many of us have not gathered together in a long time, I thought I would remind us all of the choir’s continued existence. There are brave, selfless, generous people all around us, from my Algebra II students to each and everyone of you all around the world. Despite the hardships of 2020, our donations from individual donations are up 50% year over year. Wow. That is incredible! Thank you for facing less by giving more. This holiday season, let’s continue to count our blessings and be a blessing to others.