my charitable work
- As a five time author, I have seen over the years how my books have inspired kids to follow their dreams. This led me to publish my fifth book, award-winning Adventure on Christmas Street, to give back to my community and spread messages of kindness and friendship, especially during the holidays.
- I started a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money to donate books to needy children, both ill or displaced, to spread kindness around the world.
- To date, I have raised money to send packages to:
- SOS Children's Villages in Florida for displaced children with a focus on keeping siblings together
- SOS Children's Villages in Kyiv, Ukraine for displaced children
- Kharkiv Sanatorium School #13 for children with spine issues
- The Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides shelter and comfort for families with children that are critically ill in local hospitals
I also did a book reading to young children at Metro Kids in Forest Hills, NY, which was the pre-school I attended ten years ago, to spread a message of kindness and encourage the youngsters to dream big!
It was so heartwarming to receive a thank-you letter from Kharkiv Sanatorium School #13 and to see these children in Kharkiv, Ukraine enjoying my books on Christmas Eve!
Having received such positive feedback from these places, I decided to expand my charitable work by starting a nonprofit called “Education is Key.” Through this organization, I will promote merit-based education, for which I have been a strong advocate for many years, and encourage kids to read, write, and follow their passions. I truly appreciate everyone’s donations thus far, which have made all of this possible, and I look forward to spreading even more joy to children in need around the world!