A call to arms sounded on Pleasant Street
Published on January 6th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - "They need our help" reads the sign down on Pleasant Street. Perhaps you've driven by, wondered what the plea is all about, or maybe you've even dropped off a donation or two right alongside the tractor trailer parked there.
Whether or not this is the case, whether you have given it any thought before, whether you've resolved for the new year to be a little more charitable or whether you already give of yourself to strangers in need, your sense of charity is now being called upon to help make a difference in the lives of people who need it most.
Stoneham resident and businessman Joseph Cunningham has been coordinating an effort to help the victims of Hurricane Mitch, which hit sections of Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala in late October. A November 3 Boston Globe report indicated that approximately 7,000 people were killed and a million left homeless. Cunning-ham stated that two months later, the number of deaths now stands at nearly 9,000 with a million people still without homes.
The hurricane triggered massive mudslides which caused the most catastrophic damage.
Cunningham is seeking 50 to 100 volunteers to sort, box and label the estimated 7,000 pounds of donations, consisting mostly of clothing, shoes and food, that have been dropped off at the site during the past month.
The effort is based at 39 Pleasant Street, the site of the former Bay State Box Company, a building currently under renovation.
Donations are still being sought, however. Cunningham is currently in need of boxes and shipping supplies to ready the donations for shipment. In addition, he suggested that donations of hand tools would be appreciated to help the victims rebuild. He is also working on recruiting some Spanish speaking volunteers to assist in labeling the boxes.
Working with the offices of Massachusetts senators Kerry and Kennedy and Congressman Markey to coordinate actual shipment of the goods, likely out of Hanscom Air Force Base, Cunningham is currently working to designate a definitive date to gather volunteers for this effort.
That date will be determined within the next couple of days and will be published in next week's Independent.
"We'll try to make it a fun day," said Cunningham, who is hoping to provide music and possibly a barbecue to assist everyone's efforts.
Cunningham's involvement in the relief project was instinctive.
Crediting his mother with instilling in him values that have made him sensitive to others' needs, he said that a situation such as this serves to remind us of how fortunate we are in America.
"When this happened, all I could think about was the trouble my kids have fitting their clothes in their drawers," he said.
He also had the opportunity to see human pain and suffering first hand about eight years ago when he visited his brother who was serving a one-year mission in poverty-stricken Haiti.
"My brother warned me that it would be difficult," he said. He still remembers the stench of smoldering flames and was pained to see the suffering that went on for miles.
"The feeling that remains with me most is how the people were so lost," he said.
He knew he had to do something when he saw the reports of the devastation in Central America and of the people digging 12 feet down to get to their houses which were buried from the mudslides.
But this is not a story about Joe Cunningham, who seeks and requested no notoriety from this effort.
This is a story about the thousands of people who are suffering unimaginable pain and the help they need from us.
"I just want to get the job done," he said.
While many of us have not witnessed such poverty and suffering first-hand, in general, most would like to be able to say that they made a difference to those whose lives are so different from our own.
"Most people want to be helpful," Cunningham said. That is attested to by the massive volume of donations already collected and hopefully by those inspired to put it all together in the coming weeks.
"We get so busy in this part of the world that we become numb to others' pain and suffering," he added.
Cunningham hopes that people are not too busy to help out this time.
You won't be helping out Joe Cunningham, you'll be helping out a whole nation of people. Here is your chance to make a difference. Watch for the date and clear your calendar.
Remember, they need our help.
For more information, contact Cunningham directly at 438-1505.
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