Tag Archives: Au Pair Charity

Au Pair Helps Others for Thanksgiving

2013-11-24_11.59.13 - CopyThe 5th annual Thanksgiving Basket Brigade,

By Jessica Klose, au pair with Au Pair in America.

“This basket of love and hope is for people in need.”

On Sunday, November 24, 2013 a group of helpers spent their Sunday evening in Stony Brook to prepare baskets for people in need. They prepared baskets for Thanksgiving.
A friend of me told me about the 5th annual Thanksgiving Basket Brigade and asked me if I want to help and spent some food, like some vegetables or stuffing. Something you need to have a Thanksgiving dinner. So we did. We went to the store with two more friends and bought food. On the Sunday morning we went to Stony Brook to help to prepare 40 baskets for 40 families. It wasn’t just us and her host family, their were a lot of more helpers. Some of them do it every year and it was nice to be a part of it this year. I was surprised to see how much food they got together. So we got to work. We started to fill the baskets with turkey, vegetables, pies, fruits, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more.
2013-11-24_11.55.17We wrapped them up and after 3 hours, I think, we were done with all 40 baskets.
Right after we prepared the baskets some of the helpers brought the basket to the families or to people who knew the families who could need the baskets.
I even had the chance to bring 3 baskets to a woman who knew families that need the support.

The 5th annual Thanksgiving Basket Brigade is entirely self funded and based on the support of friends, families and everyone who wants to help.2013-11-24_11.59.13

JUSTINE’S LOCKS OF LOVE!

Justine Probst - Au Pair in America

Justine Probst - Au Pair in America

Justine Probst is a 23 year old young woman from Germany living in the USA as an au pair with Au Pair in America. I met Justine when she arrived to her host family in Center Moriches in August 2013. As the Suffolk County Community Counselor for Au Pair in America, part of my job is to visit with new au pairs and help them through their year in America. Her long brown hair, ready smile and slim build were memorable. An intelligent young woman, she was excited about starting her year in America with her host family, caring for their children, learning about America and taking classes at Suffolk Community College.

Each month the Suffolk County au pairs get together for an activity and Justine always attends the activities. On Sunday, November 17th, over 200 au pairs from Au Pair in America who live with Long Island and Westchester host families, enjoyed the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC. I immediately noticed Justine’s cute short new hair style and asked what made her take such a big step to cut off her hair. She said she did it for Locks of Love. We made a date to chat this week about why and how this was done.

Au Pair in America is a wonderful experience for young women from 60 countries around the world who spend a year or two with a host family caring for their children up to 45 hours a week, taking some classes at local colleges, and learning about American culture. But part of this experience is being away from loved ones back home. Justine learned a family member in German has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. She wanted to do something, but knew traveling home would not change her relative’s outcome, that she would lose her time in the USA; but she knew she had to do something meaningful. She found Locks of Love online and decided she could donate her long brown hair.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. You just need 10 inches of hair that has not been bleached or highlighted tied back in a ponytail or braid to donate.

Justine followed the directions on the Locks of Love website, went to a salon, cut off her ponytail and mailed it off to Locks of Love. I am very proud that Justine found this wonderful way to do something to honor her relative with breast cancer. Justine said her family member caught the cancer early through self-examination and her outcome is expected to be good. A lucky young child will one day be wearing Justine’s Locks of Love and hopefully will have a good outcome, too. Thank you Justine Probst!

Interested in Au Pair in America?  Check out  www.aupairinamerica.com