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Miami families are in need. Through Wish Book, you can help them

Miami Herald - 11/22/2019

Nov. 21--This time last year, Jirandy Lahitte couldn't see himself in the mirror.

A carjacker shot the 27-year-old old T-Mobile store manager, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. From the vantage point of his new wheelchair, getting around the house -- or even seeing himself in the mirror -- became difficult, if not impossible.

But thanks to the generosity of Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald readers, Lahitte has a new accessible bed, toilet, sink and ramps to help him in and out of his home more easily. He even has a mini fridge in his room for his medications.

"Any kind of help is always appreciated, and the fact that it was unexpected makes it better," he said. "It was kind of a blessing in disguise."

Thanksgiving marks the launch of Wish Book 2019, a nonprofit project of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald to provide relief to needy members of the community. For more than 35 years, readers have pitched in to donate computers, furniture, housing assistance, medical equipment and home accessibility modifications to their fellow Miamians.

"Wishbook is powered by the generosity of our readers, who year after year reach into their wallets to help their less fortunate neighbors. It shows this community's immense capacity to care for others," said Miami Herald President, Publisher and Executive Editor Aminda Marqués González.

Here's how it works: we highlight a few compelling stories of people who need help, and you donate.

On Thursday, Nov 21, readers have an additional opportunity to donate to Herald Charities through the annual Give Miami Day. Last year, Herald Charities raised $4,000 for Wish Book recipients.

Click here to donate to Herald Charities through Give Miami Day.

That money (or service, or item) helps the people in our stories and dozens more we don't write about specifically.

Last year, readers gave $361,000 in cash and more than $45,000 in in-kind donations. That helped almost 200 nominees. When you include their families, that means Herald readers aided more than 740 people in South Florida last year.

Lois Chambers, Goodwill's lead cook for the last 20 years, had her teeth removed over the years and couldn't afford her insurance co-pay for a set of dentures. Dozens of people called in after her story ran in 2016, and a team of doctors, including Dr. Jose Chaviano of Illustradent South Miami and Dr. Vivian Morad, stepped in to help. Chambers received more than $20,000 of free dental surgery and implants this year.

Pierre Remus, a cheery man with a developmental disability, received the vouchers he needed to continue attending Miami-Dade's Disability Services and Independent Living program through the 2018 Wish Book.

An anonymous donor paid for the leg braces of Rolando Ramirez, a Nicaraguan immigrant with a spinal problem who works at Goodwill, could not afford to replace.

The collection of stories and videos will appear in print and online throughout the holiday season.

In the Wish Book series, readers will also meet a dozen or so other members of the Miami community in need of a little assistance, including:

-- Gloria Alexandre, a 14-year-old from Haiti who was diagnosed with a genetic disease known as achondroplasia dwarfism. The eighth-grader at North Miami middle needs a laptop to do her homework on.

-- Dana Connolly, a 61-year-old veteran, currently battling stage four cancer. He has a wife and three-year-old son, who are currently living off nine months of housing assistance and $541 a month in social security. He needs clothing, food, financial housing assistance and housing.

-- Gerald Banks, 48 of Miami Lakes, lost much of his cognitive function after being involved in a motorcycle accident. He needs speech therapy and caregiver support.

-- Gabriela Montes de Oca is an eight-year-old with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Her mom, Andrea, is a single mom and has taken a leave from work for the last 10 months while Gabriela receives chemotherapy. They need financial assistance and would like to give Gaby a limo ride around Miami and a TV for her room.

-- Marilyn Bass, 89, of Miami Shores, is a widow who fell and broke her hip at her granddaughter's wedding this summer. She needs an aluminum ramp installed at her home.

-- Deandra Joseph is 23 and dreams of getting a biotechnology degree to start a pharmacology company that uses natural plant-based medicine to treat patients. She is the first in her family to graduate high school and go to college. She's had several setbacks along the way including losing her grandmother (who raised her) to breast cancer when she was 16. She needs professional clothing and money for books for school.

HOW TO HELP

Wish Book is trying to help hundreds of families in need this year. To donate, pay securely at MiamiHerald.com/wishbook. For information, call 305-376-2906 or email wishbook@miamiherald.com. (The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans.) Read more at MiamiHerald.com/wishbook.

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