Qualitas of Life Foundation on Righteous Crowd this Week!
Participants graduate from a financial education course in the Bronx, NY
Qualitas of Life Foundation
Fostering Financial Security for Hispanic Individuals and Their Families
In this week’s Torah Portion, Ki Tavo, God commands the Israelites to set aside a tenth of the yield of the land and share it with "the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow." This portion tells us to remember that we were once slaves in Egypt and now it is time to share what we have with the needy. Inspired by these lessons, we are featuring a Righteous Crowd member whose family immigrated to the United States and now volunteers for Qualitas of Life Foundation that provides free financial planning workshops to the Hispanic community.
Please see our interview below with Righteous Crowd member Eduardo Bialostozky and Qualitas of Life Foundation volunteer, whose family immigrated from Mexico to the United States.
What is the mission of Qualitas of Life Foundation?
Qualitas of Life Foundation provides financial education to Hispanic individuals and their families, in order to foster their financial security and improve their standard of living.
Why did you decide to start volunteering with Qualitas of Life Foundation?
For many of the people that this organization serves, getting to this country meant risking everything, including their lives. Once here, they work tirelessly to make a better life, not only for themselves, but also for their families in their home countries to whom many still send part of their earnings to. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that they are able to keep every dollar they earn and not lose it to things like bank fees, which comes more from a lack of understanding of the system than anything else. With Qualitas' support, these people are better able to make more informed decisions when it comes to their finances so that they and their families can keep more of the money they work so hard to earn.
How would you connect Qualitas of Life Foundation to a Jewish value?
Similar to many of the people this organization supports today, in the 1920's my family arrived in a foreign land seeking a better life for themselves. The people of Mexico not only welcomed my family and other Jewish families, but they also fostered an environment that permitted them to prosper both socially and economically. Now that we are more established, it is our turn as a Jewish community to support those seeking a better life in a foreign land.
Who or what has inspired you in the work that you are doing?
The very people that this organization helps are those who inspire me to give back not only with this organization, but in every walk of life. The selflessness that they show by sending part of their hard earned dollars back to their home communities is beautiful and inspiring.
What’s a story about your organization that is meaningful to you?
During one of the Qualitas of Life volunteering sessions, I learned that people are charged a 5% fee to cash in a check at a bank where they do not have an account set up. The crazy thing is that most banks allow you to open an account at no cost and without having to provide any residency documentation. The problem is that many people don't know this and, therefore, were unnecessarily paying these fees. Just by attending one of these sessions, many of these people would get a 5% salary raise!
What are some non-monetary ways for others to get involved with Qualitas?
People can volunteer at various events year-round. They can also spread the word to their family and friends about this amazing organization.
To learn more about Qualitas of Life Foundation click here.