For the past few years, Matthew Hartmann, a second grade student at Abbey Lane Elementary School has been making the most of his birthday. Like most kids his age, he celebrates his big day with a birthday party. His parties are slightly different though, because instead of bringing him presents, he asks his friends to consider donating money to a charity of his choosing. Last year he selected Sloan Kettering and this year for his eighth birthday, he chose the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation, which raises money and awareness to find a cure for
AIDS, as well as research to benefit those already living with HIV/AIDS and supports those living with brain cancer. The foundation also provides food, shelter and shoes for orphans living in Kenya and raises awareness about the 11.4 million orphans living in sub-Saharan Africa who need vaccinations, clean drinking water, education and clothing.
Hartmann learned about the foundation after his mother ran in Brodsky’s 5K run. In addition, he found out that his pediatrician, Dr. Richard Sartori, works with the Brodsky Foundation by visiting Africa and providing medical care to those who desperately need it. Brodsky was so touched by Hartmann’s generosity that he decided he wanted to do something for him in return. So this year, Brodsky reached out to Hartmann and told him that he would like to donate toys to a place of his choice. Hartmann thought about it and decided he wanted to help those who were less fortunate in his own school community.
On March 12, Brodsky appeared at Abbey Lane with his car completely filled with $3,000 worth of toys. Boxes upon boxes of toys were unpacked and stored and will be used to make birthdays and holidays a little brighter for children of families in need. The toys were donated by K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers in conjunction with Toys R Us and Babies R Us.
Hartmann’s act of generosity and kindness started a chain reaction that helps so many people, both locally and around the world.
The Richard M. Brodsky Foundation was established by Richard Brodsky in 2004. Brodsky has been HIV positive since 1997, a brain cancer survivor since 2002 and a marathon runner for life. Much of his foundation’s work in the earlier years involved sponsoring a World AIDS Marathon in Kisumu, Kenya and feeding 6,200 Kenyan orphans at 18 festive orphan dinner dances. Since 2011, Brodsky’s foundation has provided medical care for the orphans and have examined and treated 691 orphans and saved the lives of more than 240 Kenyan orphans.
In 2008, the foundation organized Long Island’s only AIDS run or walk and on June 7, will be sponsoring its 8th annual 5K AIDS Cancer Run Walk in Baldwin Park at 9 a.m.
The Richard M. Brodsky foundation has donated more than $150,000 in cash, toys, clothing and toiletry/gift items to AIDS and cancer research since 2008 to mostly local organizations on Long Island.
For more information about Hartmann, Richard Brodsky or his foundation, visit the following websites: www.youcaring.com/project-fundraiser/matthew-hartmann-donates-8th-birthday-/303625, www.richardmbrodsky.org, www.worldaidsmarathon.com and www.5kaidscancer.com.
George Maurer, Ed.D. is the Principal at Abbey Lane Elementary School.
