Community members who would like to contribute a few dollars to defray the funeral costs for 7-year-old Jabriel O’Connor, the boy who died Saturday after being found unconscious in a Cobbs Creek pool, are asked to stop by Cafe Renata (4305 Locust St) this afternoon and tomorrow morning.
West Philly Local will set up a table outside the cafe to accept cash contributions that will be passed along to Jabriel’s mother, Aisha Watson, who lives at an emergency shelter for homeless families run by the program Families Forward Philadelphia near the corner of Walnut and Melville Streets in the Spruce Hill section of West Philly.
Gloria Guard, who runs Families Forward, said Aisha is “hanging there.”
“She is in the process of making arrangements,” Guard said. “I think she would really appreciate it. Be sure to write down that you are neighbors.”
Collections will be taken from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). Any contribution would help. There will also be a card to sign and you can pass along your own note to Aisha if you like. If it’s raining, the table will be inside.
All of the money collected will go directly to help with Aisha’s expenses.
July 23rd, 2013 at 4:03 pm
is there any way someone trustworthy and reliable could set up a way to make online donations, perhaps thru paypal? my heart hurts so bad for this woman, and i would love to offer her a little support but am out of town for an extended period of time. no doubt plenty of funds could be raised if possibility was given to do so through the internet. <3 please keep me posted if something like this happens. sending blankets of love and healing. <3
July 23rd, 2013 at 8:06 pm
I’ll stop by the cafe tomorrow and make a donation for you, Candice. Please pay it forward.
Best,
July 24th, 2013 at 8:53 am
LG – what a beautiful gesture. Thank you for your kindness & for making our neighborhood a better place. Jen.
July 24th, 2013 at 11:05 am
I just missed you but left a donation at Renata.
July 28th, 2013 at 12:59 pm
This is why this is the greatest neighborhood in the city!!! People, business, and families, come together in times of need.