Please replace the fictitious "Temple David" in the text with the name of your congregation, minyan, day school, etc. This is a sample, so feel free to edit it as appropriate.

Matanot L'evyonim - Gifts to the Poor

This Purim, Temple David will join 50 Boston-area congregations, day schools, and college Hillels in aiding needy people through Yad Chessed, a unique charity that provides a safety net for individuals and families in severe economic distress. Yad Chessed distributes $300,000 annually in emergency aid, ongoing food and clothing assistance, and special holiday allocations–as well as $50,000 in interest-free loans–to 1,400 individuals in the greater Boston Jewish community.

In 2010, Yad Chessed distributed $80,000 in food assistance through its communitywide Purim program, which builds on the ancient Jewish practice of giving matanot l'evyonim ("gifts to the poor"), as the Book of Esther enjoins us to do on Purim day.

Temple David will collect funds for this purpose at our megillah reading on Saturday evening, March 19. Please bring your check payable to Yad Chessed with you on Purim night or drop it off in advance at the synagogue office. We will tally the collection and inform Yad Chessed of the amount the next morning, so that all of the funds can be distributed on Purim day itself.

The need is critical, and each of us can help!