| Recently a group of people in Brooklyn, | | | | more time with his charity work. One of |
| New York helped obtain food donations | | | | several life altering moments happened |
| and fed 800 people at the Children of | | | | to him after he read a passage the book, |
| the City annual Thanksgiving food drive. | | | | "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective |
| The organization has reached thousands | | | | People," which helps people in achieving |
| of children at home, school, and on the | | | | interdependent effectiveness by offering |
| streets and playgrounds. | | | | seven principles. |
| "Our group went to food distributors and | | | | The book speaks about an emotional bank |
| asked them to donate canned foods and | | | | account... whereas if you do good for |
| turkeys. We obtained enough food to feed | | | | others and keep commitments, you make |
| more than 800 people, who my family and | | | | deposits in other people's emotional |
| I along with other members of Children | | | | bank accounts. As these deposits grow, |
| of the City helped distribute to the | | | | your relationship grows. Think about |
| families," said Rocco Basile, one of the | | | | times when you made a broken promise or |
| charity's board members. "With support | | | | a hurtful statement. If your emotional |
| like this we can effectively reach and | | | | bank account is full from past deposits, |
| change the lives of many families, | | | | people will forgive you. |
| improving their quality of life by | | | | He continued, "This concept has helped |
| breaking the cyclical effects of poverty | | | | me repair many broken relationships. |
| and giving them hope for their future." | | | | This has changed the way I treat others. |
| For more than two decades since 1981, | | | | Relationships are the source of my |
| this organization has successfully | | | | happiness." |
| served the underprivileged children and | | | | This was an epiphany as he realized that |
| families in the inner-city communities | | | | there was a time in his life when nobody |
| Southwest Brooklyn, helping them | | | | would have come to his funeral, never |
| overcome welfare and poverty and become | | | | mind speaking at it. |
| homeowners, businesspeople, and more. | | | | Now, one of the elements that he has |
| Many families have turned away from | | | | realized is important for this process |
| lifestyles of violence and gang activity | | | | to work is that it begins with |
| and have overcome substance abuse. They | | | | education. Many poeple believe that |
| are now pouring time back into the | | | | providing a role model for youth gives |
| community by volunteering. | | | | them an understanding. |
| The giving team includes many certified | | | | People interested in changing their |
| professionals, along with 50 highly | | | | lives might ask themselves, "What is my |
| committed and trained volunteers who | | | | talent and how can I serve?" |
| visit about one thousand children each | | | | People like Rocco Basile can also serve |
| month. The organization maintains | | | | others by sharing experiences and |
| information on over 500 families in the | | | | showing others how to live a life of |
| community and gives them encouragement | | | | ethics, morals and a strong sense of |
| and resources. | | | | principal. A life that you can be proud |
| In recent years Basile has been spending | | | | of gives tranquility and happiness. |