There is so much sadness in the world. I saw this on social media, and it captured how so many are feeling. I wanted to share.
I am a high school teacher.
Before I share anything else, I want to read words written by a young girl whose voice still echoes through history:
“Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart; men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.”
—Anne Frank, January 13, 1943
Those words were written 83 years ago.
Yesterday, January 13, 2026, I received a note from one of my students.
I won’t say their name. I won’t share their face. What I will share is their truth, because it deserves to be heard.
The note was written in Spanish. I am holding it in my hands as I write this. I will translate it for you:
“Hello. I just wanted to let you know that I have been very stressed because a lot of things are happening, and a lot of things are happening in the world. It is a little bit difficult coming to school without feeling worried about not finding my parents when I get home. I feel even more worried after I saw ICE take someone in front of me. My heart broke and I am very sad. Especially today, it was very difficult to come to school without crying. I tried to come to school today, but truly I couldn’t. Please, I feel comfortable telling you.”
—January 13, 2026
| Let that sit with you. A child came to school carrying a fear no child should ever have to carry: What if my parents are gone when I get home? This is not a headline. This is not a statistic. This is a student sitting at a desk. This is a young person trying to learn algebra while their heart is in survival mode. And this is happening in our communities. Anne Frank wrote her words while hiding from a world that had stopped protecting its most vulnerable. My student wrote theirs openly because they trusted that someone would listen. That trust is sacred. And it is a responsibility. We talk a lot about “giving back.” We say we’re too busy. We say someone else will handle it. We scroll past pain because it feels overwhelming. But community care doesn’t begin when things are easy.It begins when things are heavy. Getting involved with UR Community Cares is one way we choose to show up when our neighbors are hurting, when fear, isolation, and uncertainty take root. It is a way to say: You are not invisible. You are not alone. Community care looks like creating safe spaces.It looks like listening without judgment. It looks like showing up for seniors, families, and people with disabilities. It looks like choosing compassion over comfort. You don’t have to fix everything. You don’t have to have the right words. You don’t have to agree on everything. You just have to care enough to act. History teaches us that silence is never neutral. Anne Frank’s diary survived because someone believed her words mattered. The student handed her teacher their note because they believed the same. The question is: What will we do with what we’ve been entrusted? At UR Community Cares, we believe caring for your community is not charity, it is an investment. In dignity. In safety. In humanity. Your time matters. Your presence matters. Your willingness to show up matters. Because somewhere right now, a child is walking into school hoping their parents will still be there when they get home. And they deserve a community that refuses to look away. If you’re wondering how to help, start here. Sign up to volunteer at www.urcommunitycares.org Start with us. Start now. |
| Because caring for one another is, and always has been, our greatest responsibility. Michelle Puzzo, Executive Director 860-430-4557 info@urcommunitycares.org www.urcommunitycares.org |
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