I finished Andrea Elliott’s chronicle of the life of a homeless child in Brooklyn one morning in bed, snuggled next to two of my sleeping children.  I had begun reading the night before, on my phone while feeding the baby.  I quietly shuttled Ada out the door to school and then snuck back under the covers and prayed for the two little ones to stay asleep so that I could finish.  Many of you have likely read the piece by now.  It ran in the New York Times last week.  The piece is so beautifully written.  Dasani’s story is haunting, and both so far and so close to our own life here in Brooklyn.  It broke my heart and has followed me around since I finished the story.  I often wonder how to talk to my children about how lucky we are, and what our good fortune means in a city where the rich and poor live pressed up against one another.  We struggle with how to teach charity and compassion to our girls, without condescension.  Little Essentials is an organization that directly reaches families with homeless children in Brooklyn.  They have been overwhelmed with donations since the article was published, but they still need donations of money and time.  We are planning to work with them in the upcoming year.