Uplifting story of charity during the Great Depression

A Secret Gift by Ted Gup

So this writer Ted Gup was given an unopened briefcase with things owned by his grandfather who passed away some time ago in Canton, Ohio. He found 75 cancelled checks for around $5-$10 each, a great number of letters requesting money, and newspaper articles about the anonymous donor at Christmas, 1933 who made Christmas a little better for needy people in the Canton area. The writer encouraged people via a newspaper ad to send him letters requesting a small sum in order to have a happy holiday. It was done anonymously because of the stigma attached to asking for and receiving charity. The donor turned out to be his grandfather, Sam Stone, a local men’s clothing store owner in Canton who had done well enough to afford the largesse.

After digging into his history, Ted found his grandfather had falsified his origins and obtained U.S. citizenship illegally instead of being upfront about his Lithuanian birth and Jewish heritage. Gup believes that his grandfather found so much opportunity in America that he wanted to pay it back as best he could.

Five dollars in 1933 would be worth something like $100 today, but also consider that the Great Depression was in full swing and Canton had 50% unemployment so it was more like $200 today. People really, really needed it back then because there was no such thing as a social safety net and if you were cold and hungry, you could easily end up dead. Gup researched every letter writer and interviewed as many descendants as possible. Imagine his surprise to find Helen Palm, age 90, who is the sole surviving letter writer, aged 14 at the time. She was on the show and read her 77 year old letter:

"Dear Sir,


When we went over at the neighbors to borrow the paper I read your article. I am a girl of fourteen. I am writing this because I need clothing. And sometimes we run out of food.


My father does not want to ask for charity. But us children would like to have some clothing for Christmas. When he had a job us children used to have nice things.


I also have brothers and sisters.


If you should send me Te[n] Dollars I would buy clothing and buy the Christmas dinner and supper.


I thank you.


HELEN PALM"

He’s written a book about the story and it sounds like a great Christmas 2010 read for those who want an uplifting, true story over the holidays.