Written By Megin Potter | Photos PROVIDED
When confronted by tragedies, we have choices. In 2005, visionary Mark Bertrand and his wife, Kelly, chose to start The Giving Circle in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through partnerships, they began repairing the world. Other projects followed, including building a school for girls in Afghanistan, and helping those at home.
“It’s very apparent that Saratoga Springs is a community both with great wealth and a substantial amount of poverty. The levels of income inequality are very high, and we see a great need in the community for assistance,” said former Treasurer Ron Deutsch, a volunteer since the group’s inception and its president for a decade.
Serving Saratoga
When people are out of options and can’t get help elsewhere, they can turn to The Giving Circle. With hundreds of volunteers on their roster and donors from across the country, The Giving Circle is guided by their founding principles of kindness and acceptance.
Among their many assistance efforts through the years, The Giving Circle’s Saratoga Outreach Team has worked with the Franklin Community Center’s Adopt-a-Family program; partnered with the Saratoga Senior Center to perform home repair, improvements, and maintenance for the elderly; come to the rescue for a local family after a fire; and helped to settle Ukrainian refugees.
On Thursdays, The Giving Circle joins with RISE Housing and Support Services to provide free community dinners, and during the holidays, caravans congregate for caroling to homebound seniors.
“It’s fun, under the radar, but important, so people don’t feel like they’ve been forgotten,” said Carl Korn, Vice President of Communications.
Uganda Calling
Straddling the equator at the mouth of the Nile River, Uganda receives ample sun and little fluctuation in temperature through its dry and rainy seasons, averaging 80-degree days and 60-degree nights.
Fresh pineapple, banana, and mangos are sold at the popup roadside markets, along with coffins, couches, and Rolex stalls (not the watch, but omelets or “rolled eggs,” hence the name).
Driving the red dirt roads, the fields of eucalyptus trees give way to sugarcane plantations and Kagoma Gate, once home to “the forgotten people – the poorest village in Uganda.”
Giving Every Child a Chance
Populated by refugees from Congo and Sudan, the average life expectancy in Kagoma Gate, near Jinja, is just 54 years old. When Mark Bertrand first arrived here, there was no sanitation or clean water. People were living in mud huts, illiterate, and haunted by witchcraft.
The Giving Circle installed water filtration systems, latrines, and built the Kagoma Gate Friendship School where today, nearly 250 students enjoy a shared meal and invigorating curriculum, including a chess program.
Along with the Capital District Teacher Center, The Giving Circle provides teacher training opportunities, and supports the Busoga Junior School. Here, orphans and those rendered deaf from malaria are taught sign language. Graduates have gone on to enjoy successful employment.
“Empowering children with education is giving them hope for the future, of having a career, helping themselves, and supporting their families,” said The Giving Circle President Joyce Rice.
Healing a Nation
In 2019, The Giving Circle built the Koi Koi school residence and began work on the Mitzen Medical Clinic in Mutai.
Here, those dying from treatable illnesses, like diarrhea and infections, are given the chance to live. Vaccinations are dispersed, women are given birthing kits, and marginalized girls are provided with reusable absorbent pads so they can attend school while menstruating.
When Dr. Kim Poli visited with her children, in addition to working at a pop-up clinic, her family met orphans Fred Tusubira and his sister, who they’d sponsored since 2010. No longer living on the street, because of their support, Fred grew into a successful artist. In 2023, there was a well-received exhibition of his pieces at Saratoga Arts.
Being the Change
When The Giving Circle arrives in Uganda, they are greeted warmly by a community dressed in their finery, singing, and dancing.
“Who are we to deserve a hospital?” they ask.
By sponsoring a child with The Giving Circle for just $35/month, they are afforded health care and the opportunity to go to school in a place where just $200 can mean the difference between life and death.
“When you see progress and how much your dollars mean to people, it can’t help but touch your heart,” said Carl.
The Mitzen Clinic needs $25,000 to be fully operational (equipped with solar panels and a generator to provide power for lights, refrigeration, and supplies).
To donate, volunteer, and find out more, follow TheGivingCircleNY on Facebook and go to https://www.thegivingcircle.org.
