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Today’s technology brings tragedy into our homes on a regular basis, punctuating our days with media reports and images of personal and global catastrophes. The constant deluge of bad news puts us at risk of becoming numb to the human condition.

We routinely see the faces of people whose lives have been torn apart, and though it might stir feelings of sadness or disbelief for a brief moment, we readily return to our daily routines.

It is easy to detach, even reasonable to expect that people will try to separate themselves from such sorrow. Until it happens to you. And then you understand. In that split second when your life is undeniably changed forever, you understand why we cannot remain detached.

For Keith Ahlers, that split-second moment came when his older brother Le died. LeGrande Ahlers was a lovable giant, a big teddy bear of a man. In the fall of 2000, he fell victim to a virus and within days he needed a respirator to breathe. Tragically, six weeks later Le died, a partially completed life insurance policy still in his briefcase. With few resources and a growing mountain of bills, his wife faced the daunting task of raising their four young children without him.

Still grieving but determined to help his brother's family, Keith gathered a small group of friends and went to work building The Breadwinners Foundation. As they raised funds for the organization, the Board of Directors repeatedly heard stories about families facing similar crises, confirming their belief that the gap was wide, the need was critical and if it could happen to Le, a successful attorney, it could happen to anyone.

Tragedy can strike any of us at any time. The death of a loved one is always painful, but when the loved one is a family’s primary breadwinner, grief is intensified. The Breadwinners Foundation has been a beacon of hope for more than four years, helping families like Le’s begin to rebuild their lives.

I would like to extend an open invitation to everyone visiting our website to follow the example set for us by board president, Keith J. Ahlers. Like everyone else, he eventually returned to his daily routine...but that routine now includes reaching out to help families through their darkest hour. The next time you watch the news and you see faces impacted by tragedy, the next time that moment of sadness and disbelief creeps into your heart, change your routine by sending a contribution to The Breadwinners Foundation and know that you are making a difference.

Your generosity will send a message of compassion to the world at large and allow us to continue to provide a safety net for families who have lost not only their beloved, but also their main source of income. Your support ensures that a beacon of hope continues to guide families trying to overcome this deeply personal heartbreak.