The envelope wasn’t anything special, but when Rabbi Bentzion Groner and his wife, Rochel, looked inside, they were stunned by what they saw.
It was a donation for ZABS Place, a secondhand boutique the Groners and another couple, Charlie and Caren Gale, started to provide employment to individuals with special needs. The store had been closed for several months because of the COVID-19 outbreak, though the “special talents” employees were still being paid.
Accompanying the donation was a handwritten letter that read in part:
“This is the amount I earned while ZABS was closed. I want to donate it to ZABS so we can stay in business for a long time.”
The letter and donation were from Jonathan Gale, a 26-year-old man with autism who has worked at ZABS Place for the last five years. Jonathan has also participated in the Groners’ other program, Friendship Circle of Charlotte, North Carolina, which pairs individuals with unique abilities with teen mentors allowing them to have social and recreational opportunities with friends.
“Never did we expect a letter like this,” Rabbi Groner wrote July 1 on social media. “We’re speechless. We always believe that individuals like Jonathan would lead the way to making this world a better place. Seeing it on a daily basis is truly a blessing.”
Speaking with Chabad.org, Groner elaborated: “I was surprised, touched and inspired, as I know Jonathan is saving up money and is well aware of, and takes pride in, his account balance. For Jonathan to be worried about the survival of ZABS Place and contribute a substantial amount of his salary, almost three months of pay, is so genuine and reflective of his amazing character.”
According to Jonathan’s mother, Caren Gale, it was a car ride through town that led Jonathan to want to make a donation to ZABS Place. As they were driving, Jonathan noticed that a favorite business was closing after decades. He then asked about his other favorite spots, including amusement parks.
Then, Caren recalled, “there was a long pause, before [Jonathan] spoke. ‘Wait, what about ZABS Place?’ My husband and I were thrilled that he made this leap, and we ran with it and turned it into an opportunity to teach. We told him we were concerned about ZABS Place, too and decided to make a donation that would help meet their expenses. He took that in, and from the back seat of the car, we heard ‘I got it!’ I'm going to donate to ZABS Place, too!
“We were ecstatic, touched, moved, and surprised at his response for many reasons. Often, young adults on the spectrum have difficulty with abstract thinking and inference. The fact that Jonathan made two major leaps in inferencing from our car conversation is the kind of leap that parents of a child with special needs, wish for, pray for and hope for,” said Caren. “When you are a parent of either a special needs child or a typical child you want to create opportunities for learning and model the behavior which needs to be emulated.”
While some may have wondered about paying employees during the coronavirus pandemic when everything was shuttered, Groner said it was important that the young adults with unique abilities who work at ZABS Place continued to be paid during that time.
“Continuity and routine is very important for individuals with special talents,” he explained, “and we wanted to do whatever we can to help maintain a sense of normalcy and routine. Receiving a paycheck twice a month helps keep that routine.”
Noting how important ZABS is to her son and the other employees, Caren said, “ZABS Place is more than just a storefront and a place Jonathan works. It represents his desire for independence and growth and his growth has been immense. It is also an opportunity to work alongside other young adults with special needs; to learn about teamwork and developing empathy for those who may struggle in ways different than you do.”
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