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Shining World Compassion Award:
The Pajama Program – A Hug Wrapped in Every Sleeve
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Everywhere in the world,
we can observe
and be touched
by acts of kindness.
People from all walks of
life, faiths, and cultures
extend themselves
beyond the call of duty
to help others
unconditionally.
Through their noble deeds,
humanity as a whole
is elevated.
To commend
virtuous actions and
encourage more people
to be inspired
by their examples,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
has lovingly created
a series of awards,
including the Shining
World Leadership
Award, Shining World
Compassion Award,
Shining World Hero and
Heroine Awards, Shining
World Honesty Award,
Shining World Protection
Award, Shining World
Intelligence Award,
and Shining World
Inventor Award,
to recognize some
of the most exemplary,
generous, caring,
and courageous people
who walk amongst us.
Once upon a time,
not so long ago,
in the enchanting land
of New York, USA,
a fairy godmother appeared
to a group of children.
With a wave of her wand
and some pixie dust,
the fairy godmother
presented the amazed kids
with warm pajamas
and a cherished book to
enrich their imagination.
Wearing their jammies
and with book in hand,
they went happily off to bed.
Welcome,
beneficent viewers.
Today
we will hear the story
of the Pajama Program,
which represents a
true modern day fairy tale
that offers hope and joy
to countless children
around the world.
Oh, that is so nice!
I want to take a picture
of you.
Look, there is blue
on there too, a zebra.
The gentle rocking
of babies to sleep with
sweet lullabies and stories
is a universal tradition
shared by parents,
especially mothers.
In its spring 2009 issue,
“Hybrid Mom” published
an article titled,
“Good Night, Sleep Tight,”
in which writer
Tracy Butler explains
how the simplistic nature
of the Pajama Program
touches the heartstrings
of all parents who conduct
the nightly routine
with their own children,
“Bedtime is a time
when many of us,
even unwittingly, deliver
a daily dose of childhood
to our children wrapped
in a 15-minute routine that
offers love and warmth,
security and possibilities.
Our children fall asleep
with the sense that
all is right with the world.
But we know that
for too many families,
all is not right.
We know that there are
children in our world
who face the unimaginable
during the day – hunger,
abuse, homelessness.
For them,
they will not experience
even the brief reprieve
of being tucked in –
of putting on
warm pajamas and
having a bedtime story
take them somewhere else,
anywhere else.”
Recognizing
this profound bond
and basic need,
Genevieve Piturro
and Alice Quick founded
the Pajama Program
in 2001 to help
underprivileged children.
I think all of us,
when we would go
and read to the children
at night,
we would naturally want
to take care of them
in so many ways.
They had been abused
and abandoned in the past,
and the simplest things
like a hug, or a kiss,
or clean clothes,
reading a story,
really make a difference
to calm them down and
make them feel loved.
After climbing the
corporate ladder to success,
Genevieve found
that she was lacking a
more meaningful purpose
in life.
Thereafter she began to
volunteer at local shelters,
group homes
and other facilities that
cared for disadvantaged,
orphaned or foster children.
Genevieve visited the
youngsters in the evening
and read stories to them
just before bedtime.
But after a while
she began to notice
something -- none of
the children had pajamas.
They simply slept
in their daytime clothes.
I think the turning point
for me was
when I brought up
a few pairs of pajamas
to one of the places
in Harlem
and one of the little girls
looked at the table
of pajamas
and she must have been
about 8 years old,
and she came over to me
and she said,
“What are these?”
And I didn’t think
I heard her correctly
and the caregiver
came over to me
and she looked at me
and she said,
“She doesn’t know
what they are.
She doesn’t know
what pajamas are.”
And from that day on,
I was on a mission.
For fulfilling the simple,
yet vital necessity
of sleepwear and a book
for the children
who are without parents
nor a permanent place
to call home,
the Pajama Program
and its founders
were recognized with
the Shining World
Compassion Award from
Supreme Master Ching Hai
as well as
gifted US$10,000
to further the efforts
of their noble cause.
Everyone can find
a small way to help and
our way is a small way,
but I believe
it makes a difference.
And I think
if you believe that,
the world will change.
The non-profit organization
was featured
on Supreme Master
Television’s
“Good People, Good Works”
as well as
on CNN, “Oprah,”
“Eyewitness News,”
“American Morning”
and the “Today” show.
Print media coverage
includes “Parents,”
“Glamour,”
“New York Family,”
“New York Observer,”
and “Westchester
Family Magazine,”
among many others.
The Pajama Program
has inspired an altruistic
movement of giving
within communities
throughout the nation
where people
are paying it forward.
In fact,
the Pajama Program’s
headquarters and
first reading center
came into existence
due to the good hearts
of people
who share its lofty ideals,
beginning with the
Andrus Children’s Center
directors who
led Genevieve to the site
which would become
the charity’s home base.
And they took me
to this rundown porch.
And it was a mess.
It wasn’t painted and
the paint was peeling,
as a matter of fact.
And it was dark and dingy.
They said, “Do you want?”
And I said, “Absolutely!”
And everything
from that moment on,
for the next
two and half months
was donated to
make it a beautiful space.
We had painters;
we had contractors;
we had carpet installers;
we had a mural painter
make a beautiful mural.
All the stores
in Westchester
donated everything
from computers to shelving
and of course, we filled it
with donated books,
and we got bins donated
and pajamas in the bins.
And it was a labor of love
for almost three months
to get that up
and it’s beautiful.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Our feature
on the Shining World
Compassion Award
for the Pajama Program
will return
after these brief messages.
I think
when I found something
that was my passion,
and the universe’s gift
I was given, to provide
this small gift to children.
I think you start
to attract different people
to your life,
new friends that
provide something else
to children or seniors or
animals or the environment,
come into your life.
Welcome back
to our program
on the Shining World
Compassion Award
for the Pajama Program.
They need our help.
And maybe they’ll
feel our arms wrapped
around them a little bit,
like a mom or dad
might wrap their arms
around their children
to give them
a kiss good night.
For children who are in
less fortunate situations,
their wishes are
heartrendingly humble —
all they desire is
for some love, a warm bed,
or perhaps some food
to fill their tummies.
Since its inception
in 2001,
the Pajama Program
has provided
over 350,000 pajamas
to children throughout
the United States.
The program has
expanded internationally
with collaboration
in such countries
as Australia, Canada,
Colombia, Italy,
New Zealand,
South Africa, Bulgaria,
and Greece.
We have many chapters
around the United States.
More than 70,
and now we have
3 reading centers
where the children come
and get to spend
45 minutes to an hour
reading with us, and then
we let them carry
as many books as they can
back to the shelter
and a pair of pajamas
that are their very own.
And the reading centers
are really a special place,
so we would like to
open more.
“Hugs of Hope”
is the title of an article by
Kristin Higson-Hughes
that was published
in “Woman’s World”
magazine in June 2009
in which she wrote:
“Genevieve continues
to have a wish:
for every child
to have someone
who loves them to
tuck them in each night.
But until then,
the Pajama Program will
be there with new p.j.’s
and bedtime stories so that
kids without families can
still have good nights –
and even brighter
tomorrows.”
Supreme Master Ching Hai
honored
the Pajama Program
and its founders
with the Shining World
Compassion Award
for fulfilling some
of the most basic needs
of disadvantaged children
with cozy pajamas that
offer a sense of comfort
and a book
that transports them
to happier place.
For selflessly providing
for the needs
of the less fortunate,
for your vision,
high ideals, creativity
and benevolent generosity,
and for being dedicated
and noble role models,
we hereby applaud
and celebrate
the compassionate deeds
of the Pajama Program
and its heroic founders,
Genevieve Piturro
and Alice Quick —
angelic mothers
with pure giving,
childlike hearts.
With Great Honor, Love
and Blessings,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
Thank you very much.
In addition to the letter
of appreciation from
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
the organization
was presented with
a crystal award plaque
and US$10,000
for its continued efforts
in providing
for the children.
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
#1 international
bestselling books,
“The Dogs in My Life” and
“The Birds in My Life,”
and “The Noble Wilds,”
were also gifted.
Thank you!
This is beautiful.
Upon receiving word of
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
recognition
and contribution
to the Pajama Program,
Genevieve’s thoughts
immediately went to
the children in need
who would be
the beneficiaries of
Supreme Master’s concern.
Oh, I was so touched!
I was so surprised
and immediately
I started to think of
the list of children that
would soon be getting
pajamas and books,
because there is
such a long wait list that
we have for these children.
As soon as I heard,
my initial reaction was
so, so excited
and so, so touched
by the love of
Supreme Master Ching Hai.
It's just wonderful.
On behalf of
the Pajama Program,
Genevieve shared
her heartfelt gratitude to
Supreme Master
Ching Hai.
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
this is such
a loving gesture
on your part and
on the part of your
volunteers to present us
with this donation
and this help for
thousands more children
that, as I said to Ali,
are now off our list,
at least for a little while,
that will have
a pair of pajamas
that fit, that are warm
in the cold climate
and a book or two
to read at night.
And it makes
such a difference.
It's the only way we can
love and hug these children
who don't have
any other way to feel
how much they are loved.
Thank you.
We thank you,
Ms. Genevieve Piturro,
Ms. Alice Quick
and all involved
with the Pajama Program
for your compassionate
hearts and selfless service.
May the Pajama Program
be blessed with
evermore success
in bringing smiles
and warmth to the hearts
of all children.
And all throughout the land,
as children slept
in their pajamas
infused with love,
hopeful dreams of a
“happily ever after” future
filled their sweet slumber.
For more information
on the Pajama Program,
please visit
Caring viewers,
thank you
for joining us today.
Words of Wisdom
is up next
after Noteworthy News
here on
Supreme Master Television.
May all noble and
beautiful wishes be fulfilled
with Heaven’s grace.
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