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Puzzles To Remember

PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a 501(c)3 organization that provides puzzles to nursing homes, veterans facilities, and other facilities that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Puzzles To Remember was founded in 2008 by Max Wallack, who recognized the calming effect of puzzles and many other benefits on people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Max graduated from Boston University, Summa Cum Laude, in 2015, and from Harvard Medical School in 2020.

Beginning in 2020, Hailey Richman is the Executive Director of PuzzlesToRemember. Since 2011, Hailey has been distributing puzzles to nursing facilities around the globe. Hailey also spends time doing the puzzles with nursing home residents. She always brightens their days.  Hailey is also the founder of KidCaregivers.com, where she provides advice for children dealing with dementia in their family members. Hailey has begun a program called PuzzleTime which involves volunteer students going to nursing facilities and doing puzzles with their residents. Max serves as a mentor to the KidCaregivers program.

If you have puzzles that you would like to donate, please contact us at Puzzles2Remember@gmail.com and we will find a location near you where you can bring your puzzles. We can also provide you with a donation letter so that you can claim the value of your puzzles as a tax deduction.

To see a short video from WCVB Ch. 5 "BOSTON STRONG" about Max's efforts on behalf of Alzheimer's patients, click here.

To see a short video about Hailey's Puzzle Time Program, click here.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

PuzzlesToRemember Receives a Harvard Pilgrim Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

PuzzlesToRemember is proud to announce that it has received a Harvard Pilgrim Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant.

Their letter stated, "We are very interested in the success of your project and hope you will keep us informed... Through your efforts, and in partnership with our employees, we continue the strong spirit of community service that respects the memory of those lost on September 11th."

The Mini-grant Program was created by Harvard Pilgrim Health "to commemorate the first anniversary of September 11,2001 through a special contribution to its Foundation. The Foundation then administers this special fund and distributes the Mini-grants to non-profit organizations that have been recommended by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Health Plans, Inc. and Perot Systems employees."

PuzzlesToRemember will ship out puzzles to many facilities as a result of the generosity of Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare Foundation.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Saturday, April 24, 2010

A Note from Dallas, Texas

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

Here is a copy of a note PuzzlesToRemember recieved today from Assisted Living at Silver Gardens in Dallas, Texas:

"Thank you so very much for taking the time to pick just the right puzzles for our residents. We sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness. We needed the more adult themes with larger pieces to assist someone with Alzheimer’s and their diminished concentration span. You nailed ‘em!

Our retired school administrator has made great use of not only the dinosaurs you sent along for her, but also the ones with infant pictures... She loves those faces – as does the retired banker I originally intended them for, since she has a great-granddaughter who’s just about a year old now.

A couple of the Residents were a bit reluctant at first, but within from two hours to the next morning, they were going to the puzzle station and getting them out with the CareTeam person who was working with activities."

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Friday, April 23, 2010

A Note of Thanks from the Indiana Veterans' Home

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

PuzzlesToRemember has received a very nice note of appreciation from the Indiana Veterans' Home:

". . . we would like to thank you for your donation of puzzles for the Mac Arthur Recreation Department. The Residents and staff truly appreciate your generosity. We try very hard to provide our Residents with the best and most comfortable life. This will definitely help with that! Once, again, thank you very much for your thoughtfulness."

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Thursday, April 22, 2010

SunsOut Puzzles Donates 281 Puzzles For Alzheimer's Patients

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

SunsOut Puzzles recently moved their warehouse to a location in Kokomo, Indiana. I had corresponded with SunsOut Puzzles about the possibility of donating any overstock to PuzzlesToRemember. Soon, it became clear that there would be significant overstock, but the cost of mailing the puzzles to Massachusetts was prohibitive.

As a solution, I researched Alzheimer's facilities in the Kokomo, Indiana area, and came up with several facilities. This week, SunsOut Puzzles is donating 281 brand new puzzles, worth over $4000 to three different facilities in their area that care for Alzheimer's patients.

THANK YOU SUNSOUT! You will be helping many, many people.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

16 More Puzzles and Hopes for More

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

Today, I picked up 16 more puzzles at one of my collection bins. On the way out of the building, I was stopped by a woman who asked for my business card. Apparently, she has a friend who has many, many puzzles. She thinks her friend would like donating them to PuzzlesToRemember. Puzzles last a long time. Every puzzle has the potential to help many people.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Special Puzzles For Alzheimer's Patients

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

By now, I have been collecting puzzles for Alzheimer’s Patients for almost 2 years. I receive puzzles ranging from 4 pieces to 8000 pieces! About half of them are new, and the other half are gently used. I realize the needs of Alzheimer’s patients vary widely, and most puzzles will be able to find a home in a facility where they can provide a lot of calmness as well as intellectual stimulation.

Yet, I do not receive anywhere nearly enough puzzles of the kind that are most needed. The reason for this is that very, very few of the best type of puzzles for Alzheimer’s patients exist. For some time now, I have been contemplating this problem.

I have given much thought about what would be the best type of puzzle. I also got input from Bob DeMarco of the AlzheimersReadingRoom.com and Carole Larkin of ThirdAgeServices.com. It started becoming clear that what was most needed were puzzles having from about 6 – 60 pieces. The pieces should be colorful and large enough to be easy to handle. Serene themes with memory provoking scenes would also be helpful.

Over the past two years, I have corresponded with many puzzle manufacturers. Most have been kind and generous. One in particular, seemed to really understand my efforts. That was Springbok puzzles in Missouri. About two months ago, I decided to contact Springbok puzzles about the possibility of their producing this kind of puzzle specifically for Alzheimer’s patients. I was VERY happy to hear that they were very interested in participating in this effort.

Earlier today, I heard from Springbok puzzles, that they are examining the purchase of various puzzle dies in order to make these puzzles, and that they plan to proceed to produce puzzles for Alzheimer’s patients.

THANK YOU, SPRINGBOK!

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Donation of Over 100 Puzzles to Help Alzheimer's Patients

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

A short while ago, I received an email from a wonderful woman named Rosanna. Rosanna had read about PuzzlesToRemember on the Alzheimer’s Reading Room. Rosanna had been a caregiver to her husband who had Alzheimer’s. She had cared for him from 2001 until his death in 2007. In an effort to stay near to her husband and yet exercise her own mind, Rosanna worked on jigsaw puzzles every evening. In Rosanna’s words, “It was my way of relaxing and being in the same room as him.” In fact, Rosanna still continues to work on puzzles.

In her email, Rosanna said she had over 100 puzzles that she would love to donate for the use of Alzheimer’s patients, but she had no means of delivering these puzzles. Rosanna said she lived in the South Miami area. I told her I would try to see if I could arrange to have someone pick up the puzzles and deliver them to where they could be doing a lot of good.

I emailed about Rosanna to a friend of mine in New Jersey, Naomi Eisenberger, founder of the GoodPeopleFund (www.GoodPeopleFund.org). Ms. Eisenberger has helped me many times in the past, including providing advice about incorporating and about attaining federal 501c3 status. It didn’t take long for Ms. Eisenberger to come up with a great solution. Ms. Eisenberger contacted a friend of hers in Miami, Diane Schilit. Ms. Schilit and her family are great believers in community service. Ms. Schilit arranged to pick up the puzzles from Rosanna and deliver them to a representative of the Miami Jewish Health Systems.

The Miami Jewish Health Systems provides Alzheimer’s care on various levels. They have residential care, but they also have an Alzheimer’s Day Care Center. They also have “Bella’s Club” and “Lester’s Club” where early stage Alzheimer’s patients meet twice weekly for conversations and activities. The Miami Jewish Health Systems is even involved in research on medications for Alzheimer’s disease.

Because they have so many different levels of Alzheimer’s care and activities, the Miami Jewish Health Systems was very pleased to receive Rosanna’s puzzles. They are able to put them to use at several facilities representing a wide range of patient abilities.

So Rosanna’s generous puzzle donation will go on to help many, many people in the Miami area. Amazingly, Rosanna is thankful to ME, when she is the one who has given a gift that will help so many people with Alzheimer’s.

THANKS Rosanna!

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Pepsi Refresh Seminar in New York City

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

As the Executive Director of PuzzlesToRemember, I was invited to participate in the Pepsi Refresh Seminar, held Saturday, April 17, at the New York Public Library. The seminar was sponsored by Pepsi and by DoSomething.org.

At the seminar, I had a chance to meet many other young people who truly believe in the importance of community service. I also had a chance to meet Fonzworth Bentley, who presented me with a copy of his new book, "Advance Your Swagger."

I was also presented, by Coltrane Curtis, with a special award for my work on PuzzlesToRemember, and I had the opportunity to hear Common perform.

The focus of the seminar was to teach young people how to go about getting support for their community service projects. It was a very informative and enjoyable day.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Monday, April 12, 2010

Puzzles to Remember on Chronicle

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

PuzzlesToRemember will be featured tomorrow, April 13, on Chronicle, Channel 5 Boston.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Friday, April 9, 2010

PuzzlesToRemember Thanks Stop and Shop Supermarkets

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

PuzzlesToRemember would like to thank Stop and Shop Supermarkets for their support. Stop and Shop has given PuzzlesToRemember a grant to help with the cost of shipping puzzles. Many Alzheimer’s patients will receive puzzles due to Stop and Shop’s generosity.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Saturday, April 3, 2010

A Note of Thanks from the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center in Kentucky

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

Today, PuzzlesToRemember received a note of thanks from the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center in Kentucky. Here is what they said:

"We appreciate you and your organization sending those puzzles to share with our veterans at Thomson-Hood Veterans Center. They enjoy doing different activities. It is groups like yours that continue to help us give our veterans a better quality of life as well as provide them with a variety of different activities to enjoy and help keep their minds busy and their memory active. It is our mission to provide a caring loving atmosphere for our veterans to live in. We greatly appreciate your help in doing this."

This note describes exactly the goals of PuzzlesToRemember. PuzzlesToRemember's goal is to keep the minds of Alzheimer's patients busy and keep their memories active.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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30 more puzzles collected today

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember


This morning I made the rounds checking several puzzle collection bins in the Boston Metrowest area. I collected 30 additional puzzles, bringing the total number of puzzles to 3475.

A special thanks goes to the Weston Public Library and the Dover Public Library. The residents of those communities continue to donate puzzles generously.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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Friday, April 2, 2010

Puzzles Sent to All 50 States

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

Today is an important landmark day for PuzzlesToRemember. As of today, PuzzlesToRemember has sent puzzles to facilities caring for Alzheimer's patients in all 50 states, plus several Canadian provinces. Included in these shipments, are deliveries to over 60 veterans' facilities.

Today PuzzlesToRemember also received thank-you letters from 2 veterans' homes. Here are some excerpts:

From Alabama:

"This donation could not have come at a better time and our veterans will benefit greatly. The residents are truly blessed and so very grateful. Thank you so much for thinking about us. Your compassion is notable and very special. Your gift of love and support is beneficial..."

From Minnesota:

"On behalf of our residents, we wish to express our appreciation for the donation of puzzles... The residents have a variety of needs and your donation helps us meet those needs."

PuzzlesToRemember will continue to provide puzzles to as many facilities as possible. In addition, PuzzlesToRemember is working on the creation of puzzles specifically designed to meet the needs of Alzheimer's patients.

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER , a 501(c.)3 charitable organization. PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and other institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

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PUZZLES TO REMEMBER was founded in 2008 by Max Wallack, in memory of his great-grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, who died of Alzheimer's disease in 2007.
Puzzles To Remember is registered in Massachusetts as a public charity. Contributions are welcome, and are tax deductible under sec. 501(c.)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information, write to us at Puzzles2Remember@gmail.com