Explanation: The Meiri wrote this in Talmud Brachot. He was one of the Rishonim. He is saying that nothing is greater than human dignity. If you restore someone's dignity, it is the best thing you can do. No matter where you are or who you are you can show human dignity somehow.
Connection to our project: Ella, Sydney, Anna, and I are selling shirts to raise money for Chai Lifeline. 100% of the money is going towards the children's Disney trip. We are contributing to make them feel dignified because they will feel happy and loved to be at Disney. The Meiri says that human dignity is very precious and we are helping to restore their dignity. That is how this source is connected to our project.
(ח) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה הַנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים וְלֹא יָדַע לְמִי נָתַן וְלֹא יָדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי לָקַח. שֶׁהֲרֵי זוֹ מִצְוָה לִשְׁמָהּ. כְּגוֹן לִשְׁכַּת חֲשָׁאִים שֶׁהָיְתָה בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. שֶׁהָיוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים נוֹתְנִין בָּהּ בַּחֲשַׁאי וְהָעֲנִיִּים בְּנֵי טוֹבִים מִתְפַּרְנְסִין מִמֶּנָּה בַּחֲשַׁאי. וְקָרוֹב לָזֶה הַנּוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה. וְלֹא יִתֵּן אָדָם לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמְמֻנֶּה נֶאֱמָן וְחָכָם וְיוֹדֵעַ לְהַנְהִיג כַּשּׁוּרָה כְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן:
(8) One level lower than this is one who gives tzedakah to the poor and does not know to whom he gives, and the poor person does not know from whom he receives.187Maimonides holds the anonymity of both giver and receiver of great importance, but he does not require anonymity at the highest level of giving. This is perhaps because the highest level of giving addresses the source of poverty whereas giving something to a beggar only alleviates a person's temporary need. Preventing poverty is therefore of such importance that anonymity becomes secondary in that instance. This is purely a mitzvah for its own sake, such as the Chamber of Secrets in the Holy Temple, for there the righteous would give in secret [and leave], and the poor, of good background, would sustain themselves from it in secret. Very close to this is one who gives to the kupah of tzedakah, but one should not contribute to the kupah of tzedakah unless one is certain that the one who counts it is trustworthy and wise and behaves competently, as was Rabbi Chanania ben Teradion.188See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 10b and Avodah Zarah 17b. Rabbi Chanania ben Teradion had a reputation for competence and honesty, so he dealt with the collection and distribution of charity funds. He was later tortured and executed by the Romans.
Explanation: The Rambam wrote 8 levels of Tzedaka. This level is saying that it is a great mitzvah when the giver doesn't know exactly whom he is giving to. The receiver doesn't know who they have received from. It is a nice thing so that the receiver does not feel embarrassed. The giver won't know who he is giving to, so he doesn't embarrass the receiever.
Connection: This connects to our project because we are giving to Chai lifeline, but we do not know to exactly which children. This helps because if they ever see us they won't need to feel embarrassed knowing that we gave them money! The people who buy our shirts know that the money is going to Chai Lifeline. Although, they also don't know to whom exactly the money is going... That's how this source is connected to our project.
Explanation: This source is from the time of commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch and the Later Commentators. This source is saying that Tzedakah is something done for free, we shouldn't expect anything in return except for the feeling that you helped out and did something good. Some people do chesed with their possessions, and some do it with themselves.
Connection: This is connected to our project because we do not expect anything in return for what we are doing. 100% of the money we make is being donated. We are giving with possessions and with "one's self." How? Because we are taking the time to: make a website, but shirts, buy transfer paper, sell shirts, and deliver shirts. That is with ourselves.