Dear Mr. John Gotti,

Thank you. We never met, and we haven't ever even talked to each other. We have only communicated previously through your lawyer, but you have nonetheless helped me to help kids that society has forgotten.

My name is Steve Kaufman. I'm a Pop artist and I have worked with Andy Warhol. Over the past ten years, I've hired some 752 kids from out of the correction system in Los Angeles. These are kids that often never get a chance at that first job because they have a criminal record. We give these kids a break, putting them to work building frames, packing and shipping art for us. We make many donations of art to a variety of charities as well.

I had sent images of my art, to you through your lawyer, together with a previous letter explaining how I hire these disadvantaged kids from tough circumstances who have landed in into the correction system. I explained how my Art Studio makes & sells limited edition paintings to help create income with which to provide these kids steady employment. I also offered that a percentage of the income from sales be donated to your favorite charity.

Subsequently, your lawyer contacted my office and advised me that Mr. Gotti had approved the image I created as his portrait, and asked that Mr. Gotti's percentage be donated to any charity of my choosing as long as it helped kids.

I’m pleased to let you know that we creating new charity 2003, "Give Kids A Break," to which I will be donating 100% of the proceeds from sales of the "Gotti" portrait. The only goal of this charity is to open a new Art Studio, within the Las Vegas correction system, to help the kids that are now incarcerated. The idea being that this will help prepare them for a useful return to the outside world.

So, once again, thank you, Mr. John Gotti, for your support of this endeavor.

Peace & Respect
Steve Kaufman