Over the past couple of weeks, Fellowship staff have been out in the field in Israel supporting needy and vulnerable children. Children across Israel are preparing to start school and need backpacks and supplies that their families might otherwise be unable to afford. At the same time, there is an ongoing need for secure spaces where schoolchildren can seek shelter during emergencies. Thanks to grants from last year, The Fellowship has been able to help meet both critical needs.
In July, Fellowship staff visited the Neve Michael Children’s Village in the Haifa District. The village provides a sanctuary for more than 400 at-risk children, from toddlers to 18-year-olds, offering educational assistance and therapeutic care to help transform their lives for the better. Its services include a children’s emergency crisis center, a teenage girls’ crisis center, and an external crisis center for families at risk. However, the village has long lacked a protected and secure space in the event of an emergency—until now.
Thanks to The Fellowship, the children’s village now has a bomb shelter that can be used by children and staff. The shelter is still under construction but is nearing completion in time for the new school year. Like all the shelters The Fellowship provides and supports, it is being built in accordance with the Ministry of Welfare’s official safety standards.
Fellowship staff also visited the Yad B’Yad Children’s Center for a special distribution of school bags and supplies to children in need. The event was made possible through a grant from The Fellowship last year that covers the cost of 688 bags and sets of school supplies. The backpacks came in a variety of styles, including Spider-Man and Hello Kitty designs. Each child received a backpack of their choice, along with essential school supplies such as writing utensils and notebooks.
These grants, which help the children of Israel when they need it most, would not be possible without the generosity of our donors. As the children head off to school, they send their deepest thanks.
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6).