Welfare To Work/Friendship Circle

(New Project Under Development)

Throughout Israel, tens of thousands of women find themselves in need. Some are single mothers, some are battered women, alcohol or substance abused women, immigrant women from the Former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and elsewhere, mothers of large families, etc.

Most municipalities, in partnership with many local and national private voluntary organizations (PVO's), offer free courses to these women for self advancement. Courses may range, depending on the types of women and the nature of the problem, from basic laws of economics, dealing with an abusive spouse, caring for a sick child or elderly parent, job trainings such as computers and/or graphics and/or bookkeeping, etc, to basics in household management, anger management, etc.

As one of the largest NGO charities providing food assistance in Israel with close to 8,000 families currently receiving our Food Cards monthly, plus several thousands additional families receiving Food Cards for the High Holidays and Passover, and based on our vast national experience working throughout all of Israel, we have found that in many cases, the single and most glaring impediment in getting women to attend these classes and Seminars, is their need for "IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION" , meaning to say, "first help me, and then talk to me about everything else.

Just as we know that one can not learn on an empty stomach, the same rule applies in getting these women to attend the various Seminars and classes being offered to them, notwithstanding that the value of these courses may in fact be of a higher value than the actual Food Card we will give them over a six month period of time. (The value of a minimum card is $75/m = 300 Shekel x 6 months = $450 or 1800 Shekel, while the value of the individual courses may be several times this value). We are actually proposing for the purpose of this grant, a Food Card with a $100/month or 400 Shekel/m value. 

Yet, by offering this Food Card, which immediately eases their monthly financial burden, we have found that most women will sign up for these courses and avail themselves to the existing programs already out there.

In addition to the Food Card assistance, we are proposing to send volunteers from our national database of potential volunteers to assist these families with various forms of assistance while the mothers are at home or especially when they are attending the various classes and Seminars. These services will range from babysitting, cooking, help with homework, shopping, cleaning, etc.

Our goal is to reach 2,500 families who will be chosen from 50 Israeli cities (25 families per city x two phases (Jan - June, July - December)). These families will be provided with monthly food card in the amount of $100/ 400 Shekel per month for a six month period. There will be 1,250 women whom will be chosen in each of the two Phases of this project. In this time span the heads of the household will be enrolled into educational - vocational, job training and placement programs that will help them get proper tools to manage and sustain their families, while some will actually transition back into the workforce.. The educational part of this program will be organized by JAR Israel in cooperation and partnership with the local Municipalities and other national and local non profits.

Pictures above: Official Ceremony of an opening of Empowering Single Mothers Program.