January 14, 2008

Dear Friends,

"Daddy, how come can you afford taking us all to a Restaurant?" These are the words of a 7 years old girl, who participate for the first time in our newest program, Family Evening, with her family. Words as such are the one giving us the aspiration to keep on operating for these families who are living in a harsh reality of continuos distress.

2007 came to its end and I would like to open the coming year with this report on Be'er-Sova's activities in the passing year. 2007 can be considered as a year of vicissitudes. The year began with a financial crisis, which we believe to be derived from focusing donations to residents of the North of Israel, following the Second Lebanon War. On May 2007 we began in reorganization which included cutbacks in salaried employees, combined with an emphasis on resources raising and development. And yet, we are still in need of financial support, since all our programs are operating thanks to donations funding alone. Here is the summery of the varied activities we have been operating this year:

Restaurant for the Needy: renovations and expansion works were completed in May 2007, and we were able to provide a better service to our recipients. We have lately run a survey, which showed general satisfaction of the diners in the restaurant. However, we always aspire to improve and develop our services.

Meal-on-Wheels: 100 disabled seniors, who are unable to arrive at the restaurant, were referred this year to Be'er-Sova by the welfare services of Beer Sheva Municipality. A survey was run here as well and the results were good. A few changes were done in the menu, to provide more varied meals. 

Friend to the Elderly: this program had developed when while delivering the daily meal, volunteers encountered with needs of the elderly for a sympathetic ear and assistance with daily distress. Volunteers are visiting the elderly once a week, accompanying and giving a hand in varied problems. In addition to this program, we have gathered a reservoir of professionals, whiling to voluntarily repair minor faults in the elderly residence.

Hot Meals: during the passing school year we participated in hot meals supply to Ilanot School for special education. Hopefully, we will get renewal of our business license soon enough and will be able to renew the supply of hot meals from our kitchen for these children during this school year.

Food Packages: each month we have delivered food groceries packages to 100 needy families. Gladly, we received a donation that enabled us to deliver 100 more packages to Ethiopian needy families. Today we supply 200 food packages each month to 200 families that are being referred to us by the Welfare Department of Beer Sheva Municipality.

Empowerment Sandwiches: in this program, school children were preparing every day their own sandwiches, with the help of the educational staff and the ingredients supplied by Be'er-Sova. In addition we have supplied groceries to welfare after-school programs (Moadonit). Following our reorganization and cutbacks, this program was cancelled until further notice.

 Gamal After School Program: during the passing school year, there were three groups, each of 15 teen-agers, activated in this program for youth at risk. With the opening of the new school year (September 2007), due to financial difficulties, we had to narrow the activity and opened only two groups. We hope that we will be able to find funding and open the third group during the year. We locate potential youth by the help of welfare services. By supplying hot lunch, personal tutoring, computer room and an enrichment activity, we give these teen-agers equal conditions for success, just like their classmates. A psychologist assists the educational staff to handle problems in their work with the teen-agers.   

Girls in the center: a pilot program that operated four months in collaboration with the Welfare Department. The program brought together teen-aged girls from Ethiopian heritage and those who were born in Israel. The target was to progress integration of the new immigrants in the Israeli society. The activity was successful and included lectures and workshops about adolescence and femininity. The program ended with the end of the school year and is now operated by Beer Sheva Municipality.

Legal Aid: law students have been voluntarily giving legal aid during the year. Reception of the public is once a week and aid is given in civilian claims only. During the work, lawyer is counseling the student.

The Center for Food Security and Fight Against Hunger: a collaboration of Be'er-Sova and the Department of Social Work in Ben-Gurion University. The center's goal is to establish programs in troubled neighborhoods, which will lead to social change and alleviation of poverty.

Family Evening: this is our newest program, which was launched in August 2007. Families referred to us by the Welfare services, arrive once a week to our Restaurant. They all eat dinner together and participate in social activity. In most families, this is the only family quality time the parents spend with their children. Following the program's success, we have opened a second group of families. Each group includes 8 families.