IFCJ, Social Services Ministry set up emergency COVID-19 fund
Totaling $1.74 million, these funds will help the local welfare departments bring immediate financial aid to families and the elderly who are suffering from coronavirus restrictions.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFIFCJ president and CEO Yael Eckstein (L) is seen with Labor and Social Services Minister Itzik Shmuli.(photo credit: OLIVIA FITUSSI)
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) and the Labor and Social Services Ministry collaborated to set up emergency funds in 140 municipalities across Israel to help cope with the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.Totaling $1.74 million, these funds will help the local welfare departments bring immediate financial aid to families and the elderly who are suffering from coronavirus restrictions. This aid will cover medicine, food, clothes, basic furniture and essential appliances.Each individual can be provided with up to $580, while each family can receive up to $1,160, though ministry officials will determine exactly how much a family or individual is allocated.The Fellowship succeeded in raising $290,000 in donations to support this initiative, while nearly $1.45 million of the fund was supplied through the Labor and Social Services Ministry.The fund was established after reports emerged of a 68% spike in financial assistance requests throughout Israel. This was also compounded by a Fellowship study conducted by the Geocartography Institute, which revealed the extent that the economic crisis is ravaging the Israeli public. Specifically, the survey showed that 21% of respondents had their household income slashed in half, while 40% said they struggled to pay their routine expenses such as rent, utilities and food.“The coronavirus crisis has made the plight of the vulnerable populations in Israel even greater,” Labor and Social Services Minister Itzik Shmuli said in a statement.“The budget that we and The Fellowship have provided for local authorities will enable a quick and effective response to the immediate economic hardships of these populations without having to go through bureaucratic hurdles.”“When coronavirus broke out, it was clear that we were dealing with a crisis we were unfamiliar with,” Fellowship president and CEO Yael Eckstein explained. “We immediately responded by providing food for tens of thousands of elderly people and purchased life-saving equipment for hospitals. The health crisis has somewhat abated, but the economic emergency is still at its peak.“Now our main task, in coordination with the [Labor and Social Services Ministry] and municipalities, is to help families and elderly people who are financially impacted by the coronavirus restrictions. We thank Minister Shmuli and the staff at the ministry for their tremendous cooperation as well as the social sensitivity they have shown during this difficult time towards the most vulnerable populations.”
