Help Preschool Kids with Disabilities in Ashkelon

Despite being a major target of Gaza rocket fire, Ashkelon is one of the fastest growing cities in Israel. Because of this, Chimes Israel has been hastily expanding its daycare and rehabilitative programs for children ages six month to three years to meet Ashkelon's ever-increasing demand to care for these children. 

The project is to build and equip two fortified, state-of-the-art early childhood centers for children with disabilities in Ashkelon. The young children have autism, developmental delays, genetic syndromes and other disabilities, with the majority living at or below the poverty line.  Chimes Israel's current early childhood facilities in Ashkelon are in four overcrowded, inadequately repurposed residential homes. 

The Project and the Israel-Hamas War

Now, with this long war in motion, the need for fortified buildings could not be more evident. In addition, Chimes Israel’s four inadequately repurposed residential homes that serve as rehabilitative daycares are full of small rooms and many stairs that are extremely difficult to navigate for special children and their cumbersome equipment. Since there is not enough room inside the houses, we have placed caravans/mobile homes in the yards to provide the extensive one-on-one therapy these children require. The classrooms are overpopulated and there are children waiting at home for special needs daycare placements. 

The two new fortified, state-of-the-art rehabilitative early childhood daycare facilities we will build in two different areas of Ashkelon will accommodate 140 children. With these buildings, Chimes will be able to provide high quality, professional services, treatment, education and support for hundreds of children in Ashkelon for years to come. 

We have obtained government and private donor commitments for 83% of the funding of the first building, with $1,060,00 left to raise. The second Ashkelon center is nearly 50% committed with $2,350,000 left to raise. There is a naming opportunity for this second building and our appreciation of certain support levels will be displayed on the wall. We appreciate your support and hope you will continue to donate until the dream becomes a reality.