Help Preschool Kids with Disabilities in Ashkelon

Dear Friend,

Across Israel, families are once again rushing to protected shelters as waves of Iranian missiles and drones strike the country. During the first week of March 2026, Iran launched a sustained barrage of more than 200 ballistic missiles toward Israel, along with over 110 drones. Sirens sound multiple times each day, forcing millions of people to run for safety.

For the preschool children with disabilities served by Chimes Israel, these attacks create an especially frightening and dangerous reality.

Many of the young children in our programs cannot walk, speak, or reach shelter on their own. Some require wheelchairs, feeding support, or constant supervision. When sirens sound, parents often have only seconds to move their child to safety. For many families, the only option is to remain inside their safe room for hours, very often sleeping there overnight.

Because schools across Israel are currently closed, the children cannot attend their therapeutic preschools. This interruption has serious consequences.

Early childhood therapy is critical for children with disabilities. These therapies help them learn to speak, walk, eat independently, and interact with others. When services stop, progress can quickly reverse. Skills that took months or years to develop can disappear in a matter of weeks.

Families are also under extraordinary strain. Many fathers have been called to serve in the IDF, leaving mothers to care for children with complex disabilities alone while living under constant missile threats. At the same time, adults with disabilities have lost access to their employment programs and daily support structures. Many now sit isolated at home without income or assistance.

Because of these urgent needs, Chimes Israel has reopened our Emergency Fund.

During previous wars, this fund allowed us to respond quickly to the immediate needs of our clients, their families, and our staff. Once again, we are mobilizing emergency support so we can help the vulnerable people who rely on us during this crisis.

Emergency funding will help us:

• Build protected safe rooms for preschool children in our Modi’in early childhood program so they can reach shelter immediately when sirens sound.
• Provide in-home emergency assistance for vulnerable families who cannot safely access services during this time.
• Deliver food, medicine, and basic necessities to adults with disabilities whose workplaces and daily frameworks have closed.
• Repair damaged facilities and address urgent needs affecting our staff and the families we serve.

Even during war, our mission remains the same. We must protect the most vulnerable members of our society and ensure they are not left behind.

Your support allows us to respond quickly when crisis strikes and to continue caring for children and adults with disabilities when they need us most.

Thank you for standing with the people of Israel during this difficult time.

With gratitude, The Chimes Israel Team