By Pamela Azaria | International Resources Associate
As our partner, I am writing to update you about the status of the project for which you generously donated: the extended hours program for at-risk children at Chimes Israel’s Holland Center in Tel Aviv. Chimes Israel runs several early childhood treatment and rehabilitation centers for preschool children with developmental delays, autism, genetic diseases and syndromes. At our Holland Center in Tel Aviv, there are several young children who in addition to their disability, deal with extreme poverty, verbal and physical abuse, neglect, and inadequate parenting.
For these children, our program seeks to keep the center operating until 6:30pm as an alternative to home care. During their extended time at the center, as if they were home, the children would receive nurturing care, enrichment activities, dinner, shower and bedtime stories. The program will also include targeted child development and family relationship intervention. This short (homemade) video provides a tour, for a visual picture of the Holland Center and a deeper understanding of the need to extend the hours for at-risk children. This presentation explains the project and budget in detail.
The worst are the babysitting centers where some go, which have earned the notorious name, “children’s warehouses.” You cannot believe that this happens in Israel! Here small children are often crowded into tiny rooms in apartments or basements with no air conditioning, poor ventilation, no activities but TV, and scant food.
Since 2010, 26 children have died in these Tel Aviv children's warehouses (one in January 2020). This Haaretz news article shows photos and a video. (This other Haaretz news article asserts that while the children's warehouses may be better than they were before 2015 (when the Tel Aviv municipality set standards after two more children died), the municipality actually has not allocated most of the funds they were given to improve the conditions. [Once you click the links, you can right click on the screen, you should be able to get these articles to translate into English.]
To our delight, we were able to raise the full amount needed to operate the program for one year of activity, and are raising money to continue the program. The organization’s executive management, our pedagogical experts, and the Holland Center’s managers were ready to structure its launch in November 2022, and the onsite team has identified eight children who meet the program’s criteria. However, we are waiting to launch the program upon approval of the City of Tel Aviv.
Because of this delay, it looks like the launch will be postponed until September 2023.The decision will enable us to offer the program continually for a full year without the risk of it ending mid-year due to a lack of funds. Also, from a quality and accountability standpoint, with the continuity of the same children in the program for the entire year, we will be able to better track and assess the program's impact and success.
It is now In addition, please let us know if you will be visiting Israel. We would be happy to show you the center!
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