Help Traumatized Palestinian Children

The Spafford Children’s Center got really creative this summer. An African-Brazilian percussion group brought large balls to SCC for the children to drum in rhythmic beats—it was noisy and great fun plus it helped kids with ADHD focus and work in teams. Blue and red teams of 50 children each earned competitive points jumping, dancing, drumming, and concentrating on the leaders’ directions for 1.5 hours without a break!! 

Camp also included lessons on recycling and how to reuse items that are often discarded in the trash. Art projects were a part of every day at SCC camp—drawing, painting, pottery, and sculpture went home for parents to admire. The campers did community service projects like painting chairs for the SCC courtyard and picking up litter. The teen counselors had their own sessions to learn first aid so they could help a young camper with a skinned knee, as well as leadership classes and discussions about various professions that sparked their interest. Everyone loved the trip to the water park in Jericho. More than 150 children and youth had the time of their lives splashing and swimming thanks to your support through GlobalGiving at https://goto.gg/31839 . 

Camp is so important for Palestinian kids who live in difficult circumstances.  The Spafford Children’s Center is a safe place for children to learn, to play, and to just be a kid.  Within the walls of SCC children know they are valued and respected. Please help SCC continue services this fall by supporting small classes in English, Arabic, and math; speech and occupational therapy; recreational activities; and services for mothers. Give through GlobalGiving at https://goto.gg/31839 today.

The Spafford Children’s Center (SCC) has been around since 1925—and the understanding of child development has changed markedly in almost 100 years. SCC has always incorporated new theories and practices by stressing advanced training for teachers, social workers, and specialists. The skills they learn are transferred to state-of-the-art services for mothers and children. Support the learning environment at SCC by donating to the American Friends of the Spafford Children’s Center (AFSCC) through GlobalGiving at https://goto.gg/31839. 

Staff from SCC’s East Jerusalem and Bethany locations participated in three days of intensive training on early childhood developmental assessments. They were taught how to evaluate the learning needs of children according to a standardized methodology. SCC also arranged nine intensive training sessions (3 hours per each session) for parents and families. SCC experts and external trainers conducted sessions on how to support children with learning difficulties. Parents learned to create their own teaching tools and activities at home using very simple materials to help their children learn and thrive. 

The sessions also discussed the psychological and emotional issues for children who are detained or arrested by the authorities. All SCC services recognize the impact of trauma on child cognitive and emotional development. There is counseling, art and dance activities, educational tutoring, and speech therapy—organized in an individual plan for each child—to reduce the effects of trauma and increase self-esteem and confidence. 

Please support these innovative services by supporting AFSCC on GlobalGiving at https://goto.gg/31839.

Every donation makes a difference; we hope you will help.