Phase I – November 18, 2012 Immediate Relief and Direct Services to Vulnerable Populations 1. Recreational Day Activities for Children and Youth (JAFI) – Children and youth from across the South were invited to join day respite trips during the current crisis. The purpose of these trips was to bring some relief to children who had experienced great stress and difficulties during the crisis, and to provide their parents with a sense of relief while their children were safely cared for. The immediate action was also of importance in conveying to the local communities that they are not alone in a time of crisis. This allocation allowed for 8,699 children from impacted areas to be taken on respites. Youth were invited to join these respites from the following cities and regional councils (R.C.): Gedera, Eshkol R.C., Sha'ar HaNegev R.C., Sdot Negev R.C. Hof Ashkelon R.C., Sderot, Merchavim R.C., Ofakim, Netivot, Shafir R.C., Kiryat Malachi, Bnei Shimon R.C., Be'er Sheva, Absorption Centers in Kiryat Gat, Ashkelon, and Ibim. 2. Victims of Terror (VOT) Fund (JAFI) - The Victims of Terror Fund answers the urgent needs of Israelis whose lives are profoundly disrupted by terror and armed conflict in Israel. The Fund provides counseling, emergency grants, and instrumental assistance to individuals and families, including: medical equipment, treatment and other help that is not provided by the State. Emergency cash grants are disbursed in the immediate aftermath of an event while larger sums for things such as tuition assistance, rental or mortgage payment assistance, basic furnishings, repairs and home equipment, and counseling, may be provided at a later date. $1,000,000 was allocated by the ITRF Committee to the VOT Fund in Phase I. This entire allocation is being used to assist Israelis from Sderot, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Be'er Sheva, Ashkelon, Ofakim, Netivot, Be'er Tuvia R.C., Kiryat Malachi, Tveria, Rishon Lezion, Eshkol R.C., S'dot Negev R.C., and Sha'ar Hanegev R.C. At present the number of Israelis being assisted by this Fund (including pending requests) stands at 130. 3. Group Psychological Support for New Immigrants in South (JAFI) – Emergency psychological support was provided during the recent violence to the most vulnerable new immigrants in the South, including those from Ethiopia, Russia, Yemen, Latin America and Turkey. This program delivered help to parents, funded group support for children, psychological support and a hotline for absorption center staff, and private psychological treatment for the new immigrants. This program, originally budgeted for implementation in 6-8 absorption centers, is in the process of being implemented in three: Ashdod, Ibim and Be'er Sheva centers. Final costs and centers' participation were adjusted from the original proposal according to actual needs identified on the ground. 4. Food Delivery to Elderly (JDC) – Day Centers for the elderly throughout southern Israel were closed during the crisis, and therefore some of their estimated 500 elderly clients were unable to receive their daily hot meal service. This program helped turn Day Center canteen programs into a temporary "Meals on Wheels" framework, which provided hot meals to the elderly in their homes. Day Center staff prepared the meals, while this program funded their delivery to the clients. The duration of the program was shortened considerably as a result of the ceasefire. This program was implemented in the following locations: Rahat, Hof Ashkelon R.C., Ofakim, Sdot Negev R.C., and Sderot. 5. Emergency Kits for the Elderly and Disabled (JDC) – Many elderly and disabled are not adequately prepared to cope with an emergency situation on their own at home. Recognizing the need to provide these people with basic emergency equipment during the recent crisis, this program covered the cost of both emergency kits as well as their delivery to the homebound. Kits included flashlights, transistor radios, first aid supplies, batteries, fleece blankets and bottled water. Due to the ceasefire and subsequent cessation of distribution, this program was not fully executed. The program was implemented in the following locations: Sderot, the Eshkol R.C., Sha'ar Hanegev R.C., S'dot Negev R.C., Hof Ashkelon R.C., and Ashkelon. 6. Portable Toilets for People with Severe Disabilities (JDC) – During the recent crisis, people with severe disabilities were challenged merely to undertake basic activities of daily living. The simple act of using the bathroom was, at times, life threatening, as they were unable to move quickly into sheltered areas when the situation demanded it. This program was designed to deliver portable toilets which could be used in safe rooms and shelters in order to prevent disabled people from being exposed to additional danger due to their limited mobility. This program assisted people in the following communities: Be'er Sheva, Sderot, Ashdod, Ofakim, Yerucham, Kiryat Gat and Ashkelon. 7. Immediate and Special Care to Severely Disabled at Home (Respites) (JDC) – Designed to help psychiatrically challenged individuals in the South experience a moment of calm and disconnect from the ongoing stress of living in the conflict zone, these day trips included transportation, accommodations and social activities. JDC worked in cooperation with the Ministry of Health to implement these day trips. The Ministry took financial responsibility for all elements of the trips, except the cost of transportation. This allocation covered the cost of busses for the respites, as well as two months' salary for a Center for Independent Living (CIL) emergency coordinator who provided assistance to people with disabilities both during and in the immediate aftermath of the recent emergency. The intent was to implement this program in many southern cities. However due to the advent of the ceasefire, it was carried out only in Be'er Sheva. 8. Volunteer-led Activities for Children in Shelters (JDC) – Schools in the South (0-40 km range of Gaza) were closed during the crisis, and many children spent prolonged periods of time in public shelters. In order to allow for daily life to continue as normally as possible, and for parents to be able to continue to work where possible, this program activated teams of volunteers to run entertaining and educational programs for children and provide activity kits that included arts and crafts materials, games and other supplies. The program was implemented in the following locations: Shaar Hangev R.C., Netivot, Ofakim, Hof Ashkelon R.C., Sdot Negev R.C., Sderot, Eshkol, Beersheva, Rahat, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Kiryat Gat, and Kiryat Malachi. 9. Trauma Hotlines (Israel Trauma Coalition - ITC) – This program augmented staff working on four existing hotlines to provide emotional first aid 24/7 and handled over 1,000 calls per day. What originally began with calls concentrated in the south of the country expanded to include requests from anxious residents in the center and even the north of Israel, where the recent crisis reawakened prior trauma. This program provided comfort and support to residents from across southern Israel and beyond. 10. Support of Schoolchildren (World ORT) – This program took a multi-faceted and holistic approach to delivering educational programming under fire both in Kiryat Gat and in four hospital schools (Note, Israel has a standing framework for providing school services to children during their hospitalization). Key program elements included: additional tutoring hours; equipment purchase; and technological support, management and supervision for distance learning. This program assisted people in the following communities, schools and hospitals: Kiryat Gat, Beersheva (Siroka Hospital), Ashkelon (Barzalai Medical Center), Nofei Ha’Basor, Shikma, Makef Alef, and Sha’ar Ha’Negev R.C. Reinforcing Local Capacity and Supporting Emergency Caregivers 11. Emergency Case Workers (“120 Strong”) (JDC) – This program was designed to facilitate emergency caseworkers' outreach to elderly and disabled clients, providing them with emotional and physical support, and allowing the clients to remain in their homes for the duration of an emergency. Each caseworker (currently 177) was originally expected to provide service and support to 120 clients, as referenced in the program's name. In practice, each caseworker was assigned around 160 clients, thus lowering the overall cost of the program. This program is budgeted for two months and is in the process of being implemented in the following locations: Ashkelon, Be'er Sheva, Ashdod, Kiryat Gat, Ofakim, Netivot, Sderot, Kiryat Malachi, B'nei Shimon R.C., Eshkol R.C., Hof Ashkelon R.C., Merhavim R.C., S'dot Negev R.C., Sha'ar Hanegev R.C., Be'er Tuvia R.C., and Gan Yavneh. 12. Trauma Relief: Direct Care (ITC) – During the recent crisis, 3.2 million Israelis lived within range of rocket attacks from Gaza. These Israelis were, and are still, in need of emotional first aid to ensure that the minimum number of people suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Through this program, those in need will receive direct care, with special attention given to vulnerable populations including the elderly, new immigrants, Arabs, and people previously exposed to traumatic events. This program is in the process of being implemented in the following communities: Sderot, Netivot, Kiryat Malachi, Ofakim, Ashdod, Eshkol R.C., Sha'ar Hanegev R.C., Sdot Negev R.C., Hof Ashkelon R.C., Rishon Lezion, and Gan Yavne. 13. Group Therapy Workshops for Children and Parents (ITC) – During the recent violence many parents found themselves in a position where they felt they lacked the tools to effectively cope with a crisis situation. This program is designed to provide intensive workshops whose purpose is to reinstate a sense of security and routine and provide skills for parents to manage their own anxiety, as well as that of their children, in an effective manner. This program is in the process of assisting people in the following communities: B'nei Shimon R.C., Eshkol R.C., Sha’ar Hanegev R.C., Ofakim, Rishon Lezion, Nevitim, Netivot, Merchavim, and Ofakim.