As part of JDC Israel’s initiatives to rehabilitate Northern Israel, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) announced today the creation of 9 additional Supportive Communities for people with disabilities. The $1.5M project, which provides 24/7 support to people with disabilities during emergency and crisis situations, is funded by the UJC Israel emergency campaign and the United Israel Appeal of Canada and is a partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, the National Insurance Institute of Israel, and local municipalities.

“JDC is dedicated to helping the most vulnerable populations throughout the world. Supportive Communities help provide not only basic needs, but essential emotional support proven to help those-in-need particularly in times of crisis,” said Arnon Mantver, Director-General of JDC-Israel.

Each Supportive Community’s 150 disabled individuals pay a low monthly subsidized fee for a basket of comprehensive services including a “Community Parent” who provides immediate support and assistance, at-home repair services, escorts to essential services, delivery of medication and food at times of emergency, connection to an emergency center active 24/7 and the right to receive emergency medical services at low cost, a trained Social Worker who mediates between the disabled community member and local authorities, and organizes social activities, and a group of active Volunteers.

Modeled after similar projects for the elderly, the first supportive community for the disabled was successfully adapted in 2002 as a response to the security crisis and the growing needs of this population in Jerusalem’s juncture neighborhoods. The initiative’s value was again proven during the emergency security situation of the Second Lebanon War. Acre and Zefat are the first municipalities in the current initiative of rehabilitation the Galilee in the north to join the community; Kiryat Shemona, Nahariya, Carmiel, Nazaret, Ma’a lot, Tiberias, the Upper Galilee and, Sderot in the South will follow. The program is expected to expand to include dozens of additional communities.