As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 4:10
Over the last three months, our efforts have been focused on providing basic essentials and prepaid gift cards to families in need throughout the land of Israel. Here are some highlights from our recent activities.
Pick a Pack to School
This has been an amazing summer. We have been hard at work helping anyone and everyone that we can and spreading God’s light throughout our community. Though we know that this work has amazing effects, sometimes it really strikes us how much of an impact we can make through God and our donors and friends.
Imagine all the 275,000 children who were the recipients of VFI’s school bags over the years coming together to shout “thank you!” The sound would be tremendous. It is this reality that keeps us going.
It warms our hearts when we interact with these children and their parents. Their joy and laughter at our events bring out the children in us too, something that is rare and cherished as the years pass. Through the eyes of these children and their smiles, we can relive our own childhoods. Our ability to help them attend school and gain education is nothing but a blessing.
Dedication of Emergency Vehicles to MDA
In August, we donated two more vehicles to MDA (Magen David Adom): a bloodmobile, and a mobile intensive care unit ambulance (MICU). The dedication event was heartfelt and meaningful, full of sincere speeches and gratitude. So far, over 30,000 emergency responses have occurred with all the vehicles that we have donated. Saving lives and saving people is what it is all about!
“This is a day we dreamed of seeing since Vision for Israel was founded and began 27 years ago. Not only being able to save lives when needed, but to serve the community around us and all Israel. It gives us the privilege to serve, providing hope and strength in any time of need for emergency services provided by Magen David Adom. We do not just believe in miracles and visions but in their coming to fulfillment."
Barry
A Great Blessing for the High Holidays
Every year, the weeks before the Jewish High Holidays are especially busy for us at Vision for Israel. One of VFI’s main activities is the distribution of magnetic gift cards to low-income families, the elderly, Holocaust survivors, new immigrants, terror survivors, and lone soldiers.
Many times, a gift card means the world to them, especially in preparation for the holidays. This time of year means more expenses and more preparation for family meals and celebrations. Our magnetic gift cards help to ease financial stress and help families to celebrate the High Holidays properly.
Investing in their future
We held a ceremony at the Millennium Center for 52 terror survivor students and their families. The students received scholarships to help them with their higher education. There was a moving speech and beautiful music. The latter was performed by a musician who lost both his parents in an act of terrorism.
Giving scholarships brought intense joy to many of these students, and allowed us to help to ease some of the pain and hardship that they carry.
Protection is Here! Mobile Bomb Shelters
When the rockets were falling on us, we found ourselves praying for God's intervention. Our prayers—and our appeals to you, our faithful partners—have been answered. Thanks to your generous participation and faith in our work and in God, we have now ordered enough shelters and locking systems for the first stage of our goal.
Grateful for Recent Delivery
We are so incredibly grateful to have received a donation of 1,020 new pairs of denim overalls from the Netherlands.
Our team at Vision for Israel donates the clothing we receive to needy families. We also give to children’s homes and at-risk children, as well as young people with unique emotional and cognitive needs. Our donors in this arena have always been so generous, and we are continually grateful.
Aid to Fight Hunger
Hunger does not only exist during the holiday season, so we work with food donations all year long. Our wonderful volunteers have helped us pack hundreds of baskets during every donation event. We then distribute the baskets along with magnetic cards for purchasing food at the major food chains. Dozens of families come to various centers across the country to receive the assistance. We work in collaboration with the welfare departments to locate the people who need help the most. This month, our team distributed food baskets in Neve Yaakov in Jerusalem and Rishon Lezion. We see these baskets making a huge difference for some families, and all of them are so grateful to our donors for making our work possible.
Sharing and Caring
It's always good when our partnerships with organizations and nonprofits expand. Recently we sorted and packed lots of items to donate to charities. Among the objects were clothing and shoes, medical equipment, tools, housewares, undergarments, bedding, school bags, and more. The organizations that receive the donations address important issues in Israeli society, such as helping minorities, rescue and disaster relief, combating domestic violence, and helping school dropouts.
With the help of our partner organizations, we can reach out to more and more people in need.
Preparing the Celebration
As we do every year, this winter we will hold a festive event for dozens of bar and bat mitzvah boys and girls from families affected by terrorist attacks. We do this together with other organizations that represent the victims of hostilities and terrorism.
The work begins months in advance, as we plan and improve our methods. All of us are very excited and hope to hold a moving, significant, and memorable event this year for these dear children, who have endured more in the past few years than many of us have in our whole lives.
