ISRAEL Giving Bread
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Give hope to families in Israel in a state of EMERGENCY and struggling for SURVIVAL due to Covid-19

Providing emergency support to help people in dire need in Ashkelon, Arad, Dimona & Sderot; with unemployment rate at 20%, and estimated 850,000 families in Israel lack essential housing, education, healthcare and food

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FAQ

  • Why do people need our help and now more than ever?
    Following the massive spread of COVID-19, many Israeli families are in a state of EMERGENCY and struggling to SURVIVAL, coping with multiple life challenges blended with high levels of anxiety and stress. A recent report by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics revealed that over 250,000 people are unemployed, and over 550,000 others have only managed to secure partial employment during these trying times. Ynet, a leading Israeli media firm, reports that unemployment has surged to over 20% since the country first imposed a nationwide lockdown at the start of the outbreak in March.

    Regrettably, we see Holocaust survivors living in conditions below basic human dignity, single mothers unable to find part time jobs and attend to their children’s remote learning needs, elderly suffering from food security and extreme loneliness, and children lacking a daily hot meal. People of the South have endured an extra layer of disruption and instability, with sporadic rocket attacks and siren sounds adding to their struggles and fear.

    According to Bureau report, 268,000 Israelis have fallen into poverty during the pandemic. 850,000 families in Israel lack access to essential housing, education, healthcare, and food. 70% of the entire population is now in need of economic assistance of some kind, with 422,000 new Israeli households finding themselves in situations of serious financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.
  • Where does my DOUBLE CHAI ($360) donation go?
    The donation goes to help people in the direst need, identified by local caregiver professionals. A one-time stimulus donation you are providing goes towards a specific need, which will make an immediate positive impact and be of considerable help to the individual or family. It can be to help pay an electric bill prior to shut down, purchase urgent meds that are not covered by insurance, help cover a financial gap for rent payment in order to prevent eviction, purchase a food package to fill a food gap, purchase children educational materials needed, purchase a public transportation monthly card that enables to get to work. The sum of DOUBLE CHAI has been defined by many as impactful enough to give a boost. These are all critical needs identified that will make a HUGE difference in the lives of our Sisters and Brothers in Israel.

    Chai - The Hebrew word for life is a popular symbol and toast, the number 18 is considered a special number in Jewish tradition. For this reason, Jews frequently make gifts or charitable contributions in multiples of $18.

    You would donate to the Giving Back Fund a local U.S 501c3 partner, providing a tax-deductible receipt. The funds are consolidated every two weeks and/or at a threshold level of roughly 30 families and then a grant agreement is signed and funds are wired to the local Israel city Foundation, Ashkelon, Arad and Dimona. Once they receive the funds they work with the social workers to distribute the funds within a short time frame (potential a week) and pay urgent bills (based on a copy of the open bill) and/or provide vouchers for purchase of clothes, food, supplies, and or urgent care (with a copy of Doctor’s note). A full report is submitted back to the Giving Back Fund/Giving Group Community.
  • What amount is donated to a person in need? Can I fund a specific individual with additional funds?
    We seek to fund all families identified in advance at the same level of support of Double Chai ($360), as a one-time boost. Sadly, we are confronted with long lists of people in grim need. We also recognize that in some cases, many of the individuals are receiving support from the Israel Government, its agencies and local NGO’s, woefully there remains a huge gap for staying above water.
  • Can I sponsor more than a DOUBLE CHAI per one family? Can I donate more than once?
    Absolutely! You can donate to multiple people at once by donating in multiples of $360.
  • Giving group level and donation amount
    While the Giving Group Community usually operates on a minimum of higher entry dollar levels, we are opening this giving group at a Double Chai ($360) level, to enable as many people as possible to join this effort. We are grateful to our sponsors that have placed matching funds.
  • Will the family I choose know my identity? Will I know theirs?
    To protect the privacy of both families and donors, we cannot share names and contact information, we use alias names. However, please feel free to add a note of encouragement or kindness with your donation, we will make sure the families get a copy. In some cases, the families may send a note back to the group of donors and we will share these stories with you from time to time.
  • Is my donation Tax Deductible?
    Yes. Every donation will receive a 501c3 Tax Deductible receipt. THE GIVING BACK FUND IS A 501C3 ORGANIZATION | EIN 04-3367888.

    Benefit until end of year 2020, in the U.S.A

    *Your donation may be 100% tax deductible. In the wake of COVID-19, some countries including the USA through the CARES Act, have increased the amount or percentage of charitable donations you can deduct in 2020. In the USA, you may be eligible to deduct 100% of your donation to Airlink. Please consult your tax adviser for details about laws in the country in which you reside.
  • Can I choose to wire the funds, or send a check?
    Yes, absolutely. Please send email to israelgivingbread@givingback.org receive this information.

    Check- make payable to: The Giving Back Fund, 5757 West Century Blvd, Suite 410 Los Angeles, CA 90045. Please put a note in the memo line for “Israel Giving Bread”
  • How does the distribution process work?
    We have identified three cities to kick off the program, Ashkelon, Arad and Dimona. All cities located in the South of Israel, which consist of neighborhoods of very low-income families, and have not been receiving additional support in significant levels from other supplemental entities. We have discussed the program with the city mayors and local welfare departments. The local welfare department, that has social workers in charge of case by case, identify, share in advance the needs, and if we raise the funds we transfer them the support, which is then distributed through the item identified (i.e food package through a voucher). Lastly, we receive an update on an ongoing basis.
  • How do you monitor and evaluate the project?
    On a local level by the Municipality level agencies, within the departments assisting the individuals on a ongoing basis. We have representatives in every city to monitor the accountability and transparency of the program. In the USA, a grants committee is hosted to approve funds, and transfer on a rolling basis, in addition to a grant agreement for use of funds, to each city receiving the funds.
  • Can I sponsor this effort and or offer matching funds?
    Yes. Absolutely, if you would consider $5,000 and above, we will place you on the matching gifts level to double all other gifts for this effort.
  • Who can I contact for more information?
    You can reach out to Israel Giving Bread, operated by the Giving Group Community directly israelgivingbread@givingback.org
  • What part of the donation is paid to the person in need?
    We try to get as much as possible to the hands of the person in need, therefore your funds are going to a local 501c3 that can transfer and handle the funds at a low admin cost. Keep in mind there are credit card processing fees and up to 5% on the admin fees to handle the whole operation. We are also monitoring USD currency levels that keep dropping. Each case will receive at least 1,000 NIS. We will look to use reserves for to help additional families.
  • Who created the Israel Giving Bread initiative?
    The Israel Giving Bread has been launched and activated by The Giving Group Community (a nonprofit private philanthropists club that advances targeted giving and connects the Nex Gen), a project of Giving Back Fund (501c3, Tax-ID #04-3367888) founded by Marc Pollick. The Chai Club was founded by Ruth Brandt, a big hearted philanthropist from LA, who began with an initial pilot. The Giving Bread platform was created by Amy Jurkowitz and Mimi Sternlicht, co-founders of Bread Ventures, a creative business development agency based in Greenwich CT.

Contact Us

Have a question? Interested in launching Giving Bread in your community?

israelgivingbread@givingback.org