In the final weeks of August in Israel the air is filled with the back-to-school spirit. As the entire public school system begins the school year on September 1st, stores display school supplies, back-to-school apparel, and lunchboxes abound.

However, for Meir Panim patrons who struggle to provide meals for their families, the burden of school supplies is a source of major anxiety instead of excitement for the children’s academic year.

Whenever possible, Meir Panim’s staff try to leverage relationships and local resources to provide “more than just a meal” for our communities, and at this time of year, it is all about school supplies.

When a child arrives at school with a fresh backpack and all the supplies they need, they can approach the year with confidence and excitement to be like “everyone else”, and not be embarrassed by missing notebooks. This confidence allows each Meir Panim kid to feel ready and supported so they can focus on learning and growing in the academic year.

Providing children in need with the support and resources they need to develop and succeed academically is a key value of Meir Panim, which enables us to break the cycle of poverty for the next generation. Whether the children know their supplies come from Meir Panim and come in to choose, or their parents just bring home the items as if they came from a store, providing these essentials sets up the family for a smooth transition from summer break to school.