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Israeli families in poverty

In Israel today, more than 1.8 million people, including one in three children, are living below the poverty line. These are families who work, who serve, who do everything they can — yet month after month, the numbers still don’t add up.

Our solution

At Meir Panim we do more than feed a family. We see them, we know where their kids go to school and who is struggling. We connect families in need with welfare services, government assistance, and partner organizations providing therapy and emotional support. We replace broken appliances and essential household items that families cannot afford, and we provide food assistance to families in poverty, including thousands of IDF reservists who are unable to work due to PTSD.

How we are making a difference

When a family is living paycheck to paycheck, barely covering bills and food, even small problems become emergencies. When a washing machine breaks down, it’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a crisis. There’s no money to replace it. Clothes pile up. Children go to school wearing the same things again and again. Parents feel embarrassed, frustrated, and helpless. Tension fills the home.

For families living in Israel’s periphery, the situation is even harder. Nearly 28.5% of families rely on minimum-wage jobs, which barely cover basic living expenses. When children struggle with trauma after terror attacks or months of sirens and fear, therapy is often the first thing families simply cannot afford. These are children who should be learning, playing, and growing, but instead are carrying anxiety, nightmares, and silence with no professional support

And that’s when we step in.

Dignity restored
Not only does Meir Panim remove the shame of asking for help, they give each client the sense that they are important and deserve to be cared for.
Food does more than feed families, it helps them heal
Especially for families in Israel’s periphery, poverty is not just about money. It affects health, education, mental well-being, and the ability to recover from war and trauma which is constantly on their doorstep. When families are fed they can focus on everything else.
Chronic stress can destroy
There is no backup. No savings. If an appliance breaks, or someone faces a medical or mental health crisis, it triggers panic — stress, borrowing money they don’t have, and the fear of how they’ll get through the month. Your support gives families breathing room., stability. and the knowledge that someone sees them and cares.
Poverty never affects just one person
A child’s shoes are torn, a backpack rips and keeps getting stitched back together. A heating bill is skipped so groceries can be bought. Every decision is a trade-off — and every trade-off comes at a cost: emotionally, mentally, and physically. Parents take on extra shifts or multiple jobs, leaving little time or energy to emotionally support their children. Stress becomes a constant presence in the home if no one steps in.

Why do we need your help?

We help a lot of people, it’s expensive! Here are some of the costs that we need your help covering every month.
You Can Make the Difference.

$20,000

Monthly cost of running
the Sderot community center

$55,800

Monthly costs of meals-on-wheels food and delivery expenses

$10,000

Monthly cost of services for holocaust survivors

$17,000

Monthly costs of meals served in restaurant-style soup kitchens

Give with Confidence

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