The poverty crisis extends its stubborn grasp from border to border, affecting young children to the elderly.

Here are some highlights of the report:

• 1,651,300 needy people living in Israel (23.7% or 1 in 4)
• 420,100 poor families lived in Israel
• 783,600 hungry children (34% or 1 in 3)
• 57.8% of large families (with four children or more) are under the poverty line
• 46.3% of the families located under the poverty line are working families
• 22.7% of elderly are destitute

YNETnews.com reports that “The data published Monday point to an extremely grim picture……poor families became poorer…Welfare and Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog said that the Poverty Report points to a direct link between going out to work and emerging from poverty…the current Poverty Report leaves no doubt as to the need to focus on encouraging employment…and developing diverse programs for special populations.”

In the past year, Meir Panim has stepped up its efforts, both in providing food via a variety of sources (Free Restaurants, Meals-on-Wheels, Meals for Children, Food Shopping Cards) and by developing effective “Employment Horizons” Vocational Training Programs (Young Aiding the Old Program and Back to Work Workshops) to help ease the poor out of the cycle of poverty.