This is where we step in: in the last weeks, the African Refugee Development Centre (ARDC) established a network of volunteers, Israelis, internationals and asylum-seekers. Once a week, we deliver packages filled with food, toys and baby supplies to around 300 families in need - in the centre of Israel and in the area of Haifa, through ALEF. In order to keep this project running and expand our operations, we need your support.

How can you help?
500 NIS supports two families for a month
120 NIS supports two families for a week
75 NIS will buy a weekly dry food package for a family
35 NIS will buy two baby supplies packages   
25 NIS will buy two vegetables and fruits packages  

Thanks to a generous donation from The Shapiro Foundation, we have a unique opportunity to double donations until the end of April. All donations will go directly to immediate aid: food and baby needs. We invite you to support the community - donate to the food deliveries and share our call.

Only one month after the corona outbreak, the situation is dire:  asylum seekers report distress and poverty. This situation can quickly escalate to a full humanitarian crisis. Asylum seekers are not entitled to unemployment benefits or welfare allowances and have limited access to health services. While Israelis crowd supermarkets and stock up on food and essentials, many asylum seekers have nothing to eat.

With the growing needs, our food delivery project is constantly expanding.On our delivery day in the center of Israel on April 3rd, we:

     🍴 Secured food for more than 600 asylum seekers, living in more than 160 households

    🚴‍♀️ Reached all the areas with major concentrations of asylum-seekers in central Israel, delivering to more than five cities, including the besiged community in Bnei Brak                  

    🎮 Gave out hundreds of toys to dozens of families

    💪 Distributed over 1,800 kilograms of dry food and over 4000 kilograms of fruits and vegetables;

    🚘 Delivered the food packages to the doorsteps of each and every home, together, Israelis and asylum seekers

Our deliveries are targeted at the most vulnerable parts of the refugee community: elderly, people debilitating illness and single moms that cannon leave their houses in this time.

The African Refugee Development Center (ARDC) is a grassroots, community-based nonprofit organization that was founded in 2004 by African asylum-seekers and Israeli citizens in order to protect, assist, and empower African refugees and asylum-seekers in Israel. The ARDC works to address gaps in services created by harsh governmental policies in 4 key sectors: education, livelihoods, advocacy, and rights empowerment. ALEF is a network of activists in Haifa, assisting the refugee communities in the northern part of Israel in their various needs.

After we reached our initial target of NIS 100,000, The Shapiro Foundation has generously announced that it is willing to match an even higher goal of NIS 200,000!

Read More:

About 70 to 80 percent of the asylum seekers recently lost their jobs. Unlike Israeli citizens, they are not entitled to unemployment benefits. Most of the asylum seekers have limited access to health services as they have no health insurance (Kupat Holim). Under the deposit law 20% of their salaries were confiscated in the last years, preventing families from saving money for a rainy day. Linguistic and cultural barriers makes the situation even more difficult for the strong and resilient community.

Article about our food deliveries in Times of Israel

Article about ALEF's activities in Haifa during the coronavirus crisis (Hebrew)

Contact and follow us:

Join our volunteer community: https://tinyurl.com/ARDCrefugees

Mail: info@ardc-israel.org; kei@alef-haifa.com

Whatsapp: 054-9298892

Facebook: English, Hebrew and Tigrinya

Website: www.ardc-israel.org

Crises are moments by which we are judged as a society and as individuals. Will we abandon the weakest, and hurt ourselves in the long run? Or will we manifest solidarity, commitment and caring, and stand with one another? We choose the second option. Stand with us.

Thank you!