A first of its kind civil emergency response centre is providing equipment, emotional support and evacuation assistance to athletes with intellectual disabilities following attacks on 7th October.

In these hard times, Israel has witnessed its darkest day, and the entire nation is grappling with the emotional, physical, and social toll of ongoing conflict.

These days, Special Olympics Israel faces a unique challenge – supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) who live in the northern and southern regions of Israel and are directly impacted by the current situation and the war that erupted on October 7th.

Special Olympics Israel is dedicated to empowering these individuals through sports, offering them the physical, mental, and social benefits that participation brings. These athletes find meaning and purpose in sports, contributing to a more inclusive community. 

Your support is crucial, as we stand together to make a difference in the lives of these extraordinary individuals. Please, be a part of our mission to help Special Olympics Israel.

The Urgent Need:

Since Saturday, October 7th, Special Olympics Israel has received a barrage of requests from athletes and their families. It is responding to: 

● Appeals for equipment - Evacuees from the north and south of Israel were either forced to leave their equipment behind, or it was damaged or lost in the fighting. Special Olympics is desperately trying to ensure that everyone gets what they need as soon as possible.

● Appeals for emotional support - Distraught athletes from all over the country and their families are suffering from the emotional effects of the on-going fighting and dealing with anxiety about what is to come. They need help locating and financing professional support from psychologists and therapists who are trained to work with people with ID.

● Appeals for evacuation locations – People with ID, and the families who care for them, have struggled more than most evacuees to find safe, accessible locations to which to evacuate. Special Olympics aims to help athletes and their families connect with safe, accessible places to which they can move while their homes are unsafe.  

● Appeals for social interaction - Many athletes, forced to stay close to bomb shelters, and with schools and most sports clubs closed, are feeling lonely and isolated. Special Olympics is pursuing ways to bring them together to support each other while ensuring their safety.

● Appeals for help caring for athletes - Due to the large number of people who have lost their lives, who are mourning a loved one, who have been evacuated, or who have been called to serve in various capacities, there is a desperate shortage of carers to work with 

people with ID. Special Olympics is seeking to relieve the unbearable pressure placed on families who are forced to cope alone at this very trying time. 

● Appeals for training sessions - Special Olympics and partner organizations’ athletes looking to preserve their physical and mental wellbeing, are determined to continue their training where possible, and are desperately seeking ways to do so through joint or at-home sessions. Special Olympics aims to facilitate their efforts.

● Appeals for information - Athletes and their families are requesting help to understand where to turn for help in this time of need. Special Olympics is working to consolidate information sources and make them accessible to everyone.

The Israeli umbrella organisation for people with intellectual and communication disabilities involved in competitive and grassroots sports has set up a civil emergency response centre.

Special Olympics Israel ER (emergency response) is the first centre of its kind to be launched following the Hamas attacks of October 7th, providing support to special athletes and their families whose lives have been dramatically affected.

It allocates emotional support for athletes, helps residents of the South with equipment, relocation and activities including yoga classes. A volunteer was found to provide sports training to children with special needs in Bat Yam at the centre of Israel, offering their parents some free time.

Sivan Segal, a footballer with intellectual disabilities forced to spend more than 16 hours in her safe room while terrorists were inside her house, is the Special Olympics Israel presenter for a fundraising campaign to fund the emergency response centre and its activities.

38-year old Segal, from Kibbutz Kisufim in the Gaza envelope, woke up on Saturday October 7th at 6:30am, to sirens. Entering the safe room with her mother and sister, about 2 minutes later, a WhatsApp message came in, instructing them to lock the room because terrorists had infiltrated the kibbutz.

After a short while, the girls heard the terrorists. The noise was so loud that they said it felt like the terrorists’ command room was inside the house. They fired several rounds at the safe room door but failed to break it down, instead trying to burn and explode it using a hand grenade.

The terrorists even enlarged the hole and asked Sivan and her family to come out of the safe room, but they did not leave for over 16 hours. They remained quiet, used a bucket for their needs, and waited until the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) arrived to free them.

When they finally came out, around 2:00 AM, it was dark. The family discovered that the terrorists had drunk, eaten and looted the house, leaving behind signs of a fire that had fortunately not spread, along with significant destruction.

Segal says: “The trauma still lingers in the heart, there is fear and sadness, but with that, the mood is better. For now, my mother, my sister, and I are staying in a hotel by the Dead Sea with our kibbutz community, and the state representatives told us we will stay here for at least half a year. I am passing the time with recreational activities and spending time with my family. I wish everyone and the country peace, and that we return home soon.”

The Israeli umbrella organisation for people with intellectual and communication disabilities involved in competitive and grassroots sports has set up a civil emergency response centre.

Special Olympics Israel ER (emergency response) is the first centre of its kind to be launched following the Hamas attacks of October 7th, providing support to special athletes and their families whose lives have been dramatically affected.

It allocates emotional support for athletes, helps residents of the South with equipment, relocation and activities including yoga classes. A volunteer was found to provide sports training to children with special needs in Bat Yam at the centre of Israel, offering their parents some free time.

Sivan Segal, a footballer with intellectual disabilities forced to spend more than 16 hours in her safe room while terrorists were inside her house, is the Special Olympics Israel presenter for a fundraising campaign to fund the emergency response centre and its activities.

38-year old Segal, from Kibbutz Kisufim in the Gaza envelope, woke up on Saturday October 7th at 6:30am, to sirens. Entering the safe room with her mother and sister, about 2 minutes later, a WhatsApp message came in, instructing them to lock the room because terrorists had infiltrated the kibbutz.

After a short while, the girls heard the terrorists. The noise was so loud that they said it felt like the terrorists’ command room was inside the house. They fired several rounds at the safe room door but failed to break it down, instead trying to burn and explode it using a hand grenade.

Israel Special Olympics fundraising campaign.

The terrorists even enlarged the hole and asked Sivan and her family to come out of the safe room, but they did not leave for over 16 hours. They remained quiet, used a bucket for their needs, and waited until the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) arrived to free them.

When they finally came out, around 2:00 AM, it was dark. The family discovered that the terrorists had drunk, eaten and looted the house, leaving behind signs of a fire that had fortunately not spread, along with significant destruction.

Segal says: “The trauma still lingers in the heart, there is fear and sadness, but with that, the mood is better. For now, my mother, my sister, and I are staying in a hotel by the Dead Sea with our kibbutz community, and the state representatives told us we will stay here for at least half a year. I am passing the time with recreational activities and spending time with my family. I wish everyone and the country peace, and that we return home soon.”

Sharon Levi Ben-Ga, chief executive officer of Special Olympics Israel, said: “In these difficult days, we must not forget people with special needs. As an umbrella organisation uniting organisations and athletes with intellectual and communication disabilities involved in competitive and grassroots sports across various disciplines, we are committed to providing support to this population.

“In recent days, in addition to the increased sports activities we offer, we have assisted our athletes from the South and the central regions who need emotional support. Like in any crisis, our athletes and their families need special assistance and attention. That’s why we established the civil emergency operation centre, and we are here to assist all athletes and organisations in whatever is needed. Contact us, and we will help.”

The international Special Olympics organisation founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver includes more than six million athletes and Unified Sports partners and one million coaches and volunteers in over 200 accredited programmes around the world.