Shlomi is the name of a town (7,500 residents) that sits in Israel, just a few hundred yards away from the Hezbollah terror outposts in Lebanon (see the picture of the zigzagging border between Israel and Lebanon, with the houses of Shlomi in the foreground).
Gabi Na'aman is the mayor and has done a terrific job in transforming this once very poor town (where a third of the residents received some kind of public assistance) into as desirable as a town on the Lebanon border can become. Unfortunately even with the construction and other jobs of an expanding town, many of those in need have not elevated their income and still receive some form of public assistance.
Several years ago, immediately after the “Lebanon War” which featured a barrage of missiles sent by Hezbollah into northern Israeli towns like Shlomi, HOT gave the seed money that produced matching grants, to fund an emergency command center in a secure bunker. It is the envy of other border towns as its advanced computerized communication systems has been set up to coordinate all help to civilians during times of crisis.
We visited with the mayor a few weeks ago. He told us that the town’s most pressing need was providing a part-time social worker to work with teen girls at risk. HOT agreed to fund half the cost for two years if the mayor would find the money for the other half. Gabi agreed and the deal was made.
Their next most pressing need is the painting and fixing up of a children's clubroom used as an afterschool center for 25 elementary school kids at risk (who come there straight from school until 7:30pm). In addition to the painting and repairs, they need some new equipment. HOT would like to help these kids and ask our donors to designate any or all of the $8,614 necessary to complete the job:
- $2,200 for arts and crafts supplies
- $1,430 to hire a teacher for music class (for full school year)
- $980 for a computer (they have two, but need more so more kids can get computer time)
- $980 for painting (materials and labor) s equipment (indoor and outdoor)
- $850 to repair the entranceway and door
- $714 for a television (replacing a 10 year old set)
- $430 for additional games and toys
- $410 for sports equipment
- $340 for kitchen supplies (cups, glasses and dishes instead of using disposables)
- $280 for books