Poverty-Stricken Kids Attend Summer Camp
Givaat Hamatos is a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Jerusalem. There are no houses there, only caravans which are like mobile homes without wheels. It is home to 60 families who are either native Israelis or new Israelis from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.
When summer comes and there is no place to go, this group of children is ripe to turn to what is easily available - gang-life, delinquency and theft. But a young man, who volunteered as a leader of a children's club in this neighborhood, found a solution: a 3-week summer day camp operated by the municipality with a cost of $287 per child.
Our Involvement
It is because these families still cannot afford this modest price, that Hanan, the 23 year-old officer who volunteers his time, came to Hands On Tzedakah. Hanan was able to convince the municipality of Jerusalem to pay transportation costs if he was able to get funding for the kids at $287 per child. Hands On Tzedakah awarded a grant that provided the funds for eight 12-13 year-olds to attend the summer camp. HOT felt these kids were at the highest risk because of their age and believed this was where we could make the most difference.
