Lema'an Achai does not cry "Wolf".
Unfortunately, when Lema'an Achai has troubles, the most needy members of our community pay a terrible price.
Two years ago, when the stock markets crashed around the world, and an international economic crisis of then-unknown proportions shook every community and household around the world - Lema'an Achai's cash-flow projections suddenly became unrealistic. We faced the choice of making deep cuts in the number of impoverished families we help, or...well.. asking you for help.
We publicly explained the situation, and our supporters made incredible and selfless efforts to help us through that dark period.
We have not made any emergency appeals since then. Although the economic crisis is beyond that grim shock-point two years ago, it has continued to impact us.
Many local families who were entirely self-sufficient, have taken a severe blow. Unemployment, difficulties obtaining payments, spiraling debt, have hit the managing-ok-classes. Lema'an Achai therefore has more families calling for help than ever before. And many of the families now needing help, were once donors.
Friends, here's where we stand...
Lema'an Achai is 'leaking' at between 10-20% each month.
Which is to say, our approved 2010 budget has been leaping ahead of our actual fundraising/revenue.
Lema'an Achai has squirreled away a small reserve - which is now largely used up.
We are now faced with heart-wrenching decisions.
What to cut?
Every single family which receives help from Lem'an Achai desperately needs it. They are usually earning just 10% BELOW the (already dismally low) Israeli poverty line. These families lack food, clothes, utilities and shelter. They often have other multifaceted problems, for which Lema'an Achai is their one-stop-shop giving support and solutions.
Lema'an Achai is not solely in the hand-out business; our comprehensive aid and services includes long term planning with families. Fifty-nine families are currently participating in courses to up-grade their employment and earnings potential. Many other families are receiving critical therapy and financial & business development counseling, which cannot be simply stopped mid-way.
With one hundred and eighty families (over A THOUSAND local residents) currently obtaining our aid and unique Smart-Chesed support from Lema'an Achai - and more requests coming through weekly - we now need to tell around 30 families (nearly two hundred residents) that,
tragically, we cannot help them any further. No supplies of food, or assistance with utilities and other critical bills; and no more support to get through today's crisis or planning to avoid tomorrow's crisis.
No Help - and no Hope.
Before we do that, we are making this last-ditch appeal for your help.
We know that you already give generously to many wonderful causes.
We are asking that you now do even more.
Here's how:-
1. Buy some raffle tickets. For details: www.SmartChesed.org. (There, that was easy).
2. Take a deep breath, and make an exceptional one-time generous donation, to help us over this hump.
3. Sign up for a regular commitment. You know your projected earnings, Be"H, and can already calculate your ongoing maaser kesafim obligations. So, please make a horaat kevah or credit card ongoing commitment to Lema'an Achai.
4. Sponsor a Lema'an Achai program - we have almost 30 innovative programs, and several of these are still available to be named after a special person, in their honor or in their memory. Who do you know who merits the honor of an ongoing chesed program, in their name?
5. Any other ideas?! If you could help with fundraising ventures, please step forward. We have some great ideas, and I'm sure you do too. We need people to step up to the plate, and help implement these plans, hands-on.
Click on this link to make a donation (or ongoing commitment) now:
https://lemaanachai.org/donations.aspx
Call our 24/6 Donations Line: 02-99999.33
Or send your check to: Lema'an Achai, 40/7 Nahal Lachish, Ramat Bet
Shemesh, 99093, Israel.
You are welcome to send this on, with your personal recommendations, to your friends and family members, who could be interested to support Lema'an Achai, "the Jewel in the Crown of Ramat Bet Shemesh".
Tizku Lemitzvot,
David & Avrohom
Btw. There is another organization that is not very loud about fundraising and is literally saving lives every day. Hatzalah Bet Shemesh is badly underfunded and many don't realize that we are not talking about people with monetary problems, we are talking about helping people who are literally ill and sometimes even hanging between life and death. Most of these people cannot afford to pay 600 shekels for an ambulance ride. What happens when an ill or elderly person falls out of bed - who is called - Hatzalah Bet Shemesh. The community needs and should support Hatzalah Bet Shemesh directly - we don't have the support that other organizations claim they give us and it's time to help our community and ourselves by signing a horaat keva to Hatzala Bet Shemesh directly. Please contact Hillel Abrahams, Bentzy Novack or Moshe Braun for a form.
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