THE INSTITUTE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION IN JAFFA INC
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Mission Statement
The Jaffa Institute was established in 1982 as a private, non-profit, multi-service social agency to assist the city of Jaffa’s severely disadvantaged children and their families. Our mission is to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty through educational, therapeutic and nutritional support programs and our vision is to create a community in which children are nourished, educated and supported in order to become strong contributors to Israeli society. Through over 30 different initiatives our programs reach 4,000 citizens annually. Our goals are to provide educational and social enrichment to children and youth coming from impoverished families; to increase the nutritional security of impoverished families in the Jaffa area; and to care for and strengthen the emotional and mental well-being of families, youth at risk and communities in need in the Jaffa area.
About This Cause
The Jaffa Institute was established in 1982 as a private, non-profit, multi-service social agency to assist the city of Jaffa's disadvantaged children and their families. Our mission is to provide educational, therapeutic, and social enrichment programs that help children develop the skills and attitudes they need to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in the impoverished communities of Jaffa and South Tel Aviv. The Jaffa Institute’s programs connect children with mentors from within the community, build their confidence, and support their growth into healthy, educated, flourishing adults. Holistic in approach and responsive to the diverse needs of those we serve, the Jaffa Institute operates over 30 different program initiatives, ranging from educational enrichment, food security, and women’s empowerment programs to crisis residences for at-risk youth. Each year, the Jaffa Institute provides service and relief to 4,000 citizens. In 2001, the Institute was awarded the President’s Prize for Most Outstanding Voluntary Organization. An unfortunate 50% of the Jaffa Institute's target population currently lives at or below the poverty line; 30% regularly receive local welfare services. These communities also suffer from some of the highest rates of drug use, violence, and criminal activity in Israel. Many families suffer from significant nutritional insecurity. This socio-economic distress translates into educational gaps, with 53% of the children in Jaffa and south Tel Aviv dropping out of school before completing the 12th grade. Experts conclude that the time directly after school is the peak period for juvenile crimes and risky behavior among youth. Children who live in especially high-risk areas benefit enormously from after school programs, which provide a safe and nurturing alternative to unsupervised hours on the streets. After school programs have been shown to improve children’s academic achievement, thereby reducing the likelihood that they will drop out of school. Finally, after school programs give at-risk children the chance to build positive relationships with adults. The Jaffa Institute’s social workers find it very important for children in our target area to develop healthy relationships with adults because difficult domestic circumstances frequently prevent them from enjoying a positive adult role model in their home environments. After school programs give children a time and place to grow and learn in a safe environment. The Jaffa Institute's staff analyzed the extent of malnutrition amongst its students. They found that almost half of the students in the afternoon program did not have a balanced diet and many of them experienced entire days without eating a full meal. Our social workers then spoke with the parents and the children to understand the reasons for the children's poor diet. They learned that although some of the children were victims of negligence, the majority of parents simply could not afford to properly feed their families.In Jaffa and south Tel Aviv, many impoverished families, along with hundreds of impoverished elderly lack sufficient food to sustain a healthy life. Our social work staff determined that over 65% of the adults in our service area do not have the financial means to properly feed themselves or their children.Moreover, many of the area's large elderly population do not eat more than one nutritious meal per week. To combat the widespread hunger and malnutrition found in our service area, the Jaffa Institute's Food Distribution Program targets hunger and malnutrition in the home by providing Israel's most needy with food parcels. Through close cooperation with the Tel Aviv – Jaffa Department of Welfare and Social Services the program identifies instances of food insecurity in our community and provides the resources to eliminate hunger as a learning impediment, root of depression, and/or inhibitor of pursuing gainful employment. The target population is disadvantaged, welfare-dependent women in Jaffa and South Tel-Aviv. More than half of the participants are single mothers who are divorced, widowed or separated from their spouses. Participants are referred to the Welfare to Wellbeing program by the Department of Welfare, local shelters, employment coaches, and word-of-mouth recommendations. If well-suited, recommended women are selected to participate in the interview process and Evaluation Day, and are later extended an invitation to participate in the program.Welfare to Wellbeing is designed to assist 15 women for each two month cycle, four times a year with a total of 60 yearly graduates from the program.