New Program Allocates Up to 1.5 Million Shekels Per Municipality for Northern Residents
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Three new municipalities in northern Israel are joining a program providing up to 1.5 million shekels each over two years to address resident needs exacerbated by the war. The initiative, funded by a five-year development plan, aims to identify and assist families and develop new welfare services. The program has already seen success in seven pilot municipalities, leading to the creation of various community services.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Three new northern Israeli municipalities will receive up to 1.5 million shekels each for welfare services.
- The program aims to address new needs of residents impacted by the ongoing conflict and evacuations.
- Funding comes from an existing five-year plan for the rehabilitation and development of northern Israel.
- Participating municipalities will conduct needs assessments and proactively identify families requiring support.
- The initiative focuses on strengthening welfare departments, hiring social workers, and developing tailored services.
- The program expansion is part of a larger 340 million shekel five-year plan for the North.
Three additional local authorities in northern Israel are joining a multi-million shekel assistance program designed to address the evolving needs of residents impacted by the ongoing conflict. The program, which allocates between 1 million and 1.5 million shekels per municipality over two years, aims to identify families requiring aid and develop new services.
The initiative is funded by an already approved budget within a five-year plan for the rehabilitation and development of the North. The program's activities in the three new municipalities are expected to commence this month. This expansion brings the total number of participating municipalities to ten, up from seven in the pilot year, which included towns like Shlomi, Kiryat Shmona, and Nahariya.
The war has significantly altered the needs of northern residents, with prolonged evacuations and returns creating new challenges. Some residents have returned home with previously unrecognized needs, while new families have also arrived in the region requiring services. To cope, participating authorities are conducting updated population and needs assessments, proactively identifying families needing professional support who have not yet sought assistance.
A substantial portion of the budget is dedicated to strengthening the workforce and professional capabilities of the welfare departments. Each municipality integrates a "Machar" leader into its welfare department's management team, alongside professional training, ongoing guidance, and a flexible budget for developing services tailored to local needs. The initial phase in the three new municipalities will focus on bolstering departments and recruiting social workers, integrating funds approved for additional positions and incentives for employees.
Participating municipalities have already begun developing and implementing new services, such as a safe house for girls, a center for domestic violence treatment, programs for Holocaust survivors, a coffee cart for seniors, and a digital appointment system. The specific services for the newly joining municipalities will be developed gradually based on assessment findings, resident needs, and local characteristics. This program expansion is part of the welfare component of the five-year plan for the North (2026-2030), which totals approximately 340 million shekels.
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