Israeli Program Connects At-Risk Children with Volunteer Families to Build Stable Futures
Tal and her younger brother Lavi were removed from their neglectful home by court order at a young age and placed in an emergency shelter before moving to a northern boarding school, where they have lived isolated from the outside world for over two years. Unlike most children in the boarding school who maintain some contact with their biological families, Tal and Lavi had no such connection and remained at the institution during holidays and weekends with minimal staff support.
Their lives changed when Liat Mankin and Nitzan Levan, a couple in their fifties, learned about the "Na'am Children" program through their daughter, who had volunteered at the boarding school. The program, run by the nonprofit "Children at Risk" for the Ministry of Welfare, pairs volunteer families with children lacking family support to provide companionship and a sense of home during holidays and summer breaks.
Initially, Tal and Lavi visited the couple’s home only for meals and under supervision, but over time they began coming unaccompanied and eventually stayed overnight. Liat describes the process as a serious commitment, emphasizing that the goal is not to "save" the children but to offer consistent care and small experiences of normal family life, such as celebrating birthdays or choosing daily activities freely.
The couple’s biological daughter now regards Tal and Lavi as older siblings, highlighting the deep bonds formed. Liat notes the children visibly changed, gaining hope and a vision for a different future, including attending military ceremonies and imagining success beyond their difficult pasts. The program includes professional support for volunteer families and has shown positive impacts on participants’ sense of belonging and security.
Currently, there is a shortage of about 80 volunteer families. An upcoming virtual information session aims to recruit more families willing to commit to these lifelong relationships. Liat concludes, "There is a chance that by seeing a functioning, normal home, these children will have a home of their own in the future."
