The unnerving reality and stress of constant missile attacks on Israeli cities and civilians have caused many families to seek shelter and relative calm by temporarily moving to more distant, safer locations.
While leaving home during uncertain times is fraught with challenges for everyone, one population faces compound difficulties. For families of people with disabilities, it is no simple task to find a host family capable of taking them in and providing the facilities necessary to answer their special needs.
ADI 4 You, the innovative program under the auspices of ADI Jerusalem offering information services, support, assistance and counseling, has stepped up to the plate with a timely initiative. Based on their ongoing experience using social media to partner parents with prospective babysitters capable of caring for children with special needs, ADI 4 You launched a new platform to help families of people with disabilities from Southern Israel find temporary shelter elsewhere in the country. The designated Facebook page matches families of children with disabilities to people willing and able to host them and provide crucial stress relief under conditions suitable to their special needs.
Miri Ariha, director of ADI 4 You, “The trying security situation is difficult for all of us, but families with children with disabilities have it even harder. For this reason, we decided that it is our responsibility, as an organization that works all year long to provide assistance to these families, to find solutions to the present reality plaguing us at this time. I hope that the platform we launched will help those in need during this complex period. The connection between families of people with disabilities in need of hosting and families willing and able to host has already received much traffic, and we are encouraged and proud of the solidarity awakened by this initiative.”
