Every summer, Ezer Mizion organizes fun-filled retreats for a range of special-needs children, giving them the chance to enjoy attractions they could never enjoy otherwise and providing their families with a well-needed break from round-the-clock care.
Many of the children at the retreat are entitled to Social Service Department subsidies, which help cover the lion’s share of the hefty cost. But we currently have 8 children and teens have used up their limited entitlement, and without a sponsor who pays for their summer camp experience, they will have to stay home. A good number of them are orphans, compounding the difficulty of occupying the special needs kids and teens at home during vacation time and underlining the tragedy:
· Shimmy is a teenager with Down’s Syndrome. He was orphaned from his father at a young age, and he has two brothers with CF, a serious genetic lung disease. The family is in a dire financial situation. Last year, Shimmy did not come to summer camp due to lack of funds. We want this summer to be different for him!
· Michael’s mother passed away, leaving her father with 8 children to care and provide for. It is very important to the father to give Michael the once-a-year fun experience of participating in the retreat.
· Rachel is orphaned of her father and her mother works evenings. During the summer vacation, leaving the girl home alone is a real problem.
· Naftali lost his father many years ago. Naftali lives in a hostel and it means the world to his mother to be able to give him the pleasure of participating in Ezer Mizion’s summer camp.
· Moshe Zev’s father passed away recently, leaving many children in the house and severe financial crisis.Summer camp will bring his mother peace of mind and strength, helping her cope better.
· Brachya is a teenager with emotional problems and developmental delay. His family has serious financial problems as well as severe health issues. Last year he missed the retreat for financial reasons.
· Felicia is a girl with serious emotional disturbance in a single-parent family, and her mother struggles with dire financial straits.
The cost of one place for the duration of the retreat is $750 each, a total of $6,000. With your donation, these children can enjoy summer camp ecstasy that will give them and their parents the strength to cope for a full year. We hope you can help us help them.
