The European Union Delegation to Israel, together with the Tel Aviv Foundation, announced that it is providing hundreds of families in Israel with food vouchers to alleviate economic pressures caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
The support is provided through the Tel Aviv Foundation, as part of the Mayor's Emergency Relief Fund, and will be allocated to elderly citizens and Holocaust survivors, women at risk including victims of domestic violence and prostitution, families on welfare, at-risk populations, asylum seekers and foreign workers, as well as the Arab community in Jaffa. Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo Mr. Ron Huldai thanked the European Union for its contribution in a phone call with EU Ambassador Emanuele Giaufret.
The EU's aid is being distributed through local CSOs to assist the most vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 crisis that may not have sufficient access to state support. The total amount of aid provided by the EU is €20,000. The city of Tel Aviv will match any donation made to the emergency fund, so the recipients will receive twice the amount provided by the EU.
This support is also intended to express solidarity with Israel during the global pandemic which has also had severe ramifications on the local economy.
EU Ambassador to Israel, Emanuele Giaufret said: "Our support today to hundreds of vulnerable individuals and families in Israel shows that solidarity is not an empty phrase. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting us all, but some more than others. I know how hard it is for individuals and families to have to worry about health risks as well as the economic pressures that are following this pandemic. We are all in this boat together, across the world. We must leave no one behind and make sure that we also address emerging and aggravated inequalities."
CEO of the Tel Aviv Foundation, Dr. Hila Oren said: "The Mayor’s Emergency Relief Fund, established during the Corona Crisis, aims at providing immediate solutions and relief for Tel Aviv’s most vulnerable communities. Emergency philanthropy allows us to connect between partners and the Municipal managers on the ground, ensuring that the assistance reaches those most in need and in the most efficient ways. The Tel Aviv Foundation, which is chaired by the Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is proud to partner with the European Union Delegation to Israel and Israeli partners– delivering on our common values and beliefs, including that of “Arvut Hadadit” – a mutual responsibility to one another."