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YEDID saves money and homes

30/01/2012 Home page > Success Stories > YEDID saves money and homes
Our Centers are busy assisting out low-income clients across the country, from Safed in the North to Rahat in the South. The following are a few recent success stories
Public Housing and the right to a family: The Legal Department filed a request on behalf of a client defined as a “needy minor” – a teenage girl whose single mother died after a harsh illness.  Her brother-in-law approached YEDID requesting help to fight for the right for her to be considered a continuing tenant in her deceased mother’s public housing apartment along with the right to have live-in care (her sister and her sister’s family). The Housing Ministry initially rejected the request, but while YEDID lawyers were in the process of preparing an appeal, the Housing Ministry notified the family that they were presenting the request to a higher committee, which eventually approved the daughter as a continuing tenant, implying by this decision that the sister and her family could also live in the apartment in order to care for her. 

 

The fact that this case did not need to reach the court, highlights the results of YEDID's long term work over the last two or three years on continuing tenant cases, whereby the housing authorities are realizing their responsibilities more readily now.

  

Saving Money on Essential Health Care: Though Chaim suffers from a chronic illness, the medicine that he is required to take is not covered by his health insurance and he can barely afford the full cost.  Meir, a veteran volunteer at the Hazor Citizen Rights Center, investigated Chaim's rights, and he found that he is eligible to apply for special assistance under a human rights clause.  Meir helped Chaim fill out all the necessary paperwork, including a reference letter from YEDID.  A week later, Chaim received a letter confirming that he will be able to purchase the medicine at a discounted rate, saving him hundreds of shekels each month.  He now even receives the medicine directly in the mail to his home.

 

Community Organizing Returns to the Rahat Citizens Rights Center: In November 2011, the Rahat Center re-launched its community organizing project, Communities Organizing for Change.  In the past the group successfully brought public transportation to Rahat, the first Bedouin city to be served by public transportation.  This year, the group of 13 active participants will be developing new goals to improve daily life in Rahat.  The group has already succeeded in working with the water company to set up a payment system for those who are in debt.  The group is directed by Ran Melamed, YEDID's Deputy Director of Communication and Social Policy Change.

 

Defending the Rights of Single Mothers: Rachel is a single mother with five children ranging in age from seven months to 18 years old.  She lives in Yaffo, and even though she is fairly young, the stress and difficulties of her life are evident on her face.  When she came to the Tel Aviv Center, she was in a desperate situation and had nowhere else to turn.  For some reason, Rachel had been under the impression that she was ineligible for National Insurance benefits, such as child support and income maintenance payments, as well as rental assistance from the Ministry of Housing. 

 

A new volunteer was assigned to the case, and supervised by a veteran volunteer.  As a first step, the volunteers were able to secure child support payments for Rachel, which she has already begun to receive monthly.  In addition, YEDID filed an appeal to the Ministry of Housing for rental assistance. YEDID volunteers collected furniture and other household goods for Rachel and her family, they are hopeful that as a result of the initial successes, Rachel will be able to focus on being a mother and has begun sending her children to school regularly.  Because of the family's financial difficulties, Rachel's oldest son was not able to enlist in the army like his friends, and had to work to support the family.  Now he hopes to enlist in the army, while Rachel gets her life on track, thanks to YEDID.