Israel’s Budget Passes but Ignores Food Insecurity: One Organization Steps up
In the last two years, Israel has been operating without an approved budget. But that didn’t stop Finance Minister, Israel Katz, from enacting a budget to be approved for the final eight days of 2020.
He also announced that the budget talks for 2021 would only begin in March 2021.
And although the state budget is supposed to examine the public’s needs in order to distribute the funds in the most equitable manner, Israelis suffering from food insecurity were completely overlooked, reports the Jerusalem Post.
Out of the total NIS 480 billion budget, not a single shekel was designated to address food insecurity, an issue that is certainly relevant to many Israeli citizens.
According to a 2018 National Insurance Institute Report, 469,400 Israeli families, including 841,700 kids, have been suffering from food insecurity. Meaning millions of people do not know where their next meal will come from. Unfortunately, this number has only increased dramatically due to the covid-crisis, which has left many newly unemployed living below the poverty line.
Without adequate nutrition, how can one be expected to function properly, let alone focus on work, succeed in school, or develop properly? Extreme hunger and malnutrition are all-consuming, making breaking through the cycle of poverty even harder. Studies also show a direct link between food insecurity and a wide range of diseases such as: heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression. Additionally, poor health increases the risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing more severe symptoms.
While the Israeli government has ignored this critical issue, there is luckily one special organization called Meir Panim, looking out for this vulnerable population. While Meir Panim has been a prevalent source for needy Israeli’s in the last 20 years, the organization has taken it upon themselves to expand its resources in order to bring food and warm meals to the new flood of Israelis now suffering from food insecurity. Meir Panim is working around the clock to keep up with the demand while transitioning from Restaurant-Style Soup Kitchens to exclusively Meal-on-Wheels and Takeaway Centers in compliance with the Health Ministry’s guidelines.
However, in order to keep up with this increased demand, Meir Panim is in need of more food and operational infrastructure. As you probably guessed, this costs money – money that Meir Panim simply doesn’t have.
With your help though, more can be done to meet the demand. Show your support for Israeli’s needy by making a gift to Meir Panim today, and ensure that no human being is crippled by starvation. Every dollar counts in the battle against food insecurity. All you need to do is click here to make a donation to Meir Panim. Donate today!
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