Bring Health Care to 4000 Needy People in Israel

Our mobile clinic provides preventive health care and education to low-income and disadvantaged people in Israel by running "Health Days" arranged through our 22 rights centers in locations all over the country. Through free routine health exams, hundreds of marginalized individuals (including especially the elderly) have been diagnosed and referred for continued care, thereby preventing potential health crises. The center also provides educational materials and assistance to help people navigate the country's health system and access their rights and benefits.

Mobilizing health care is a simple, obvious, and underutilized idea and one which we have adopted with some success. We take screenings, primary care, advice, and in some cases even hospital-grade triage out of the building and as close as possible to people’s homes. A health-care clinic on wheels. 

In many cases, low-income clients are unable to care for themselves, due either to lack of funds, or mobility or just plain information - physically reaching the nearest medical clinic or knowing where to go or which forms they have to fill out. 

In the last three months, 9 health days were held through our mobile center including sugar and cholesterol tests, BMI (body mass index) testing and lectures -- reaching 138 low-income clients in locations all over Israel -- who would otherwise not have been able to deal with their health. We have an additional 6 health days scheduled over the next two months – including in Tel Aviv (through our center in Ramat Gan), Hatzor and Nazareth Elite. 

Although our mobile center has undergone a number of staffing and other challenges in the past 12 months, we are supported by our veteran driver, Shmuel who has been with us from day one.  The staff of the center, led by its Director, Sarai Shalev, includes 2 nurses who have been with us for several years now. This has helped us maintain our high level of service.

We are still in the process of reorganizing our centers and this includes the unification of our mobile center with our mobile rights and health center which serves the north of the country. Our new director, Sarai Shalev, who has a BA in Anthropology (Psychology and Sociology), and a background in volunteering, teaching and management, is running the new unified center.  

We are continuing to reach out to look for more sponsors to assist us in continuing and expanding the services which we provide. 

Mobilizing health care is a simple, obvious, and underutilized idea and one which we have adopted with some success. We take screenings, primary care, advice, and in some cases even hospital-grade triage out of the building and as close as possible to people’s homes.

In many cases, low-income clients are unable to care for themselves, due either to lack of funds, or mobility or just plain information - physically reaching the nearest medical clinic or knowing where to go or which forms they have to fill out. 

Often, in speaking with our clients - whom we reach via our mobile rights and health center - we discover that they may be eligible for other benefits which they are not receiving and so we investigate this for them even though that was not the reason they turned to YEDID for assistance. 

In the last three months, 4 health days were held through this center including sugar and cholesterol tests, BMI (body mass index) testing and lectures -- reaching 190 low-income clients in locations all over Israel -- who would otherwise not have been able to deal with their health. 

The mobile center has undergone a number of staffing and other challenges in the past 12 months but our veteran driver Shmuel who has been with us from day one is still on board. This has helped us maintain our level of service. Our staff, led by the Director of the Mobile Center, includes 2 nurses who have been with us for several years now. We are in the process of reorganizing our centers and this includes the unification of our mobile center with our mobile rights and health center which serves the north of the country. Our new director, Sarai Shalev, who has a BA in Anthropology (Psychology and Sociology), and a background in volunteering, teaching and management, will run the new unified center.  

We are continuing to reach out to look for more sponsors to assist us in continuing and expanding the services which we provide.