Help Preschool Kids with Disabilities in Ashkelon

Dear Friend,

Across Israel, families are once again rushing to protected shelters as waves of Iranian missiles and drones strike the country. During the first week of March 2026, Iran launched a sustained barrage of more than 200 ballistic missiles toward Israel, along with over 110 drones. Sirens sound multiple times each day, forcing millions of people to run for safety.

For the preschool children with disabilities served by Chimes Israel, these attacks create an especially frightening and dangerous reality.

Many of the young children in our programs cannot walk, speak, or reach shelter on their own. Some require wheelchairs, feeding support, or constant supervision. When sirens sound, parents often have only seconds to move their child to safety. For many families, the only option is to remain inside their safe room for hours, very often sleeping there overnight.

Because schools across Israel are currently closed, the children cannot attend their therapeutic preschools. This interruption has serious consequences.

Early childhood therapy is critical for children with disabilities. These therapies help them learn to speak, walk, eat independently, and interact with others. When services stop, progress can quickly reverse. Skills that took months or years to develop can disappear in a matter of weeks.

Families are also under extraordinary strain. Many fathers have been called to serve in the IDF, leaving mothers to care for children with complex disabilities alone while living under constant missile threats. At the same time, adults with disabilities have lost access to their employment programs and daily support structures. Many now sit isolated at home without income or assistance.

Because of these urgent needs, Chimes Israel has reopened our Emergency Fund.

During previous wars, this fund allowed us to respond quickly to the immediate needs of our clients, their families, and our staff. Once again, we are mobilizing emergency support so we can help the vulnerable people who rely on us during this crisis.

Emergency funding will help us:

• Build protected safe rooms for preschool children in our Modi’in early childhood program so they can reach shelter immediately when sirens sound.
• Provide in-home emergency assistance for vulnerable families who cannot safely access services during this time.
• Deliver food, medicine, and basic necessities to adults with disabilities whose workplaces and daily frameworks have closed.
• Repair damaged facilities and address urgent needs affecting our staff and the families we serve.

Even during war, our mission remains the same. We must protect the most vulnerable members of our society and ensure they are not left behind.

Your support allows us to respond quickly when crisis strikes and to continue caring for children and adults with disabilities when they need us most.

Thank you for standing with the people of Israel during this difficult time.

With gratitude, The Chimes Israel Team

Dear Friend,

In Ashkelon, the city that has received the most rocket fire in Israel, Chimes Israel continues its mission to protect and nurture preschool children with disabilities. These children, some unable to walk, speak, or reach shelter on their own, are among Israel’s most vulnerable. During every round of rocket fire, their safety and development hang in the balance.

Our current early childhood centers, spread across four small residential houses, are overcrowded, lack wheelchair access, have steep stairs, and are minimally protected. When sirens sound, there are only 30 seconds to reach safety. The children never get down the stairs to the safe room in time, which doesn't even fit all. This heartbreaking reality drives our urgent project to build a fortified rehabilitative early childhood center designed specifically for children with disabilities.

A Major Step Forward: Securing Land for the New Center

We are thrilled to share that Chimes Israel has identified land for the new center and is moving forward to obtain it. This is a major step toward our vision of creating a secure, purpose-built home for the children of Ashkelon. While the municipality had originally planned to allocate land, that option is no longer available. By acquiring the property ourselves, we will ensure that our children’s safety and care are never dependent on external circumstances.

We are about 60% funded and must bridge a $1.5 million gap to make the project a reality.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

This year’s conflicts—from Gaza to Iran—have underscored the urgency of our mission. During repeated missile attacks, our centers were forced to close. Children lost access to therapies, regressed in their progress, and families were left struggling at home. Our staff responded heroically, providing therapy equipment, remote sessions, and even home visits under fire. But the reality is clear: children cannot thrive without a safe, fortified center to call home.

The new building will include protected classrooms, therapy rooms, accessible playgrounds, and a large, reinforced shelter that can hold every child and staff member. It will allow uninterrupted rehabilitation and early intervention, even during emergencies, giving children the chance to keep learning, growing, and developing their abilities safely.

Together, We Can Build This Sanctuary

Donor support has already brought us nearly two-thirds of the way toward this dream. With your continued partnership, we can cross the finish line and give these children the secure, nurturing environment they deserve.

Each gift brings us closer to a place where no parent in Ashkelon will have to choose between their child’s safety and their child’s progress.

Thank you for standing with us and believing in a future where every child, no matter their challenges, can learn, grow, and thrive in peace.

With gratitude and hope, The Chimes Israel Team