Friends Of The Israel Defense Forces

TO OFFER EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL, SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) AND FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE HOPE, PURPOSE, AND LIFE-CHANGING SUPPORT FOR THE SOLDIERS WHO PROTECT ISRAEL AND JEWS WORLDWIDE.

SEE SCHEDULE OWELLBEING AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMSTHE DIGNITY PROGRAM EASES THE BURDEN BY PROVIDING ECONOMIC RELIEF FOR SOLDIERS WHO ARE IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF CASH SUBSIDIES, BASIC FURNITURE AND HOME APPLIANCES, HOLIDAY GIFT PACKAGES, FOOD VOUCHERS, AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO THEIR FAMILIES. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $6.9 MILLION FOR SUCH ASSISTANCE TO ABOUT 18,848 SOLDIERS.THE LONE SOLDIERS PROGRAM ENSURES LONE SOLDIERS NEVER FEEL TRULY ALONE BY ENABLING FIDF TO ACT AS A SECOND FAMILY FOR SOLDIERS WHO HAVE NO IMMEDIATE FAMILY IN ISRAEL DURING THEIR MILITARY SERVICE. FIDF ALSO SPONSORS FLIGHTS FOR LONE COMBAT SOLDIERS, ENABLING THEM TO VISIT THEIR FAMILIES IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES DURING THEIR PERIOD OF SERVICE. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $4.5 MILLION TO ASSIST OVER 6,900 LONE SOLDIERS THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS.THE LEGACY PROGRAM PROVIDES COMFORT AND CARE BY HELPING THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE SUFFERED A DEVASTATING LOSS OF A LOVED ONE FALLEN DURING MILITARY SERVICE. THROUGH RECREATIONAL VACATIONS IN ISRAEL WITH ACTIVITIES SUCH AS WORKSHOPS, SHOWS, EXCURSIONS, ENTERTAINMENT BY POPULAR ISRAELI ARTISTS, SPORTS ACTIVITIES, AND MORE, FIDF STANDS UNITED BY THE SIDE OF THESE BELOVED FAMILIES THROUGH THEIR LIVES. THE PROGRAM ALSO SPONSORS TRIPS TO THE UNITED STATES FOR CHILDREN AND SIBLINGS OF FALLEN SOLDIERS WHO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE OF SUMMER CAMP IN THE U.S. WITH AMERICAN CHILDREN OF SIMILAR AGE. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $427 THOUSAND FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES, AIDING OVER 1,231 MEMBERS OF BEREAVED FAMILIES.REJUVENATION WEEKS FOR COMBAT SOLDIERS STRENGTHEN UNITS COHESION AND RESILIENCE BY CONNECTING THE SOLDIERS TO THEIR MILITARY MISSION, RAISING THE MOTIVATION TO CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES, PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN COMMANDERS AND SOLDIERS, EXPRESSING RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION AND GIVING THE SOLDIERS TIME FOR RESPITE. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE WEEK IS: "WIN FROM WITHIN" - THE PROGRAM STRIVES TO UNITE BATTALIONS, FOR THE SOLDIERS TO FIND STRENGTH WITHIN THEMSELVES AND WIN TOGETHER WITH THE HELP OF EACH OTHER, WHICH IS ALSO THE PROFESSIONAL MILITARY REQUIREMENT. THE PROGRAM TAKES PLACE AT THE RECREATION VILLAGE IN ASHKELON, WHICH IS FULLY EQUIPPED WITH LODGING AND DINING FACILITIES, SWIMMING POOL, FITNESS ROOM, AND OTHER AMENITIES. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATEL $2.4 MILLION FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES, SPONSORING 48 WEEKS OF SUCH PROGRAMS FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 17,928 SOLDIERS.THE ADOPT A BRIGADE PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THE DIGNITY PROGRAM, SPIRIT/REST AND RECREATION PROGRAM, THE LONE SOLDIERS PROGRAM AND GENERAL WELLBEING ACTIVITIES OF THE DESIGNATED BRIGADES. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $2.4 MILLION TO SPONSOR THE GENERAL WELLBEING NEEDS OF THE 16 BRIGADES ADOPTED BY FIDF (APPROXIMATELY 62,000 SOLDIERS).THE ADOPT A BATTALION PROGRAM PROVIDES YEAR-LONG RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR DESIGNATED BATTALIONS. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $1.7 MILLION TO SPONSOR CEREMONIES, TRIPS AND OTHER WELLBEING ACTIVITIES FOR THE 86 BATTALIONS ADOPTED BY FIDF (APPROXIMATELY 35,000 SOLDIERS).THE WOUNDED VETERANS PROGRAM OFFERED A SECOND CHANCE AT A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITATIONS IN 2021 WITH APPROXIMATELY $2.3 MILLION TO SPONSOR ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING OVER 1,200 WOUNDED VETERANS.THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS PROGRAM, IN COOPERATION WITH THE IDF RABBINATE, PROVIDES FOR JUDAICA AND RITUAL ARTICLES, HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS AND ACTIVITIES AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. DURING 2021, FIDF PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $3.1 MILLION TO SPONSOR SUCH ARTICLES AND ACTIVITIES AND TOUCHED THE LIVES OF OVER 11,400 SOLDIERS.

SEE SCHEDULE OEDUCATIONAL AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMSTHE FIDF IMPACT! SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM GRANTS FULL FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS TO ISRAELI SOLDIERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR MILITARY SERVICE. THE PERSONAL NATURE OF THE PROGRAM ENABLES SPONSORS TO DIRECTLY SEE THE "IMPACT" OF THEIR DONATIONS ON VETERANS' LIVES, AND OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WHICH LAST WAY BEYOND THE COMPLETION OF THE RECIPIENT'S STUDIES. TO BE ELIGIBLE, VETERANS MUST COME FROM A COMBAT OR COMBAT-SUPPORT UNIT AND A DISADVANTAGED SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND. EACH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE 130 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE EVERY YEAR DURING THE FULL TERM OF THE SCHOLARSHIP. FIDF PARTNERS WITH 20 ORGANIZATIONS WHICH EMPOWER THE STUDENTS TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IMPROVE THEIR ENVIRONMENT. IN THE 2021-2022 ACADEMIC YEAR, FIDF WAS ABLE TO FUND APPROXIMATELY 4,257 SCHOLARSHIPS OF COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY STUDY. IN 2021, FIDF HAD GRANTED APPROXIMATELY $15.5 MILLION OF SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE.DURING 2021, FIDF ALSO SPONSORED APPROXIMATELY $6.5 MILLION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHICH PROVIDE FOR A SUCCESSFUL CONTINUUM FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO HIGHER EDUCATION, OR FOR SOLDIERS TO ENTER DIRECTLY INTO THE JOB MARKET. THESE PROGRAMS UTILIZE SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, DISCUSSION GROUPS AND FIELD TRIPS TO ALSO ASSIST NEW IMMIGRANT SOLDIERS IN THEIR ASSIMILATION PROCESS, PROVIDE ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO SOLDIERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. DURING 2021, ABOUT 32,000 SOLDIERS PARTICIPATED IN SUCH ACTIVITIES.

SEE SCHEDULE OCONSTRUCTION PROGRAMSFIDF HELPS PROVIDE A "HOME AWAY FROM HOME" BY SPONSORING THE CONSTRUCTION, REFURBISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF RECREATION AND SPORTS CENTERS, CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, SYNAGOGUES, MEMORIAL ROOMS, AUDITORIUMS, AND SOLDIER RECREATIONAL HOMES FOR SOLDIERS THROUGHOUT ISRAEL. THESE FACILITIES RANGE FROM INDIVIDUAL STRUCTURES TO LARGE WELLBEING COMPLEXES. FIDF ALSO SPONSORS THE CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION OF SMALLER PROJECTS AND SEMI-PERMANENT FACILITIES, SUCH AS SOCIAL CLUBS, AND SYNAGOGUES THAT SOLDIERS CAN USE EVERYWHERE. CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY DURING 2021 WAS AS FOLLOWS: 10 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED, WITH A TOTAL BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $30 MILLION, 4 ADDITIONAL PROJECTS WERE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WITH A TOTAL BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $12 MILLION, AND 10 PROJECTS WERE IN THE DESIGN AND BIDDING STAGE, WITH A TOTAL BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $19 MILLION. IN ADDITION, 75 SMALLER FACILITIES RENOVATION AND REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED, WITH A TOTAL BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $2.3 MILLION.