It’s hard to believe, but every day, thousands of disadvantaged Israeli schoolchildren arrive at school on an empty stomach. These students sit through their morning subjects with a hungry feeling and have difficulty concentrating on classes. When the 10 AM breakfast break arrives, they stare at their empty backpacks while other students happily munch on sandwiches and breakfast.
“Nevet – Sandwich for Every Child,” the Israeli non-profit organization, is working to close the gap.
Nevet has been in existence for close to twenty years and provides 16,500 sandwiches, fresh fruit, and vegetables daily to hungry schoolchildren in 130 cities and municipalities across Israel in 380 schools. The organization will distribute 2,500,000 sandwiches this year. With almost 2 million people in Israel living below the poverty line, including more than 870,000 children, according to the most recent report of the National Insurance Institute’s Report on the Dimensions of Poverty and Income Inequality, this number will likely increase.
The ongoing Swords of Iron War has also created unprecedented challenges for many families. Some have parents serving for extended periods in the IDF reserves. Other families have been evacuated to different communities, while one parent remains at their regular job in a different part of the country. These circumstances have led to increased demand for our program.
Iliki Alkobi, principal of the ORT School in Ashkelon, which has participated in Nevet’s food program for a number of years, says, “A hungry child cannot learn. The children in our school come from challenging socioeconomic circumstances. Because of Nevet, we can provide them with a sandwich, a fruit, and a vegetable, which helps them start the day on the right foot and remain focused throughout the school day. A healthy breakfast is important and can make a difference. And even more importantly, it creates equality among the students.”
Research conducted by Nevet has shown that breakfast is positively associated with higher academic achievement and cognitive functioning. Educational consultants have estimated that students’ concentration improved in 94% of the classes that have adopted the Nevet sandwich program. Moreover, principals have estimated that 56% have experienced a significant decrease in verbal and physical violence. In addition, 84% of classes have displayed a significant positive change in the social atmosphere and the relationship between the educator and the students.
Conversely, hunger is the primary reason why students drop out of school. A hungry child often avoids going to school and loses trust in the systems that are meant to protect and ‘see’ them. By transforming the school into a “home” by providing food that conveys care on an emotional level, attendance rates increase, the teacher-student relationship becomes closer, and the student feels more committed to both the staff and the school.
Nevet delivers healthy ingredients to schools, including whole wheat rolls, cheese, hummus, tuna, and more each morning. School staff members prepare the sandwiches early in the day, following the organization’s rigorous health and food safety standards. The sandwiches are distributed to students in a manner that ensures and protects their dignity. Nevet works with schools to ensure that distribution is carried out discreetly. In most cases, the sandwiches are ready before the students arrive at school and can be collected upon arrival from school staff.
The need for a healthy breakfast for hungry Israeli children affects all sectors in Israel. Nevet is the only organization of its kind designed to provide this practical response and works with school-aged children, ages 6-18, from all backgrounds and ethnicities.
Dr. Dorit Adler, President of the Israeli Forum for Sustainable Nutrition, explains the importance of a nutritious breakfast. “If children come to school without breakfast, it influences their cognitive functions and social capabilities. Our bodies function twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and need essential nutrition to function physically, mentally, socially, and cognitively.” Nevet’s breakfast sandwiches provide the healthy ingredients that children require.
Professor Roni Strier, Chair of Israel’s National Council for Food Security, says, “We know that children with food insecurity are affected cognitively, health-wise, and socially. Food insecurity affects children’s scholastic achievements. It is essential for Israel’s national resilience and its future that children do not suffer from food insecurity. Nevet is doing holy work.”
Nevet is a lean organization that provides breakfast every morning to 16,500 students in 380 schools. All of this is accomplished with just 13 employees and an exceptionally efficient and effective logistical system, ensuring that the majority of donated funds are directed toward helping even more children. We need your support in order to provide an additional 50,000 sandwiches to hungry Israeli schoolchildren. Nevet works with local municipalities in Israel, who match every shekel the organization receives. This means that your donation is effectively doubled, enabling us to help even more hungry schoolchildren.
The simple sandwich can have a powerful effect and make a real difference in the lives of students, making them more motivated and attentive.
Click here to donate to provide Israeli schoolchildren with a healthy and nourishing meal.
This article was written in cooperation with Nevet