During the "Iron Swords" war, young adults without homes or family support were called up for reserve duty and are now struggling to navigate the challenges of this difficult time. Yeladim – Fair Chance for Children is stepping in to help them cope with daily hardships.
Edna, CEO of the organization, explains:
How has the war changed things?
The war has brought immense challenges, with many finding themselves on the front lines - both militarily and personally. Young adults who grew up in boarding schools, without a supportive family, were called up for reserve duty and are grappling with struggles that often go unnoticed. These are young people who were placed in boarding schools due to difficult life circumstances - abandonment, neglect, or the absence of a functioning family. Now, they are fighting not only for the security of the country but also for their personal stability, without a family support system to lean on. Every call to emergency reserve duty adds a double burden: the national duty to be ready for combat and the emotional toll of coping without personal support.
What has the organization Children at Risk done during the war?
While the security forces do their best to provide logistical support to soldiers in the field, our organization focuses on emotional and psychological support for young adult boarding school graduates . Having worked for years with children and youth lacking family support - some orphans, some abandoned - we have expanded our efforts to offer special assistance to those called up for reserve duty.
We provide psychological counseling, emergency financial aid, and professional guidance to help them manage the mental and physical stress of military service. We initiated group meetings and personal conversations with psychologists and social workers, allowing these young adults to share the challenges they face in the field and the loneliness of not having family support.
These young people are confronting immense challenges, and we are committed to ensuring they don’t feel lost or alone in the system. Our goal is to equip them with the emotional and practical tools they need to navigate this difficult time, even without the support of a family.
Beyond immediate support, we are also committed to securing their future after the war. Our mentoring programs continue, helping them transition back to civilian life, in a safe and stable way. We don’t abandon them when the war ends - our goal is to help them build a better future, with the tools and support they need to succeed.
This war has exposed both the resilience and the hardships of these young adults.
The support we provide ensures that they can keep pushing forward—not just for their place in society, but for their future.
We are here to make sure they know they are not alone - that even without a family, someone is looking out for them.
What steps have you taken to support these young men and women?We launched and expanded various programs to meet their needs. Initially, we held Zoom meetings tailored to the situation, and later, we organized in-person gatherings at our center, including the Social Salon, art workshops, and more. These provided a safe space for open conversations, emotional release, and processing of their experiences during this challenging time.
Each young adult in our programs has a mentor or guide who serves as a significant anchor in their life. We strive to match every young person in need with a host family as early as possible, offering them a sense of belonging, a home, and a supportive environment. This experience of being part of a family unit gives them the emotional push they need, a warm and stable place with caring role models to return to.
Who do you help?
We support about 400 young adults - boarding school graduates and those without family support - aged 18 and up, through housing and community-based mentoring programs. They grapple with major challenges, including securing housing, managing finances, pursuing education, and finding employment.
During the war, these struggles have only intensified, especially for young soldiers and reservists deeply affected by the situation.
A major challenge is the lack of support and the profound sense of isolation these young people experience This is their constant realitybut the war hasmade it even more severe.In response to this crisis, we have taken action - creating new, tailored programs, hosting in-person and virtual social gatherings to strengthen their sense of belonging and reduce isolation, offering one-on-one mentoring , enrichment workshops, and dedicated support for students, active-duty soldiers, and reservists.
Our organization is a vital source of stability, offering emotional and psychological support, and housing across the country, dedicated and caring mentors who become like parents, financial assistance, scholarships, rent support, and - most importantly - a listening ear for their daily struggles. We operate in collaboration with the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs.
Since October 7, we have all come to realize just how vital family support is - especially for children and young adults at risk. A family provides the foundation needed to navigate a complex and difficult reality. Now, more than ever, we must step up to support them, raise awareness and funds for their future.
Thousands of boarding school graduates without family support are now facing the challenges of adulthood alone. The time to act is now.
For donations and more information: Yeladim – Fair Chance for Children