Buy for Good: Israeli Gifts that Give Back
By Yuval Arbel
Love Birds Mobile – Made by people with mental disabilities at “Derech Ha’Omanut". Credit: BuyforGood.biz
In today’s competitive world, work is not just about what you do, but it also forms your identity.
Think for a minute and answer one simple question:
How would you introduce yourself to a person you have never met before?
Would you tell him, “Hi I am Joe, I like swimming and I have a dog.”?
Or
Would you say “Hi I am Joe. I am an architect.” ?
THE CAUSE
Coffee mug coasters with Painting by David Ashkenazi a painter working in “Yofi shel Matana” art workshop. © BuyforGood.biz
For most of us, waking up in the morning and going to work seems so natural that we can hardly imagine the life of a large population of people who can’t be part of the free job market, the number of opportunities that are taken away from them, and what feeling of belonging and contribution is denied of them.
This is the case of people with cognitive, mental or physical disabilities. Many of them can’t be a part of the free job market. They are forced to stay at home, dependent on their family or can work in a vocational training center. These nonprofit centers encourage people with disabilities to develop skills for entering vocational programs matching their talents and aspirations. Employment Centers and Transitional Employment Programs represent a model of group rehabilitation that serves as the first step for people with disabilities in entering a work oriented environment.
A Silver Necklace in the shape of the land of Israel with a heart it in – Made by people with Mental disabilities, in “Enosh – The Israeli Mental Health Association” © “Enosh – The Israeli Mental Health Association”
Nonprofits organizations in Israel have been operating vocational centers for years, but a majority of their production was mainly for the local market and most of their sales closed to companies and organizations around high holidays and Passover. This situation limits the potential market for the nonprofits and leaves them with a narrow customer base. Since these rehabilitation centers lack resources and business skills, they solely focus on rehabilitation and not on marketing, thus making it hard for them to compete with commercial mass products.
WHAT WE DO?
BuyforGood.biz has therefore taken a pledge to help these centers. We are an online store for social impact products made in Israel. All our products are created by people with disabilities, and from underprivileged communities and can be ordered online from anywhere in the world. BuyforGood.biz extends the nonprofit reach, develops new markets for them and connects them with Israel supporters around the world who can buy these products online.
One of the nonprofits associated with BuyforGood.biz already sold 10 different products to customers from all over the world just in the last two weeks. The sales generate income both for the organization as well as for the people who made these products. Orly, the manager of one of the vocational centers we collaborate with, shared some of her thoughts with us.
Her center employs 31 adults with different cognitive disabilities.
Bunny Dolls made by SHEKEL-Community Services for People with Special Needs – and the credit to the picture should also be to SHEKEL-Community Services for People with Special Needs
“They arrive in the morning smiling and engage in variety of production, packing and craftsmanship work. Work gives them a feeling of belonging, they are all working together on something, it’s like a big project. It also gives them a chance to create, express themselves in new ways and feel they are just like their any other person who goes to work. Knowing people are buying the products they made, not only benefits them financially, but more important it empowers them and strengthens their self-esteem and helps them feel equal. It’s also an important service to workers families. All the workers are 21 years old and above. They live with their parents who are in the 50s, 60s and sometimes even 70s. It allows them to keep their job and support the family without having to stay home and take care of their family members.”
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We request you to please support this noble venture and brighten the lives of people living with disabilities in Israel. Your support can go a long way in transforming and empowering someone’s life for the better.
All Virtual Citizens of Israel™ are entitled for a 10% discount on all product purchases on BuyforGood.biz.
We are sure that you will find great value in the products sold on our portal. Thank you for partnering with us in creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities by supporting this cause and strengthening Israel.
Yuval Arbel, is founder and CEO of BuyforGood.biz. He was born and raised in Herzelia not far from Tel Aviv, where he lives today. Yuval holds a bachelor degree in communication and political science from Tel Aviv university and MBA from IDC Herzeliya. Yuval has diverse business experience in management, marketing and operations. He started buyforgood.biz in order to help Israeli nonprofits extended their reach and connect them with Israel supporters around the world. Yuval believes anyone can make a change in the world and have a positive impact on someone’s life, if he or she will be given a chance and that’s what he is trying to do.
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