What is a social impact organization and what are the leading social impact organizations in Israel?

There are many social impact organizations in Israel, working to achieve goals, each in accordance with its own mission. But what exactly is a social impact organization, and what are the leading organizations in Israel? 

What is a social impact organization? 

A social impact organization is an organization comprised of a group of people with common values and opinions, who are interested in promoting these opinions and values in the society. People who are members of the same social impact organization share a common world view and are interested in promoting that world view through raising awareness, conducting activities and public education, cooperating with members of the Knesset to advance legislation on the topic, and more. 

Usually, the activities of social impact organizations promote topics that are at the top of the social agenda but are not sufficiently addressed by government institutions. The organizations have the power to get different social topics onto the agenda, especially subjects that the broader public may be less aware of, and to promote treatment of these issues and even legislation. 

Social impact organizations deal with a wide variety of subjects such as culture, business, economics, equal opportunities, education, welfare, politics, the environment and more. 

What are the leading social impact organizations in Israel? 

In Israel there are many different organizations and nonprofits that work on social issues, and those listed here are only a small portion of the many organizations operating in Israel. These organizations work to raise funds, promote legislation, raise public awareness, provide assistance in the field, recruit volunteers and more. Here are some of the many social impact organizations in Israel. 

Pitchon-Lev: Breaking the cycle of poverty

Pitchon-Lev is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 that works to decrease the scope of poverty in Israeli society. The organization helps nearly half a million people each year, and the numbers are only growing. The organization has many volunteers who operate in the field, raise funds, and work to achieve the organization’s goal, out of a desire to help those in need. The organization works in the field of humanitarian aid for needy families and people living below the poverty line. For these families, the organization provides products for basic needs, different services such as medical assistance and more. The organization advocates for government intervention in the poverty situation in Israel and promotes steps to decrease poverty and reduce the number of needy families in Israel. 

The organization also works to assist youth in cases where tools for learning how to take care of themselves and contribute to society are lacking. The organization helps them to develop and grow and to receive different tools to help them cope with the challenges of adult life in all areas, and to develop their abilities and skills for this purpose. 

Or Yarok

Or Yarok works to reduce the number of people injured in traffic accidents and to influence the driving culture in Israel. The organization was established in 1997 by Yona and Avi Naor, two years after the death of their son, Ran, in a traffic accident. Or Yarok works to raise awareness of different topics related to driving, driving culture and factors that cause traffic accidents. In recent years, the organization has also been working in the area of electric bicycles and scooters, following the increase in their use and the concomitant increase in the number of accidents and injuries. 

Or Yarok promotes public education and offers both lectures and training for drivers, beginning in schools, through the IDF, workplaces and with senior citizens. The organization also promotes research to reduce the dimensions of the phenomenon and to discover the different causes of accidents, according to age and other factors. The organization promotes legislation and government policies to assist in reducing accidents and in developing national plans and strategies on the topic. 

Israel Cancer Association

The Israel Cancer Association helps people with cancer in Israel and leads the fight against the disease. The nonprofit organization assists by providing information to people diagnosed with cancer, raising awareness about early detection and screening tests according to risk factors, and providing support, counseling and education for cancer patients and their families. The organization also works in the field of research to eradicate the disease and to find effective and lifesaving treatments. The Israel Cancer Association operates on the basis of donations only and initiates national fundraising campaigns that assist in purchase of medical equipment and building medical centers in Israel, works to rehabilitate patients and survivors, and promotes public awareness of cancer detection and prevention. 

Conclusion

Social impact organizations have the ability to have major impact on different topics on the public agenda, and some are leaders in social impact work in Israel, making real change in the field. You can donate to these organizations through the JGive website, and you are invited to help the organizations in their important work on behalf of Israeli society. 

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