Photo: Diago Mitelberg, KKL-JNF Photo Archive
In honor of Blind Day, which will take place on June 6, KKL-JNF published a call for proposals for the purpose of supporting the blind community in Israel. The Herman and Paula Marks Foundation, whose goal is to support social and cultural projects in Israel, is administered by KKL-JNF. In accordance with a decision made by the foundation's Board of Directors, a sum of up to IS 500,000 will be distributed for the benefit of projects to help alleviate the isolation of young and older blind people, in addition to grants for blind artists and awarding scholarships to blind students to finance readers for them.
A report from the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) stipulates that social and environmental factors constitute major hinderances for people with disabilities.
KKL-JNF addresses this issue in the context of its activities and works to make its forests and open spaces fully accessible. In accordance with the principles of universal design, KKL-JNF facilitates the implementation of inviting and suitable physical environments and facilities throughout Israel for homes for life, care and medical centers, schools, youth-at-risk residences, and playgrounds for children with special needs.
KKL-JNF Head of Global Resource Development Division Ronnie Vinnikov: "KKL-JNF sees contributing towards community welfare as a supreme goal, which is why the organization supports populations in need of help and strengthening. In our opinion, this is a central goal whose purpose is to create equal opportunity, accessibility and social justice for many different sectors of the population, including Israel's blind community."