Head of the program is Nikitenko Tamara |
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Hot lunches
There are a few categories of clients within the Hesed. Some people
have low welfare standards but they can walk on their own or with some devices.
Lunches are cooked for them in our cafeterias. There are 5 Hesed's canteens
for people like them: in the territory of cafe "Ak-Kain", "Orion", restaurants
"Brno" and "Astoriya", and in the Hesed, itself.
Each canteen has a volunteer who oversees cleanliness and attendance.
What are our canteens? Everybody knows that a starving person is loosing interest
in life. And everybody knows what a hot and tasty lunch means for a starving
and weak person.
People were going to lunch and met M. in the street. They started
talking to him and found out that that hungry single man is Jewish and he almost
forgot his Jewish roots. Help is so vital in such a situation!
And only when the hunger recedes, it is clear that every person
is an interesting life story. People meet in a canteen to communicate with each
other: share their memories, listen to Jewish songs, celebrate Shabbat, and
revive their Yiddish. Jewish tradition is coming back more and more.
Meals-On-Wheels
 And
to those people who physically cannot come to us - we go to them. Couriers,
couriers… Hot kosher soup in a pot is delivered to various homes.
Daily visits by our couriers bring joy to lonely people who have
limited physical abilities. Sometimes they give us calls, and ask if their couriers
are sick or if they are late. Not to complain, but for our clients the couriers
are not just people who deliver food but help clients to be "in the know" about
what is going on in the world, life and within the Jewish Community. And if
clients need help, employees of the "Wheels-On-Meals" Program work together
with employees of " Home Care" Program to coordinate efforts.
Kudos to the sponsors, the director, the cooks, the couriers and
to a Great Tradition!
 Warm
Homes
Warm Homes are situated in districts far way from the center of
Almaty.
Friendly Warm Home Directors introduce people to each other. People
are inspired and they feel important. They celebrate Shabbat together, study
Jewish history and Torah. They come to the Warm Home to meet friends, soul mates;
many of them think of it as a second home. There are not too many clients, only
12-14 people, so that they know each other very well. They share their troubles
and joy, celebrate holidays, and relive Jewish traditions.
Warm home "Galina"
Food Packages
Unfortunately, most members of Jewish Community are pensioners
and they live below the poverty level. From one side, food packages help them
to survive; from another side Hesed's attention supports clients psychologically.
Information about the coming holidays and the latest news from the "Davar" newspaper
is always enclosed the every food package.
Basically every food package contains semi-prepared food, so it
makes cooking for our clients easier. For disabled people food packages are
delivered directly to the homes.
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