S.O.S - Starting Over Safely Campaign
Empowering Victims of Violence and Trauma in Israel and Canada.
WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL RIGHT NOW:
The Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, has left Israel reeling—not just from violence, but from a mental health crisis of staggering proportions. PTSD, depression, and domestic and gender-based violence are surging as communities struggle with the weight of trauma and loss.
This crisis is urgent. Our partners on the ground report overwhelming demand for trauma recovery and PTSD treatment. They need more resources—and they need them now.
CHW is answering that call. Your support empowers frontline services, fills critical gaps, and helps the most vulnerable begin to heal. Together, we can turn pain into resilience.
Now is the time to stand with Israel—not only in solidarity, but in recovery.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- BECOME a Matching Hero or Superhero
(scroll down to bottom for details) - DONATE during our crowdfunding campaign August 19-20
- VOLUNTEER:
CHW is looking for 100 volunteers across the country to work together to raise funds during our 30-hour crowdfunding campaign. All volunteer canvassers will be asked to help make phone calls between 9:00 a.m. ET on August 19 and 3:00 p.m. ET on August 20 (for approximately 1-2 hours of time each).
Please note, we can offer volunteer hours for students, and there will be a virtual training session in August for all canvassers, before the day of the telethon.
If you’re interested in signing up to volunteer click here, or email or call Jenny at: [email protected] or 416-477-5964 ext. 112.
LEARN MORE:
Read below about the six essential programs we are supporting with our 2025 summer campaign and why we need your support now more than ever.
S.O.S CAMPAIGN GOALS
S.O.S 2025 IS IN SUPPORT OF
1. Franny's Fund - CANADA
Due to the difficulties of navigating the legal system and managing both the financial and emotional strain of being a victim of domestic abuse, Franny’s Fund was created to provide help for parents and families in need of an urgent response, who are unable to access critical services. Thanks to CHW’s support Franny’s Fund is accessible through centres in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary. The early intervention of counselling significantly impacts the success of these participants in the future.
In partnership with Franny’s Fund, administered through the Canadian justice system, at-risk women and children across the country will have access to the necessary support for legal counsel or therapeutic counselling services.
Learn more about how CHW’s S.O.S campaign supports Franny’s Fund in the below video or by clicking on the button:
2. HaGal Sheli - ISRAEL
For over a decade, HaGal Sheli has empowered and educated youth nationwide to conquer life’s challenges by harnessing the transformative power of surfing, fostering personal growth, resilience, and success.
In the aftermath of the attacks on October 7, HaGal Sheli’s unique surf therapy program was expanded to serve 2,200 trauma therapy participants, including displaced individuals from the Gaza Envelope and northern communities, released hostages, Nova Festival survivors, and soldiers affected by the attacks.
HaGal Sheli plans to open over 96 new trauma groups while maintaining existing ones, enabling them to provide critical support for over 5,500 participants.
Certified surf instructors lead each weekly session throughout the program, supported by trauma specialists, clinical psychologists, educators, and mentors.
Learn more about how CHW’s S.O.S campaign supports HaGal Sheli in the video below or by clicking on the button.
3. WIZO Programs - ISRAEL
Safety Net Program: Women leaving a WIZO shelter with their children require a helping hand to safely rejoin the community. They face extreme emotional, legal, and social challenges. Safety Net has nearly a 100% success rate to break the cycle of violence and prevent victims from re-entering an abusive relationship. The program assists with social and personal support, helping to provide and care for the victims’ greatest needs. WIZO is expanding its services to include 12 communities and 200 families as part of their post-shelter rehabilitation program
160
Children are cared for while their mothers receive hands-on tools to rebuild their lives.
200
Families attend structured weekly support meetings tailored for women alongside fun activities for children.
12
Communities will be supported by Safety Net’s vital post-shelter rehabilitation program.
Essentials Kits: Kits are provided for women leaving a WIZO shelter. The Kit provides basic necessities like small appliances, clothing, school supplies, linens, kitchen utensils and other household items needed to maintain a decent home. The Kits are tailored to the specific needs of each family, to help them start fresh in a new home.
Respite Camp Program: To support the continued economic independence of at-risk women, CHW is funding summer and holiday day camps to provide children with fun, safe supervision so that women can continue working while their children are cared for. As well, CHW provides a 10-day overnight summer camp experience for at-risk youth from WIZO youth villages.
Learn more in the below video or by clicking on the button:
4. Michal Sela Forum (MSF) - ISRAEL
Lili Ben Ami, Founder and CEO of Michal Sela Forum, described the current situation in Israel as a “pressure cooker that has exploded” and said the government “needs to take emergency measures.”
Since the horrific events of October 7, femicide in Israel has risen by 17%, with hundreds of thousands of women living under the shadow of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Protection Packages represent a revolution in the field of IPV, turning a woman’s home into her shelter rather than making a woman leave her home and routine for a shelter, which serve as a very temporary solution.
Women are offered a basket of services, and are able to choose the services that best fit them and their children’s needs. In order to receive these services, women must be living apart from the threatening party, and be recognized by either the police or the social welfare services. Approximately 25 new women received MSF Protection Packages each month. This basket of services currently includes the following options:
- Installing security cameras in her home;
- Installing a panic button connected to a 24/7 emergency security company;
- Providing a mobile panic button connected to a 24/7 emergency security company;
- Providing a smart app, developed through the Michal Sela Forum;
- Providing 10 self-defense lessons by a certified self-defense instructor;
- Providing a trained personal protection canine, and providing ongoing training to the threatened woman and the canine together;
- Sending a warning letter from an attorney, threatening legal action, to the abusive party.
Watch an impactful interview below or click on the button to learn more about MSF.
MSF has also developed the below warning signs, to help women recognize abuse.
NEW THIS YEAR:
5. Eden Association - ISRAEL
Founded in 1997, they are in the heart of the peripheral communities of the Gaza Strip and the Negev settlements with the mission to develop and establish innovative programs for the treatment of girls and women dealing with post-trauma and complex post-trauma. Since October 7, there has been an urgent need for therapeutic support for women.
Untreated trauma worsens over time, affecting mental and physical health, daily life, and relationships. For women, the impact extends to their families, communities, and Israel’s social resilience. With support from CHW, they are expanding their Trauma Therapy Center to prevent long-term suffering, restore hope, and build a healthier future.
Learn more about how CHW’s S.O.S. campaign supports the Eden Association by clicking on the button.
6. Her Academy - ISRAEL
Her Academy is a revolutionary, award-winning non-profit organization, working holistically to support highly vulnerable women escaping prostitution and violence in Israel through the provision of vocational training, job placement services, and more. By offering viable alternatives to prostitution, it significantly reduces the risk of women returning to the sex trade.
Beyond the individual impact, the program fosters stronger community resilience and contributes to improved mental health for participants. They restore independence and control by providing access to education, skill-building, and a judgment-free learning environment.
In 2024, with CHW’s support, Her Academy opened a new branch in Haifa. Demand for Her Academy’s services continues to rise, and their current facilities are at maximum capacity.
Learn more about how CHW’s S.O.S campaign supports Her Academy in the video below or by clicking on the button.
With special thanks to our generous SUPERHEROES and Matching Heroes
Anonymous
The Asper Foundation
Lori and Philip Barer
Shelley and Dan Baruch
Tali and Jeff Baum
Ben and Mary Zukierman Family Fund
James Braunstein
Susan Glazer Brown and Mitchell H. Brown
Marion Caplan
Chaim & Clara Spilberg Memorial Fund
Nancy Cohen
Lisa Colt-Kotler and Andrew Kotler
Gail and Richard Cooper
Beverley and Ron Corber
Sylvia Cristall
Marla Dan
Annette and Larry Filler
Ruth Freeman
Marcia and Bernard Glick
Shirley Glick
Joanna and Matthew Goodman
Adele Goldstein
Gina Grant
Jeannette Hoffman
Howard B. Lohner CPA Inc.
Sarah and Gary Hutman
Jacqui Cohen Family Foundation
April and David Katz
Joy D. Kaufman
Elayna and Jonathan Latsky
Leila Lax
Luba Miller
Anita Morris
The P. Austin Family Foundation
Marlene Richardson
Barb Rosenstein
Estate of Marilyn Sheila Rotenberg z”l
Sheila and Danny Rother
Brondell Shapiro
Somar Foundation, Sandy & Larry Martin
Estate of Martha Vajda z’l
Judy Winberg
Toby and Joel Yan
Carole & Bernie Zucker and Family
If we exceed our goals for a project commitment, due to donor generosity, we reserve the right to reallocate the additional funds raised to other funding commitments in Israel or Canada.
If you need help, call the 24-hour crisis line TOLL-FREE 1-866-863-0511 or visit www.awhl.org to access an online chat.
CHW empowers women and children by supporting education, healthcare, and social services across Israel and Canada.
We strongly believe that every human being deserves to achieve their full potential, while living in safety and security. For more than 100 years, our support of excellence in education, innovation in research, advancement in healthcare, safeguarding of social services, and investment in our beneficiaries, will create global impact, improve lives, and provide hope.
