chasdei Naomi was founded in 1984 by Rabbi Yossef Cohen. While accompanying his children to school in South Tel Aviv, he noticed children arriving with torn clothes and schoolbags, which deeply moved him and he felt great empathy for these struggling families. Rabbi Cohen went door to door himself to collect food items to distribute to people in need.
His example motivated other volunteers, food stocks were built up, and warehouses opened their doors. The organization became known to everyone, and donors themselves would deposit food items in mobile carts distributed throughout the city streets.
Over the years, with Hashem’s help, the organization has significantly expanded its charitable work.
Today, more than 25,000 families are regularly being supported by Chasdei Naomi and even more on special occasions.
‘Chasdei Naomi’ charity includes more than 20,000 volunteers who work in about 40 distribution points throughout the country.
Among the volunteers, schoolchildren, IDF soldiers, company employees and just good people. There are also children who serve as building representatives in charge of collecting food for the needy among the neighbors and transferring them by the association’s drivers to the sorting and packaging centers and from there to distribution points around the country.
The food packages are given to needy families, orphans and widows, Holocaust survivors, or needy seniors, arriving without the association’s label or identification marks in order to avoid embarrassment and maintain the dignity of the beneficiaries.