With all the heart

The Lev Hachesed nonprofit organization, which distributes food packages to the needy in Rishon Letzion, was disconnected from electricity for nonpayment. On the nights of distribution, hundreds crowd the place without any security measures. The electric company, “Public companies may not bend rules.” The city’s executive director, “I will visit the site to check the security issue.”

With each passing week, an increasing number of poor people arrive at the Lev Hachesed warehouses to receive food package that are supposed to last for an entire week.The Lev Hachesed warehouses are located next to the Rothschild Mall. “Many people think that this place is really unsuitable for distribution, because of the security issue and because it is jammed in the middle of the city’s central thoroughfare. But I can tell you that we are trying to help the organization, since no one there is paid. Everyone at Lev Hachesed is a volunteer,” said a high-ranking Rishon Letzion city official to Zman Mekomi this week.

According to the organization’s volunteers, Gadi Lior, the outgoing city executive director, occasionally sent inspectors on distribution nights. However, that was not done regularly, and the situation has been unsafe. Doron Milberg, the incoming city executive director, said, “I heard about the organization’s work, but I am not yet familiar with it in-depth. In principal, I am ready to help those who help others. The extent and the scope of support will depend on my impression of the situation. I would like to visit the place during the next distribution and to see for myself what is going on there. I will visit the site, and if there is a need for security measures, we will be sure to take them.”

But the security issue is not the only problem troubling the organization.Last Wednesday, the electric company disconnected the electricity at the warehouses. This automatically halted all activity, since the organization stores food in several gigantic refrigerators and freezers.

Ronen Zinger, one of the volunteers, “In the end, they restored power only after one of the volunteers paid them. I have no idea how he came up with the money. We also paid a fine of 1,400 shekels. They did help us by spreading the payments, but I do not understand why there is no general policy regarding nonprofit organizations.”

Ilan Arnon, the electric company’s spokesperson, reacted, “We are a public company, and by law it is not possible to bend the rules. We can help by spreading the payments, but cannot donate money or cancel debts. We would be happy to help Lev Hachesed to transport food, supply volunteers, renovate the place, and so on. Also, following your request we’ll be happy to send a volunteer electricity consultant, to check whether it is possible to use electricity more efficiently there. In addition, while we normally allow a maximum of three payments, since we understand the importance of their contribution, Lev Hachesed has been allowed to pay in six installments, which is very unusual.” Transporting the donated food to the warehouses and delivering it to the poor is one of the organization’s most significant problems. Next week, it will receive a car, donated by the Miterani Company from Bet Dagan, which supplies shower stalls and bathroom fixtures.

Avi Miterani, the general manager at Miterani, “Our company contributes to many organizations and nonprofits, and we have decided to donate to the Rishon Letzion organization as well. We thought to donate 15 thousand shekels. We bought them a Nissan Largo that costs 45 thousand shekels. We reached an agreement with them, so if they would succeed in raising 13 thousand shekels, they would also take part in the purchase. But, as it looks now, they will not be able to raise the money, so let them enjoy it as is.”