YEDID - The Association for Community Empowerment

The Association for Community Empowerment (YEDID) ("friend" in Hebrew) seeks to eliminate poverty in Israel. It operates a network of 16 Citizen Rights Centres throughout the country, using a volunteer-led model of people helping people. Since it was founded in 1997, it has helped almost 350,000 Israelis break the cycle of poverty, providing legal advice and economic empowerment programmes. It has successfully changed public policy on issues including debt reconciliation, homelessness prevention, labour, healthcare and social security laws. In 2008, it received the President of Israel's Medal for Volunteerism.