S.O.S - Starting Over Safely Campaign
Empowering Victims of Violence and Trauma in Israel and Canada
WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL RIGHT NOW:
PTSD, depression, and domestic and gender-based violence are at an all-time high in Israel after more than two years of terror, sirens, and war.
Our projects on the ground report overwhelming demand for trauma recovery and PTSD treatment. They need more resources—and they need them now.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) reached epidemic proportions after COVID-19 in Canada and after October 7 in Israel – and never receded.
CHW is answering that call. Your support empowers violence victims, fills critical gaps, and helps the most vulnerable begin to heal.
Together, we can turn pain into resilience and empower victims to start over safely.
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
Use the button below OR contact your local CHW office.
DONATE during our crowdfunding campaign August 18-19
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 18 and 3:00 p.m. ET on August 19 (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 seven essential programs we are supporting with our 2026 summer campaign and why we need your support now more than ever.
S.O.S CAMPAIGN GOALS
S.O.S 2026 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 campaign supports Franny’s Fund in the below video or by clicking on the button:
2. HaGal Sheli - ISRAEL
HaGal Sheli empowers and educates youth nationwide to conquer life’s challenges by harnessing the transformative power of surfing, fostering personal growth, resilience, and success. After October 7, HaGal Sheli’s unique surf therapy program was expanded to serve 2,200 trauma therapy participants, including displaced individuals, released hostages, Nova Festival survivors, and reservists. With a plan to open 96+ additional trauma groups, they will provide critical support for 5,500+ participants.
During the war with Iran, HaGal Sheli provided an emergency response, scaling up services rapidly to establish a sustained presence across more than ten evacuations sites and hotels. They helped support 500+ evacuees by anchoring them with routine and adjusted therapy programs.
NEW IN 2026 –
CHW is also supporting HaGal Sheli’s Lighthouse Program, which provides education support with leadership guidance for severely at-risk youth. Participants demonstrate improved school engagement, stronger learning habits, greater belief in their ability to succeed, and enhanced teamwork skills. At a time when vulnerable youth are falling through the cracks of overburdened systems, this program offers something essential: consistent, high-quality support that helps them regain stability and re-engage in positive developmental pathways.
12
trauma therapy centres supported 400+ therapy groups in 2025.
150
trauma survivors with complex PTSD will be supported by CHW’s funding.
5,000+
active participants in 2025.
Learn more about how CHW’s campaign supports HaGal Sheli in the video below or by clicking on the button.
3. Michal Sela Forum (MSF) - ISRAEL
In 2025, 31 women in Israel were murdered by the very people who claimed to love them. Their deaths left 51 children orphaned, their lives permanently shattered. MSF deployed cutting-edge technology to shield 375 women (an increase of 60% from 2024) from imminent danger.
In 2025, femicide in Israel surged by 70%, with hundreds of thousands of women living under the shadow of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Michal’s Watch offers tailor made Protection Packages for every threatened woman who turns to the MSF for immediate help. These innovative programs for the protection and prevention of intimate partner violence represent just 1.14% of the monthly cost of a shelter and have a significant and positive impact on women’s healing. MSF 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.
Women are offered a basket of services to choose what best fits their family’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. Services currently include:
- 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.
998+
women and 3,787 children have received life-saving protection from MSF since 2019.
24/7
protection is offered through Michal’s Watch.
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.
4. Eden Association - ISRAEL
Founded in 1997, they are in the heart of the peripheral communities of Southern Israel 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.
250
women and girls were treated at the Trauma Therapy Center in 2025.
1,300
total hours of individual therapy were provided in 2025.
95%
reported an improvement in their sense of security and functioning.
Learn more about how CHW’s S.O.S. campaign supports the Eden Association by clicking on the button.
5. 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 2025, with CHW’s support, Her Academy supported 254 students in Tel Aviv and Haifa. Demand for Her Academy’s services continues to rise, and their current facilities are at maximum capacity. With your support, Her Academy’s Tel Aviv location will expand to support the 25% increase in student enrollment.
254+
students are being supported in the Tel Aviv and Haifa branches.
80+
courses are available, including tech training and expanded advanced classes.
85%
of students graduate and over 66% of those eligible find stable employment.
Learn more about how CHW’s campaign supports Her Academy in the video below or by clicking on the button.
6. Bat Ami Sexual Assault Center - ISRAEL - NEW THIS YEAR
In the aftermath of the October 7 massacre and its alarming incidence of rape and sexual violence, profound trauma has been afflicted upon the population of Israel. In Israel, only seven hospitals operate designated acute care centres for victims of sexual assault. The Bat Ami Center at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital provides services for more than one million people in the Jerusalem area, treating approximately 200 victims of sexual assault each year. As a dedicated trauma center specifically tailored to support victims of sexual abuse, this center serves as a vital sanctuary, where people of all age, gender, race, or religion can benefit from comprehensive care and time sensitive counseling.
200+
victims of sexual abuse will receive expert medical and emotional care
More information about how CHW’s campaign supports Bat Ami Sexual Assault Center is coming soon.
7. Summer Camps Israel - ISRAEL - NEW THIS YEAR
Summer Camps Israel provides an innovative initiative that integrates professional emotional-social counselors into summer camps across Israel. This need has become increasingly critical as Israeli youth are coping with ongoing exposure to war, uncertainty, and emotional stress, alongside challenges such as anxiety, social difficulties, bullying, and eating disorders. A structured emotional support system within camps provides a safe and containing environment, equips youth with coping tools, and strengthens both personal and community resilience.
5,000
Israeli campers will receive mental health support from specialized counselors
More information about how CHW’s campaign supports Summer Camps Israel is coming soon.
With special thanks to our generous SUPERHEROES:
COMING SOON
With special thanks to our generous Matching Heroes:
COMING SOON
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.
