AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER VILLAGE FOUNDATION
Israel's only free camp for children with serious illnesses
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Jordan River Village is embarking on a crucial mission, aiming to broaden its impact to reach every child in Israel who could benefit from our programs. At Jordan River Village, we firmly believe that every child, irrespective of their medical condition or background, deserves the opportunity to encounter the joys of childhood, receive support, and undergo personal growth. Our dedication to enriching the lives of sick and disabled children lies at the core of our programs. The immersive camp experience, family weekend retreats, and hospital outreach initiatives create a secure haven for these children. Through these activities, we provide companionship, enjoyment, support, and moments of respite that are often elusive due to their medical conditions.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Jordan River Village: Fun & Friendship for Sick Children
The Village has been open for 10 years—during which time, we’ve welcomed more than 15,000 campers and 4,600 families. The Village offers on-campus sessions, online content, and off-campus Village programming into communities and hospitals.
Throughout all Village programs, campers are encouraged to have fun, succeed, work together and discover new things—all while focusing on what binds them together—their desire to put aside their illness and do the things that children are supposed to do. Our campers meet others who face challenges similar to their own, and make life-long friends, and develop new circles of support.
On campus, we use many once-in-a-lifetime experiences to reinforce this framework such as: tackling our adventure park, horseback riding, swimming, camping activities, sports tournaments, petting zoo, therapeutic engagement with dogs, participating in various workshops such as arts & crafts, cooking, music & drama, archery, and kite building.
Where we work
External reviews
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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of children served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Jordan River Village: Fun & Friendship for Sick Children
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of Campers/Children Served in 2023 Independent Sessions 508 Campers Hospital Outreach 7321 Children Family Weekends 47 Campers School Sessions 593 Students War Related Programs 519 Children
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
In 2024 the Village expects to support:
37 on-campus overnight sessions for nearly 1,800 sick children.
17 School Session for students from 34 schools age 12-21
9 Family Weekends with approximately 165 sick children and their families age 5-18
10 Independent Sessions: with approximately 550 sick children age 9-18
1 session of our Heros Journey outdoor adventure program for 30 sick teenagers age 17 18 who have previously attended a session at the Village.
4 single camp days for 280 sick children and their families (totaling approximately 400 people).
8,000 children in the long-term hospital pediatric wards of Rambam, Schneiders Hospital and Bnai Zion Medical Center
Sessions and activity days specific to support children suffering from PTSD, with special consideration for children living with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Through impactful camp sessions, outreach programs to children's hospitals, or crucial responses to war-related challenges, the Village stayed unwaveringly committed to assisting every child and family in realizing their fullest potential.
At Village sessions and of campus programs our goal is to:
Provide intentional programming that focuses on challenging campers, supporting them through success, facilitating reflections and self-discovery.
Improve campers quality of life by cultivating opportunities to interact with others and creating a sense of belonging.
Strengthen their ability to take ownership of personal health and medical condition.
Provide campers the opportunity to see they are more than their illness and there is a world of future possibilities.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The primary goal of JRV is to create a nurturing environment where children can flourish, irrespective of socio-economic status, ethnicity, religion, or nationality, completely free of charge. JRV aims to empower children and foster their emotional and social development through a diverse range of educational activities.
Through our programs, JRV:
Provides a supportive peer network and resources for families coping with a child's medical condition, addressing their crucial mental, emotional, and social needs.
Offers an environment promoting independence and personal growth, opportunities for forming friendships, and guidance from social workers, all under specialized medical supervision.
Ensures accessibility for every child and family in need by creating specialized programs tailored to three core groups, designed to meet their unique level of medical care and independence.
Embraces diversity and inclusivity by offering free-of-charge services to children from all backgrounds, religions, and socioeconomic statuses, without any financial barriers.
Jordan River Village is uniquely qualified to provide programming to children living with serious and chronic illnesses given our:
Holistic Approach to Care: JRV provides advanced medical support alongside camp programs focusing on enhancing children's mental, emotional, and social welfare.
State-of-the-Art Facilities: JRV offers modern facilities prioritizing safety, accessibility, and a barrier-free environment, encouraging independence and personal growth.
Passionate Team: More than 1,000 dedicated volunteers, including medical professionals, educators, and social workers, contribute to JRV's mission.
Comprehensive and Medically Safe Programming: Specialized programs for families and caregivers recognize the importance of supporting the entire family unit.
100% Free and All-Inclusive: JRV ensures that children from all backgrounds can partake in transformative programs without any financial barriers.
ilies.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Jordan River Village has a rich history of implementing transformative programs for children at risk, seriously ill children, and children with disabilities. Its ongoing main projects and activities demonstrate a commitment to providing holistic support and fostering resilience among vulnerable youth.
Each year, the Village hosts a variety of on and off campus programming including:
Independent Camps: JRV organizes week-long sessions throughout the year, aligning with holidays and school breaks to ensure accessibility for at-risk children and medically independent teenagers. These sessions focus on strengthening competence, improving self-perception, and building social skills while emphasizing the child's abilities rather than their illness. In 2023, 508 children facing serious illness or chronic disease participated in 11 week-long sessions.
Family Sessions: JRV hosts three-day sessions for medically dependent children and their families, providing opportunities for sports, crafts, adventure parks, and therapeutic activities. These sessions also include support groups, family workshops, and shared meals, benefiting 47 children facing life-threatening illness or severe disability, along with 194 parents and siblings in 2023.
Hospital Outreach Program (HOP): JRV extends the camp experience to medical facility-dependent children and families through one-on-one interactions and group activities within hospital settings. The program aims to foster positivity and expand children's horizons despite their illness, impacting 7,321 children fin 2023.
Special Education School Year Sessions: JRV conducts sessions tailored to children with special needs, involving 593 children and 280 special educators and staff in 2023.
In addition to these ongoing projects, JRV has a track record of adaptability and responsiveness, particularly in times of crisis. During the recent war, JRV swiftly adapted its operations to provide crucial support to affected families, including hosting displaced children and families, establishing a school for war-displaced special education students, and organizing healing retreats for released hostages and their families.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER VILLAGE FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 03/05/2024
Claude Bernstein
Talia Berger
Eiran Gazit
Matthew Kayton
Danny Lane
Dennie Raviv
Ariella Saperstein
Laura Visochek
Gary Wolff
Ayelet Zurer