One beloved Israeli volunteer organization has now been able to quantify its impact in the billions.
Yad Sarah, an Israeli NGO staffed largely by volunteers that has become its largest nongovernmental social and healthcare service provider, reported earlier this month that its operations save the country’s healthcare system over NIS 5.5 billion (1.5 billion USD) annually.
Yad Sarah calculated the figures based on current hospital costs and how many days of hospitalization they prevented by lending equipment.
While Israel is renowned for its first-class healthcare and universal coverage for citizens and residents, the healthcare system still requires support due to a rapid increase in population, insufficient numbers of physicians and nurses, and a perpetual shortage of hospital beds.
Yad Sarah estimates its expansive social services save Israeli taxpayers hundreds of millions of shekels in personal healthcare expenses. With 123 branches and 7,000 volunteers, Yad Sarah aids more than 1,250,000 people annually and impacts one in every two Israeli families. In 2022, Yad Sarah reported their efforts reduced total hospitalization stays by 14,000 beds through providing at-home hospital equipment for patients, relieving strain on hospitals nationwide.
Israel’s leading volunteer organization also focuses on prescription drug distribution, legal services, caring for the elderly, a mobile dental clinic, a medical hotline, rehabilitation services, and more. In recent years, U.S. communities have been recognizing the value of Yad Sarah’s model and implementing their own lending centers; for example, Wheel it Forward in Connecticut, or the Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use program in Maryland.
“We are very proud of Yad Sarah’s contribution to the health of the entire country,” stated Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, Founder of Yad Sarah. “While it is impossible to truly understand the enormous value Yad Sarah provides to the people and their families who receive its services, by placing a shekel amount on the work our volunteers and staff do each year and the various forms of help we provide, we are able to better understand and appreciate the formidable impact it has had on Israeli society and its citizens.”
