Questions and Answers

1) How many volunteers and employees are there at Latet? Answer: Latet employs 25 full and part time employees, and enjoys the assistance of over 4,000 volunteers.

2) What are the basic guidelines leading Latet in its activities? Answer: Latet aims to help needy populations, while maintaining the principle of equality and universality – help is granted to whoever needs it, anywhere around the country (and world), regardless of religion, race, gender, age or nationality.  The Organization aims to mobilize citizens into action and to instill values of volunteering and giving within the younger generation and the general civilian society.  We strive toward efficiency and professionalism, try to remain modest and hope to promote an ideology (and not people).  Another important principle that serves as a beacon to Organization activities is full transparency.  All financial issues relating to the Organization, including employee payroll, are available on the website and accessible to all.  The same is true for the activities and projects in which the Organization is involved.  We consider it our moral duty, to give each and every member of Israeli society a full report on the nature and manner in which we operate.  In addition, we believe that in order to succeed in generating change, we must retain naivety, be innovative and dare to dream.

3) Who stands behind Latet? Answer: Latet is first and foremost supported by the citizens of the State of Israel.  Latet is an independent organization, not affiliated with the government or any particular party.  All activities are performed and supported by citizens, volunteers and the private sector.  Latet was established in 1996 by Gilles Dramon, who immigrated from France with the objective of establishing a humanitarian organization that would provide aid to needy populations on an egalitarian basis.  Gilles Dramon currently heads the executive committee, which is comprised of 9 members who operate on a voluntary basis and establish the Organization policy and strategy.

4) What are the Latet objectives? Answer: Latet has two major objectives: 1.     Offering assistance to needy populations, in Israel and around the world. 2.     Creating social awareness and imparting values of mutual involvement and giving. We act towards achieving these two objectives by motivating the civilian population in Israel toward involvement in humanitarian activities.

5) Why does the Organization distribute food products?  Isn’t it better to invest in providing “fishing rods” over the “fish”? Answer: Israeli society is currently in a state of emergency in which thousands of families are forced, daily, to deal with a shortage of food and the inability to provide themselves and their children with ample nutrition.  Latet has decided to help families that live in such terrible need in order to offer it relief wherever possible.  At the same time, the Organization also operates an educational project – “I am for You” – some of whose objectives include empowering the weaker populations.  The phenomenon of poverty is so deep and broad nowadays, that we have no choice but to invest both in physical support (“fish” – food) and in long term infrastructures (“fishing rods” – education).

6) Isn’t the government responsible for caring for its needy citizens.  Don’t the services provided by Latet remove responsibility from the government? Answer: At Latet, we believe that, regardless of the role and functions of the government, we, as citizens have a responsibility and duty to act for those of our society who face true hardships.  There is no doubt that when governmental institutions fail to operate properly, the role of the civilian society is enlarged.  Even if someone believes that ensuring the absence of poverty is the sole responsibility of the government, he still faces a choice of standing by, criticizing the government and claiming that it is its responsibility, or helping out, in accordance with his perspective and capabilities. We have decided to help and take action for these people living in poverty.  At the same time, measures are being taken to establish a national task force for the war on poverty and we believe that the more we act and put the issue on the public agenda, the faster we will “roll the ball” into the court of the decision makers, so they will no longer be able to ignore it.

7) Latet also operates around the world – don’t our own poor come first? Answer:  Latet’s mission is to help needy populations, on a universal and egalitarian basis, regardless of religion, race, gender or nationality.  We believe that we should aim to help anyone in need (of course, based on our field of expertise, the available resources and Organization priorities).  We believe that if we educate the younger generation to strive toward lending a helping hand to another human being, we will contribute to the social strength and the development of a value oriented society.  Of course, in light of the difficult situation in Israel during recent years, ongoing Organization operations focus on the State of Israel and mainly on the “Food For Life” project.  If, God Forbid, emergencies arise outside of Israel, meeting the criteria in which we wish and can offer assistance, we will do all that is in our power to do so.

8) Why does Latet employ salaried employees and why doesn’t it base its activities on volunteers only? Answer: Latet employs a team of 25 full and part time  employees, while enjoying the services of over 4,000 volunteers operating nationwide.  In order to conduct intense and professional activities that will enable ongoing assistance to thousands of families in distress, Latet requires professional and permanent employees.  The salaried employees include professionals who manage the extensive activities conducted in Israel and around the world.  The professional staff works very long hours and, when necessary, during weekends and holidays.

9) Why doesn’t Latet distribute food directly to the needy and why does it operate through partner Non Profit Organizations? Answer:  There are currently hundreds of local NPO’s in Israel that offer various scopes of assistance with food for needy families.  The true problem does not lie in the absence of food distributions centers but in the quantity of food for distribution.  Latet has therefore decided that the best way to offer relieve would be by dedicating most of the resources to the collection of as much food as possible.  The food that we collect is distributed to the needy families through 120 local organizations that operate together with us.

10) How can I know where my donation is going? Answer: The donations received by Latet are deposited into separate bank accounts, relating to specific projects.  In doing so, the Organization guarantees that your money will reach the destination that you selected.  Thus, donations for “Food For Life” will be deposited in bank account 12-609-200900, donations for “I am For You” will be deposited in 12-609-300301 and donations for "Latet Health" will be deposited in 12-609-200102.