In January this year, the annual convention of the Foundation of Local Authorities and the Jewish National Fund took place at the Tel-Aviv Convention Center under the title of “Together, Moving Cities to Innovation”. The Shalem Fund participated in this conference due it its activities, connections with local authorities, and goal to reach out to new audiences in order to increase awareness and integration of people with IDD in the community. The Shalem Foundation promoted unique training for municipal engineers combined with grants for projects promoting accessibility and integration of people with IDD in the municipal sphere.
Riva Muskal, Director of the Shalem Fund, presented the fund’s activities, budgets, areas of support and assistance regarding urban and preliminary planning. She also presented inspirational stories from the field, the training course and its impact in enhancing the quality of life of people with IDD in the community. Finally, she presented a joint project in the town of Harish where at the early stages of establishment and planning; the needs and facilities for people with IDD where combined in the community centers and buildings in the neighborhoods. We view municipal engineers as crucial players in planning and accomplishing projects with sensitivity for people with IDD fostering true integration in the municipal-social sphere. The convention attendees showed great interest in the Foundation’s activities and realized that fully incorporating this subject into planning is only a matter of time
The Shalem Foundation creates hundreds of programs both for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in partnership with local government, professionals and nonprofit organizations
