The Yachdav Association was established in 1999 in order to improve social services in the southern region of Israel, from Be’er Sheva to Eilat. Yachdav carries out community-based programs in the areas of welfare and health for at-risk children and youth, families in distress, and people with disabilities. Our goal is to expand and diversify social services in the south, in a manner that guarantees equal opportunities for all of our target populations. Residents of Israel’s southern periphery struggle with many difficulties. The problems facing them include geographic dispersal and distance from the center of the country, lack of services, absorption of new immigrants, and rising unemployment. A high proportion of the local population is in dire need of social and welfare services