Global Green Partnering with Israeli-American Advocacy Organization Taking Los Angeles Area Elected Officials on Visit to Israel to Explore Sustainable Solutions to the Homelessness Crisis

(LOS ANGELES, June 27, 2019) -- Nonprofit Global Green, a national leader in advancing sustainable and resilient communities, and the Israeli-American Civic Action Network, an advocacy organization dedicated to empowering Israeli-American immigrants through civic engagement and advocacy, announced that they will lead a delegation of community leaders and elected officials from California’s state and local governments to Israel to examine its unique kibbutz communities in an effort to find sustainable solutions to California’s homeless crisis.

Israel’s kibbutz (/kiˈbo͝ots/) communities are based on collective agriculture and manufacturing, thriving through a unique model that promotes community cohesiveness and stability. The first kibbutz, Dagania, was established in Israel in 1910, today, there are 270 kibbutzim across the country home to over 100,000 Israelis, with factories and farms accounting for 9% of Israel's industrial output, worth $8 billion, and 40% of its agricultural output, worth over $1.7 billion.

The homeless crisis is surging in Los Angeles County with recent figures showing the population of homeless hitting nearly 60,000, an increase of 12% over figures published in 2018. California Governor Newsom and state legislators have agreed to allocate more than $1 billion in the state budget to improve services to the homeless across the state.

“To fight homelessness in Los Angeles we need more than temporary quick fixes, we need longterm solutions that create opportunities, restore dignity, and empowers homeless Angelenos to get back on their feet and I believe that Israel’s kibbutz communities have the answers to tackle this problem head on,” said Vered Elkouby Nisim, board member of Global Green and the Israeli-American Civic Action Network.

Kibbutzim across Israel often host the most vulnerable members of society and have a proven track record of fostering stability among its residents while offering new economic opportunities in a sustainable environment.

“For over 25 years we have worked in underserved communities all over the US trying to build more sustainable and energy efficient places to call home. In 2017 we worked with the Skid Row Housing Trust to set up 64 apartments for some of the most disadvantaged individuals in LA and build a series of comprehensive onsite support services to contribute directly to healthier and more stable lives,” said William Bridge, Chief Operating Officer at Global Green. “We look forward to visiting Israel to extend our experience and knowledge in sustainability and continue to help support the homeless community in Los Angeles, the State of California, and beyond.”

The delegation is planned for mid-November 2019.

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About Global Green
Global Green is dedicated to helping the people, places, and the planet in need through catalytic projects, transformative policy, and cutting-edge research. Global Green's signature programs include greening affordable housing, schools, neighborhoods, and cities as well as rebuilding communities -- such as New Orleans and areas of New York and New Jersey -- that have suffered from the impacts of climate change, sea level rise, and environmental degradation. Global Green is the U.S. affiliate of Green Cross International, which was founded by President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993 to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future. For more information, visit globalgreen.org and follow us @globalgreen.

About the Israeli-American Civic Action Network
The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (“ICAN”) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit dedicated to empowering Israeli-Americans immigrants through civic engagement and advocacy education programs impacting issues including civil rights, education, community development, sustainability, culture and heritage, innovation and the economy, foreign policy, and the relationship between the United States and Israel. For more information, visit IsraelUSA.org.