$11 Million Directed to 14 Hospitals across Israel

New York, NY — The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has announced its first set of COVID-19 related emergency response grants totaling $11 million.

The money will go to hospitals throughout Israel facing the COVID-19 pandemic, in the center and the periphery, to pay for creating new isolation wards and intensive care units (ICU), medical equipment, and personal protective gear for medical personnel. Additional support to dozens of Helmsley’s other grantees serving vulnerable populations will be announced in the coming weeks.

The current Helmsley grants include $5 million for eight Clalit Health Services hospitals to help them create COVID-19 wards, purchase ICU beds, ECMO life-support machines, remote monitoring systems, and personalized protective gear for their medical staff in those hospitals. One hospital, HaSharon, will be turned into a dedicated COVID-19 facility.

In addition, Helmsley has made emergency grants for COVID-19 facilities at each of the following hospitals:

• • Poriya: $1,006,717 for medical equipment for a COVID-19 emergency ward;

• • Hadassah: $1,000,000 for medical equipment for a COVID-19 isolation ward;

• • Rambam: $1,000,000 for medical equipment for two COVID-19 isolation wards;

• • Shaare Zedek: $1,000,000 for COVID-19 testing equipment and construction of a COVID-19 isolation ward and ICU;

• • Sheba: $1,000,000 for medical equipment for a COVID-19 ICU; and

• • Sourasky: $1,000,000 for personal protective gear for medical personnel, and medical equipment for a COVID-19 ICU.

These emergency grants are part of Helmsley’s ongoing efforts to help Israel strengthen its healthcare system across the country. Over the past decade, Helmsley has awarded more than $340 million to  Israeli institutions to improve access to healthcare, support scientific and medical research, and strengthen the understanding and appreciation of Israel throughout the world.

“Helping the Israeli people in times of crisis is core to the mission of the Israel Program at the Helmsley Charitable Trust,” said Sandor Frankel, a Helmsley Trustee. “Israel is a nation that excels at rapid response in emergencies, but they shouldn’t have to do it alone. Helmsley’s support will help Israel’s outstanding medical personnel and frontline workers have the equipment and facilities necessary to protect their patients and themselves as they face the COVID-19 crisis. We continue to be involved in responding to the country’s emergency needs, and hope our support will galvanize others to help in this critical moment.”

“In these unpredictable and unsettling times, we must come together to support each other and those working on the frontlines,” said Professor Ehud Davidson, CEO of Clalit Health Services. “Helmsley has been a stalwart supporter of the Israeli people over the past decade, and their support now will undoubtedly save lives in the coming weeks and months.”