A special kind of non-profit

I am dedicating this post to Beit Issie Shapiro. Beit Issie Shapiro is a non-profit organization based in Israel  that develops and provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. It has played a leading role in promoting the inclusion of people with special needs in society and advocates for better legal provisions for people with special needs.
The organization was founded in 1980 by Naomi Stuchiner, currently President of Beit Issie Shapiro, as a way to fulfil the dream of her late father to contribute the quality of life for people in Israel. Beit Issie Shapiro is currently managed by the CEO Jean Judes, the inspiring and forward-thinking leader of this organization which employes over 300 staff and and has a measurable impact on some 24,000 people, annually. 
I invite you to read about the wonderful work that is done by Beit Issie Shapiro, in caring for those with disabilities, in developing awareness, knowledge and best practices through care programmes, research, training and community outreach. I have a special admiration for the open and responsible culture fostered by Beit Issie Shapiro which i was privileged to experience at first hand though work i have done with the organization on the subject of ethics.

In this post, i wanted to express a particular sense of awe, after i participated in a Special Evening last week celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Beit Issie Shapiro. The organization funded a thank-you event for partners, donors, employees, friends and community members - one of the most special evenings I have attended in a long long while. The highlight of the event was the China Disabled People's Performing Arts Toupe (CDPPAT) and their incredible show "The Dream". . All the performers of this unique group are hearing, visually or physically impaired. The precision, talent, energy and style which which they performed are an example to us all.The performance was incredible - moving, so,so professional, and thoroughly inspirational.
More than the performance itself, I wanted to applaud Beit Issie Shapiro for staging this evening, for the benefit of the community. It is not often we see non-profits, who are so engaged in fundraising and solliciting donations to promote their cause, assign a portion of their funds and energies in generously providing a different kind of value to the community.

I just wanted to share that with all my readers.

elaine cohen is the joint CEO of BeyondBusiness, a leading reporting and social-environmental consulting firm . Visit our website at: www.b-yond.biz/en