The Assistance Centre (C.I.A.O) is the technical arm of TZEDAKAH FOUNDATION, the department where the families are received and economic support and professional orientation are provided to individuals of the Jewish community in situation of poverty or social vulnerability. The interested parties may request an interview through the following telephone numbers: (++5982) 409 2175 or 408 8824.

The Foundation offers help to cover basic needs of food, health and housing. We work with the family in order to develop new strategies to solve problems and nets are created with all social organizations of the State and the Uruguayan Jewish community.

CIAO approaches this complex situation by activating programs of assistance, promotion and preventive character, with the aim of giving back dignity and capacity of self-management to the families.
On a monthly basis CIAO provides social benefits to the families of the assistance system which includes:

food stamps

attention of a gerontological assistant

home assistance for elderly people

medical assistance through ‘mutualista’

mobile emergency services

residential homes for the elderly

tickets and clinical tests

payment of medicines

psychiatric treatments

glasses

diapers

rents

payment of taxes on real property

communal service charges

boarding-houses

payment of taxes

Characteristics of the population receiving assistance:

- 82.2% below poverty line.
- 20% below destitution line (extreme poverty).
- 58% of the population receiving assistance is unemployed.
- 13% of the assisted persons have informal jobs, without health coverage
- A large. percentage of the homes are in very bad maintenance conditions
- 58.32% of the beneficiaries of the Foundation are over 45 years old (with difficulties or directly prevented from joining the labour force).
- A total of 49.3% have health problems requiring special assistance.