On Tuesday, August 4, 2020, at 18:07 Beirut time, a massive explosion shattered the city, leaving at least 220 deaths, 8000 injuries, US$10–15 billion in property loss, and has left an approximated 300,000 people completely homeless.
As a result of this catastrophic event, local and international efforts set up emergency crisis units in response to the immediate and urgent needs of the suffering and helpless community.
Care By CLES, an initiative by CLES to help the families affected by the economical situation in Lebanon, set up a crisis emergency unit to help quickly the affected families. The crisis emergency unit created a database and developed a needs assessment protocol to help as many people as possible.
With thousands of people displaced and with the influx of injuries, home rehabilitation, food, hygiene supplies, and psychological support are mandatory to help people heal faster as they try to recover from the physical and emotional trauma they have been subjected to.
Care by CLES is currently working on:
Offering 4000 vouchers in the month of August to people in need
As an extension to Care by CLES, CLES is giving much needed vouchers to suffering families so that they can spend on their direct needs, be it food, hygiene products, or clothing.
Reinstalling glass for the affected houses of CLES’ children
CLES is sparing no effort in promptly reinstalling the glass for the safety of children.
Latest updates on the response to COVID-19 and the economical crisis
Packages and vouchers were distributed in:
November – December, 2020 | Beirut |
September 2, 2020 | Beirut |
August 26-27-28, 2020 | Beirut |
August 10-11-12, 2020 | Beirut |
August 3, 2020 | Badaro Center |
July 30, 2020 | Badaro Center |
July 28-29, 2020 | Beirut |
July 20-21-22, 2020 | Tripoli Center |
July 16-17, 2020 | Zahle Center |
July 15, 2020 | Semkanieh Center |
July 13-14, 2020 | Zouk Center |
July 10, 2020 | Saida Center |
July 6-8-9, 2020 | Nabatieh Center |
July 6, 2020 | Keserouan |
July 4, 2020 | Akkar |
July 3, 2020 | Batroun |
July 2, 2020 | Souk el Ghareb |
July 2, 2020 | Ras Beirut |
July 1, 2020 | Achrafieh |
December 2019 – June 2020 | CLES Centres |
Latest updates on the response to COVID-19 and the economical crisis
Packages and vouchers were distributed in:
November – December, 2020 | Beirut |
September 2, 2020 | Beirut |
August 26-27-28, 2020 | Beirut |
August 10-11-12, 2020 | Beirut |
August 3, 2020 | Badaro Center |
July 30, 2020 | Badaro Center |
July 28-29, 2020 | Beirut |
July 20-21-22, 2020 | Tripoli Center |
July 16-17, 2020 | Zahle Center |
July 15, 2020 | Semkanieh Center |
July 13-14, 2020 | Zouk Center |
July 10, 2020 | Saida Center |
July 6-8-9, 2020 | Nabatieh Center |
July 6, 2020 | Keserouan |
July 4, 2020 | Akkar |
July 3, 2020 | Batroun |
July 2, 2020 | Souk el Ghareb |
July 2, 2020 | Ras Beirut |
July 1, 2020 | Achrafieh |
December 2019 – June 2020 | CLES Centres |
What we do
With the help of CLES’s team and personnel, Care by CLES provides tangible solutions and support to Lebanese families in need, mostly around the communities where CLES centers operate.
Through its eight educational centers, CLES provides packages for the affected families. The centers are present in Beirut, Tripoli, Saida, Zouk, Nabatiyeh, Zahle, and Semkaniyeh.
Care by CLES initiative started originally through supporting the direct families of kids who get their special education at CLES’s centers and has grown to reach the surrounding communities.
With the hope to reach out to more families in need, CLES has joined forces with local, national and international NGOs.
Package Content
June – December 2020
- 2 x Spaghetti (250g)
- 2 x White Flour (1000g)
- 2 x Chickpeas (1000g)
- 3 x Rice (1000g)
- 2 x Red Lentils (1000g)
- 2 x Lentils (1000g)
- 2 x Beans (1000g)
- 1 x Halva (400g)
- 1 x Apricot Jam (1000g)
- 1 x Olive Oil (0.75L)
- 1 x Sunflower Oil (1.8L)
- 1 x Powdered Milk (750g)
- 3 x Sugar (1000g)
- 1 x Salt (1000g)
- 2 x Processed Cheese
- 2 x Thyme (400g)
- 2 x Vermicelle (500g)
- 2 x Coarse Bulgur (1000g)
- 2 x Fine Bulgur (1000g)
- 1 x Biscuit Box (85g)
- 3 x Tomato Paste (660g)
- 2 x Tuna Cans (185g)
- 1 x Chickpeas Dip (400g)
- 1 x Fava Beans (400g)
- 1 x Chicken Luncheon (340g)
- 1 x Laundry Powdered Detergent (3kg)
- 2 x Liquid Hand Soap (500ml)
- 1 x Dishwashing Liquid (1L)
- 1 x All Purpose Cleaner (4L)
- 1 x Shampoo (4KG)
- 3 x Toothbrush
- 1 x Toothpaste (120ml)
- 1 x Sponge
New additions
- 6 x Tissues box
- 2 x Blankets
- 2 x Big towels
- 2 x Small towels
Package Content
June / September 2020
- 2 x Spaghetti (250g)
- 2 x White Flour (1000g)
- 2 x Chickpeas (1000g)
- 3 x Rice (1000g)
- 2 x Red Lentils (1000g)
- 2 x Lentils (1000g)
- 2 x Beans (1000g)
- 1 x Olive Oil (0.75L)
- 1 x Sunflower Oil (1.8L)
- 1 x Powdered Milk (750g)
- 3 x Sugar (1000g)
- 1 x Salt (1000g)
- 2 x Processed Cheese
- 2 x Thyme (400g)
- 2 x Vermicelle (500g)
- 2 x Coarse Bulgur (1000g)
- 2 x Fine Bulgur (1000g)
- 1 x Biscuit Box (85g)
- 3 x Tomato Paste (660g)
- 2 x Tuna Cans (185g)
- 1 x Chickpeas Dip (400g)
- 1 x Fava Beans (400g)
- 1 x Chicken Luncheon (340g)
- 1 x Halva (400g)
- 1 x Apricot Jam (1000g)
- 1 x Laundry Powdered Detergent (3kg)
- 2 x Liquid Hand Soap (500ml)
- 1 x Dishwashing Liquid (1L)
- 1 x All Purpose Cleaner (4L)
- 1 x Shampoo (4KG)
- 3 x Toothbrush
- 1 x Toothpaste (120ml)
- 1 x Sponge
New additions
- 6 x Tissues box
- 2 x Blankets
- 2 x Big towels
- 2 x Small towels
This is how Care by CLES works
CBC team manages a database received from its 8 operational centers. The database is updated through the recent inclusion of eligible families given by local and national NGOs.
CBC team manages a database received from its 8 operational centers. The database is updated through the recent inclusion of eligible families given by local and national NGOs.
CLES gathers donations for Care by CLES initiative. All donations are 100% spent on the packages distributed*.
*CLES centers are free of charge to students as the association is self-funded. All the NGO’s operational costs are covered by the Raymond Debbane family foundation [this allows for every dollar donated to Care by CLES to go directly to the cost of foods and transportation to the centers.
CLES gathers donations for Care by CLES initiative. All donations are 100% spent on the packages distributed*.
*CLES centers are free of charge to students as the association is self-funded. All the NGO’s operational costs are covered by the Raymond Debbane family foundation [this allows for every dollar donated to Care by CLES to go directly to the cost of foods and transportation to the centers.
CBC places an order for food and hygiene parcels from local providers. The parcels are packed in reusable storage bags.
CBC places an order for food and hygiene parcels from local providers. The parcels are packed in reusable storage bags.
Care by CLES approves the list of products placed in the parcels. All items are screened for expiry date, quantities, and accuracy of orders placed.
* Most items placed in the parcels are made in Lebanon
Care by CLES approves the list of products placed in the parcels. All items are screened for expiry date, quantities, and accuracy of orders placed.
* Most items placed in the parcels are made in Lebanon
Once the packages are ready, Care by CLES handles the transportation of goods to the eight CLES centers (or to locations assigned by CLES).
Once the packages are ready, Care by CLES handles the transportation of goods to the eight CLES centers (or to locations assigned by CLES).
Care by CLES team members contact the families on the database to receive their parcels and assign pick up dates.
Families come to the centers (or to locations assigned by CLES) to pick up packages.
*No personal information is shared to keep the privacy of the receivers intact.
Care by CLES team members contact the families on the database to receive their parcels and assign pick up dates.
Families come to the centers (or to locations assigned by CLES) to pick up packages.
*No personal information is shared to keep the privacy of the receivers intact.
Each package (3 parcels) weighs around 70 KGs and contains 6 weeks supply (of families of four) of grains, protein, oil, carbs and hygiene products
Each package (3 parcels) weighs around 70 KGs and contains 6 weeks supply (of families of four) of grains, protein, oil, carbs and hygiene products
Lebanese regions that received the packages
From December 2019 to December 2020
Distribution Progress
December 2019
600 packages distributed
February 2020
400 packages distributed
April / May 2020
2,000 packages distributed
July 2020
Distributed packages to 3,000 families
August/September 2020
Distributed 4,000 vouchers and assessed the damages for the destroyed houses
November/December 2020
Distributed packages to 5,500 families
Scheduled Distribution Until June 2021
Around 13,000 packages
Operations during the coronavirus pandemic
With the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Lebanon has been on lockdown since the end of February. CBC continues its commitment to provide packages to the underprivileged citizens of Lebanon in these dire times of need.
- Two team members in each of CLES’s centers ( or locations assigned by CLES) are present at predetermined times for parcels pickup.
- The members will be wearing protective masks and gloves at all times and will follow up on the sanitization measures.
- Families are assigned dedicated pickup times to avoid traffic and ensure safe and contactless delivery.
Contributors
Care by CLES is grateful to have the support and endorsement of benefactors from the Lebanese diaspora, international NGOs, and benefactors who spared no effort in supporting the mission of this project.
Care by CLES has joined forces with many local and regional NGOs to extend a helping hand and help more families in need across Lebanon.
To date, CLES has collaborated with:
- Schools, institutions and communities directly connected with the 8 CLES centers
- Lebanese Red Cross
- Teach For Lebanon (TFL)
- Centre Euromediterranean Pour Le Développement (CEMEDE)
- AUB Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
- Lebanese Scouts
- Local associations
- Local Municipalities
- Local dispensaries
- Nursing departments
- Mayors
- Schools, institutions and communities directly connected with the 8 CLES centers
- Lebanese Red Cross
- Teach For Lebanon (TFL)
- Centre Euromediterranean Pour Le Développement (CEMEDE)
- AUB Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
- Lebanese Scouts
- Local associations
- Local Municipalities
- Local dispensaries
- Nursing departments
- Mayors
Special thanks go to each and every team member of CLES for making this initiative happen. The spirit of volunteerism is overwhelming and it shows the professionalism and the giving nature of the team who is acting as true support in these times of need.