Unibes

Unibes — formally the União Brasileiro-Israelita do Bem-Estar Social — is a Brazilian social welfare institution headquartered in São Paulo. It was created in 1915 by charitable entities maintained by European Jewish immigrants and adopted its current name in 1976. Its stated mission is to promote projects that stimulate self-esteem and cooperativeness among those it serves. The organization describes itself as conducting a broad social program with the purpose of developing autonomy, promoting well-being, spreading interest in culture, and providing enriching experiences and quality of life for children, young people, families and the elderly in situations of vulnerability. According to its official website, it carries out roughly 22,000 service interactions per year in São Paulo. To sustain this ecosystem, Unibes is divided into three pillars that operate in close cooperation: Unibes Social, Unibes Bazar and Unibes Cultural. Unibes Social covers programs for children aged 2 to 14 in extracurricular activities, professional training for young people aged 15 to 29, social assistance for families, and assistance for the elderly. Unibes Bazar operates physical and online stores and accepts donations, including free scheduled pickups. Unibes Cultural offers a cultural program; the website marks 110 years of Unibes and 10 years of Unibes Cultural. A distinctive program is its work with Holocaust survivors, run in partnership with the Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany), based in New York, USA, and additionally funded by URO Charitable Trust Limited. The program supports survivors over the age of 79 living in São Paulo and other regions of Brazil, providing financial aid for caregivers, medicines, clinic treatments, and medical and dental care. In 2022 Unibes received the third Green Flag awarded by Claims Conference auditors; it is described as the only institution in Latin America, and one of few in the world, to receive this recognition three consecutive times. In 2024 the program completed 20 years, with 198 survivors assisted. Unibes has received a number of awards and recognitions over the years, including the Comunidade Solidária Prize (1997/98/99/00), Fundação Vitae (1997/98/99/00), Prêmio Bem Eficiente from Kanitz & Associados (1997/2000/2004/2006), the Selo Organização Parceira of the Centro de Voluntariado de São Paulo (2005/2007), the Human Rights Prize of the Ministry of Justice (1999), and the Unicef-supported Projeto Oficinas de Convivência Esportiva (1997).

Unibes was created in 1915 in the city of São Paulo. According to its Portuguese Wikipedia entry, it was constituted by charitable entities maintained by European Jewish immigrants. The organization adopted its current name, União Brasileiro-Israelita do Bem-Estar Social (UNIBES), in 1976, and its mission is described as promoting projects that stimulate self-esteem and cooperativeness among its beneficiaries. Over the decades the institution built a broad portfolio of social programs. Its official website states that it currently carries out around 22,000 service interactions per year in São Paulo, serving children, young people, families and the elderly in situations of vulnerability. The organization is structured around three cooperating pillars: Unibes Social, Unibes Bazar and Unibes Cultural. Unibes Social runs extracurricular activities for children aged 2 to 14, professional training for young people aged 15 to 29, social assistance actions for families, and various programs for the elderly. Unibes Bazar operates physical and online stores and organizes free scheduled pickups of donations. Unibes Cultural presents cultural programming; the website notes 110 years of Unibes and 10 years of Unibes Cultural. A notable strand of its work is assistance to Holocaust survivors, carried out in partnership with the Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany), based in New York, USA, with additional funding from URO Charitable Trust Limited. The program supports survivors over the age of 79 living in São Paulo and other regions of Brazil, providing financial aid for caregivers, medicines, clinic treatments, and medical and dental care. In 2022 Unibes received the third Green Flag awarded by Claims Conference auditors after they evaluated the institution's documentation and procedures; the evaluation led to an increase in resources allocated to survivors, and Unibes is described as the only institution in Latin America, and one of few in the world, to receive this recognition three consecutive times. At the time of writing, 198 survivors are assisted. In 2024 the program completed 20 years. Unibes has also been recognized with a series of awards, including the Comunidade Solidária Prize (1997/98/99/00), Fundação Vitae (1997/98/99/00), the Prêmio Bem Eficiente from Kanitz & Associados (1997/2000/2004/2006), the Selo Organização Parceira of the Centro de Voluntariado de São Paulo (2005/2007), the Human Rights Prize of the Ministry of Justice (1999), and the Unicef-supported Projeto Oficinas de Convivência Esportiva (1997).

• 2024

  The Holocaust survivor assistance program completes 20 years, with 198 survivors assisted.

• 2022

  Unibes receives the third Green Flag from Claims Conference auditors, becoming the only institution in Latin America to receive this recognition three consecutive times.

• 2005

  Receives the Selo Organização Parceira of the Centro de Voluntariado de São Paulo.

• 2004

  Receives the Prêmio Bem Eficiente from Kanitz & Associados.

• 1999

  Receives the Human Rights Prize of the Ministry of Justice.

• 1997

  Receives the Comunidade Solidária Prize, Fundação Vitae recognition, Prêmio Bem Eficiente and the Unicef-supported Projeto Oficinas de Convivência Esportiva.

• 1976

  The organization adopts its current name, União Brasileiro-Israelita do Bem-Estar Social (UNIBES).

• 1915

  Unibes is created in the city of São Paulo by charitable entities maintained by European Jewish immigrants.

A long-established Brazilian Jewish social welfare institution combining social assistance, a thrift-store fundraising operation and cultural programming under one umbrella.

• Unibes Social

  Social programs for children aged 2 to 14, professional training for young people aged 15 to 29, social assistance for families, and assistance for the elderly.

• Unibes Bazar

  Physical and online thrift stores that accept donations, including free scheduled pickups.

• Unibes Cultural

  Cultural programming arm; the website marks 10 years of Unibes Cultural.

• Holocaust survivor assistance program

  Partnership with the Claims Conference and URO Charitable Trust Limited supporting survivors over 79 in São Paulo and other regions of Brazil.

1. 1Home - Unibes Social União Brasileiro-Israelita do Bem-Estar Socialunibes.org.br
2. 2Sobreviventes do Holocausto - Unibes Social União Brasileiro-Israelita do Bem-Estar Socialunibes.org.br
3. 3Unibes - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Unibes - Wikipédiapt.wikipedia.org