Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference said, “Many Holocaust survivors are vulnerable and many are homebound. Getting a vaccine can be a scary step for a Holocaust survivor. Often, they need help getting through the process. Sometimes it is about holding their hands – figuratively and also literally. It is about survivors knowing that they are not alone.”

Currently, there are more than 340,000 Holocaust survivors living around the world. Vaccination distribution varies greatly from location to location, but in many countries, there is ample vaccine but no system that ensures access through transportation, homebound coordination and support, both physical and emotional. The HSVAP is intended to address critical gaps in local programs that do not meet survivor needs, by providing local agencies who support survivors with the funds they need to ensure that Holocaust survivors are not lost amidst local distribution efforts.

Claims Conference Special Negotiator Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, who led the negotiations with the German government, stated, “This added support from the German government will expand our efforts to over forty countries in which Holocaust survivors live. Once national governments make vaccines available, we will be there to ensure that every survivor knows their options, has access to vaccines, and does not feel abandoned. We are very appreciative that the German government responded to our request for support for this essential funding in such a positive way.”