WIZO, founded in 1920, is an international organization of volunteers working to improve the lives of women, children, and the elderly living in Israel. WIZO's members work to support over 800 WIZO programs in Israel, including child care centers, schools, shelters for battered women and girls in distress, and services for the elderly. Since 1959, WIZO is recognized by the United Nations as a non-governmental organization with consultative status at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). WIZO USA, established in 1982, is dedicated to the advancement of the status of women, the education and welfare of children, the care of the elderly, and the protection of the most vulnerable members of Israeli society.