One year since it first launched to help Chabad shluchim all over the world with automated daily $1 donations from a pool of dedicated givers, DollarDaily.org has reached the 500 mark.
DollarDaily.org is the brainchild of Toms River businessman Yosef Shidler, co-owner of CJ Studios with his wife Sarah. Seeing the success of the Daily Giving website, which contributes the accumulated dollar donations from all of its subscribers to a single organization each day, Shidler realized that the model could be a lifeline to shluchim, many of whom face crushing financial hardships in order to keep their Chabad houses open to serve the public.
“I know so many shluchim who are stranded in the middle of nowhere and are struggling for food and funds to clothe their children,” said Shidler, who is also the editor of the book Amazing Miracle Stories for Kids. “Some Chabad houses may hold a successful fundraiser once or twice a year, but there’s always a point when they’re strapped for funds.”
From its humble beginnings one year ago, when DollarDaily.org first went live with 77 daily donors, it has grown rapidly, with $94,514 in funds distributed over the past year to beneficiaries, all of which are listed on the site’s recipient calendar. The first shluchim to receive funds, Rabbi Mendy and Mindy Begun of Chabad of Beverly Grove, CA, received a $77 donation. Today, shluchim are receiving upwards of $500.
This can greatly relieve the financial sacrifices that shluchim make, which can be as significant as having to decide between buying winter coats for their children or hosting a leibidik Shabbos for guests. Shidler’s latest push for 500 subscribers was singularly appropriate, as the increased daily donations are dedicated to Florida shluchim struggling to stem the tide of hurricane Ian’s destruction to their properties and communities.
As each new donor signs on, DollarDaily.org’s impact continues to grow, with beneficiary Chabad houses receiving increasingly larger contributions. But the beauty of the system is its inherent simplicity, explained Rabbi Aron Lieberman, director of Chabad of Inverrary in Lauderhill, Florida.
“DollarDaily.org is a beautiful project,” said Rabbi Lieberman. “It allows you to help shluchim in a meaningful way, without feeling it in your pocketbook.”
As of October 1, DollarDaily.org had 515 donors, which translates to $187,000 in distributions for the current year, but Shidler hopes to push that number even higher.
“As the gemara says, ‘Whoever has one hundred, wants 200,’” explains Shidler. “I aspire to the day when DollarDaily can give shluchim amounts that not only enable them to buy food, clothes, or pay for a cleaning lady, but when they can renovate their shuls, pay off debts, and ease the heavy financial strain. As we stand on the precipice of Yom Kippur, it is hard to imagine a better time to join the hundreds of DollarDaily subscribers.”
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