Every Dollar Counts!

Chabad of Uptown in Houston, Texas caters primarily to a clientele of young professionals. With their entry level positions earning them entry level salaries, shliach Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff knows he cannot rely upon his crowd for large donations. Instead, Rabbi Lazaroff endeavors to procure commitments for small, but consistent monthly donations.

“I set up meetings with potential donors with the clear agenda of fundraising on the table. I explain to the young professional that we have a large budget and no big donors coming our way. I tell him that presently, at least one quarter of our yearly budget comes from young guys like him who commit to donating $100, $54 or even $18 monthly for one year. $36.00 a month is very feasible for most people. After all, I point out to them, $36.00 is not a lot of money – it’s one evening’s worth of dinner at a restaurant!

“It’s very reassuring to know that once a month I can, with the click of a button, process a list of credit cards and have at least some of my expenses covered. I believe that this system of obtaining small, but consistent monthly donations is a resource which is very much untapped by shluchim worldwide,” concludes Rabbi Lazaroff.

Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff can be reached at chaim@chabadtexas.org