Jewish charities connect to web-savvy Jewish consumers using jgives,
the new philanthropy solution of popular daily deal site jdeal.
It’s a conundrum that Jewish organizations have confronted for years: how to reach young potential donors who, though interested in repairing the world, have no interest at all in brochures, dinners, or committees? How to conform to a world in which having a “donate” button on an organizational website isn’t enough?
Allen Ganz and Jodi Samuels, creators of the well-known jdeal daily deal service, the Metroimma blog, jblast, and the Buy Israel Week anti-BDS campaign (all part of the Kosher Media Network), are leveraging their extensive database of Jewish potential philanthropists to help Jewish organizations reach directly to their target audience. These 85,000 consumers have already proven their interest in Jewish activities and products by opting in to a daily jdeals email; they will now also receive emailfrom jgives, showcasing causes that users can support with just a click.
Philanthropists of all ages are included in jgive’s targets, but they are especially excited to be reaching younger donors. “We know that young Jews are not engaging with Jewish charities in the way that their parents and grandparents did,” says Samuels. “They are looking for causes to support rather than organizations to join. They are not consumers of traditional Jewish media, but they want to engage in ‘tikunolam’ – improving the world.”
“They are already comfortable with jdeal’s payment system,” Samuels points out, “happily clicking to pay for our excellent deals, so we are confident they’ll use jgives to click and donate $18 to the charities of their choice.” (Eighteen represents “life” in Hebrew.)
jgives will dramatically increase exposure for small organizations, she said, with no investments in expensive marketing campaigns, since fees are all success-based. For small charities, jgives provides visibility and tools to compete with better-known entities.
jdeal charity campaigns have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. jgives’ first clients include Gift of Life, the Orthodox Union, Sharsheret, One Family, Yachad, Meir Panim, and Boys Town.
In addition to “changing the world $18 at a time,” Samuels and Ganz hope to create a “giving lifestyle” that includes rewards for repeat donors, giveaways, stored credit card information for easier philanthropic “shopping,” and confidence in the legitimacy of organizations that have been vetted and approved by the trusted jdeal brand.
By Stuart Schnee
