Summer 2025 Newsletter
October 23rd will mark the 5 year anniversary of Just One Dash. This is the date we received our 501(c)(3) from the Department of Treasury in 2020. Out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT, “what percent of nonprofits fail within 5 years?”. ChatGPT said, “It is estimated that around 50% of nonprofits fail within their first five years.”.
Still curious, I followed up with “What percent of nonprofits fail after 10 years?” According to ChatGPT, “After 10 years, the failure rate of nonprofits tends to increase. Studies suggest that about 70% to 80% of nonprofits fail within their first 10 years.”
To mark our 5 years in existence, I am going to go up on the roof of the Westin Hotel in Itasca and go “Over the Edge”. More on that in a bit….
Thank you to all the people who helped us reach the 5 year mark. Thanks to you, JOD has been able to help families with young children on the West Side of Chicago. We have been able to meet with our families every 90 days and fulfill their unique wish list of essential day to day items and toiletries -- diapers, pull-ups, paper towels, toothpaste, soap, detergent, and shampoo, etc….
Our families are living paycheck to paycheck and any type of relief in the form of saving them the expense of buying items that are essential is making a difference. I have been inspired by the mothers’ determination and their children’s positive attitude despite challenging circumstances that many of us can’t imagine.
My hope for the next 5 years is not only that we continue to provide our families their wish lists but also increase our interaction with them. As we get to know our families it becomes apparent that some households could use a little more help. Budgeting has been an issue. Juggling work and childcare is a constant issue. But really, the most important thing we can offer is our presence, whether it is an in-person visit every 90 days or phone calls and texts just checking in on them. One of the tenets of JOD is that a one-time donation of food, clothing or toys is not a cure-all to these families. It is putting some tape on a leaking ship.
We have now known some of our families for close to five years. We can see the progress and determination, but we can also see periods of struggle and hopelessness. Crime. Gangs. Shootings. Slumlords. I think our families find comfort in the fact that there is at least someone offering a consistent hand.
We have also said goodbye to some families. We aren’t just about giving away free stuff. Each family must show a commitment to bettering themselves educationally and/or vocationally. They must be good parents. If we feel that they just want the free handouts, then we must move on.
By far, the biggest challenge to JOD’s existence has been the ability to secure funds to help our families. We are all volunteers. We have no office. We have no employees. We have no expenses. Everything we receive goes to our families.
We want to keep walking along our families path towards financial freedom and independence. We want to see their kids do well, get an education, and be happy. As we go forward, we would like the ability to help more families. But we can only do that with your help.
To celebrate, draw attention to Just One Dash, and most importantly, to raise funds, I will be repelling off the roof of the Westin Hotel in Itasca on September 17 th at 1 PM. The goal is to have it livestreamed on our Facebook and Instagram page to see how successful (or unsuccessful) I am in climbing down to the ground from 13 stories high.
Please help us in ensuring that the work we have started can continue for another 5 years and beyond by donating. Here is the link, and I thank you in advance!
Donate here:
https://give.overtheedge.events/b2YgX9