B"H, Good news is in the making... We may have found some solid leads for fund raising on GYE. The possibility of raising a few hundred thousand dollars is no longer only a "dream". It is quickly becoming a real possibility, thank G-d. I can't explain what the leads are at this time, but for now I need your help. One of the prerequisites to raising these amounts is to put down on paper what exactly we feel we could do - if only we had enough funds. In other words, we need a business plan: clear cut strategies, costs and goals, both short-term and long term. I want to hear everyone's ideas on how you think we could reach more Yidden and help more Yidden around the world, in what is perhaps this generation's biggest test. (If anyone has experience with drawing up a professional business plan, please let me know... And if anyone has experience in knowing how to put "prices" on these ideas below, please let me know too). Please post your ideas below. Please no joking around on this thread. Thank you.

Here is a start:

A wise and experienced partner who would work along side me and help me run everything on GYE. (With the exlosive growth of GYE - and especially with the new funding hopefully, I can't run this all on my own. I will need to pay someone to partner with me full time... BTW, don't get your hopes up, I have someone in mind already  ).

Full time web-developer working alongside me to develop the site (for example: updated profile pages, where people would sign up once and receive the e-mails, be able to post on the forums, join the 90 day chart, chat-rooms, post comments on blog, and access a host of other features - all with one sign up)

Full time web-developer working alongside me to develop a Hebrew site to help thousands in Israel as well.

Full time Hebrew translator, to translate the handbooks and the best articles and tips for the Hebrew website

Graphic designer/s for websites, pamphlets and ads.

Professional writers who can rework the handbooks, tips, chizuk e-mails and stories on the websites into books geared to those who suffer, as well as to Mechanchim, askanim, Rabbanim and therapists.

A professional publisher/editor to get these things published, as well as weekly pamphlets

A publishing department, possibly with our own printing press (one day)

Full time secretary to answer standard e-mails, help organize material, help run GYE

Renting office space (4-5 offices)

Setting up a world-wide telephone network where people could call in anonymously around the clock for chizuk to special numbers and get re-routed automatically to volunteers who take the calls (both in the U.S and Israel).

A budget for advertising (anywhere between 25k - 100k)

A budget to pay professional therapists to contribute phone conferences and counseling on the GYE hot-lines.

A budget for a GEMACH to help those who really need therapy and can't afford it (we would need confirmation from a therapist to this effect).

Someone to index all the thousands of tips, articles and chizuk e-mail material so that someone who has a specific question could quickly find the relevant links

Someone in charge of the advertising and PR. To network with Rabbanim and therapists around the world, and find the best advertising deals, both on-line and off-line, and work with the graphics guys to get out the ads in the right sizes and according to the specifications.

A guy in charge of the financial side of GYE, the balance, the budgets, the banks, the paypal, the appeals, following up on pledges, etc...

Someone (like Phillip Rosenthal) who would be paid to travel around the U.S and give seminars on the methods of GYE and the life-saving stories.

Computer equipment

Printing equipment

Hosting costs for dedicated servers for all of GYE's websites, forums and blogs

Technicians to set up all our computers and keep them running smoothly

Accounting and legal consulting, both in the U.S and Israel (Taxes, non-profit, etc... Need to set up GYE as a non-profit org in Israel as well).

A website that is more neutral, for non-addicts. For example, we have sent out over 330 Shmiras Ainayim Chizuk e-mails that don't mention the word "addiction". The material from all that can be used for a new GYE website (or sections of the current website) that would be geared to people who don't want to hear about addiction, pornography, 12-Steps, etc... but just want chizuk in simple Shmiras Aniayim.

In addition, we could have a website, or sections of the current website, which would be geared to more extreme cases of addiction. A special forum for people who struggle with acting out in real life and support each other, 12-Step conferences geared towards these guys, etc...

A section to deal with SSA

A more developed section for spousal support.

A website or section of the website that is geared specifically to the non-Orthodox crowd?

Some things to keep in mind as we draw up the "PLAN":

The cost of all the above would be for one year only... But we need consistent, long-term support to keep this going for many years, IY"H! However, hopefully with time, GYE will become more and more self-supporting through donations, appeals, (asking people to donate when signing up - if they want), people sponsoring each-other $90/90days, etc... selling the books we publish, whatever... Maybe we'll even have a marketing department to think of ways that GYE can become more self-supporting without putting the burden on those who need help, of-course. Our work must always remain free to those who need help.

For each item above we also need to consider:
- short-term/long-term costs
- Minimum amount required for each feature/department vs. maximum amount we could use to do the job BEST

And overall, we need to consider (depending on the budget) what's most important, secondary, and of least immediate importance (for example, do we start investing in Hebrew websites and translations, or put more features into the English ones? etc..)

somebody to search the site and find every idea ever suggested

A computer programmer to create a filter/virus, that simply requires one to click on a link, or install the CD. It will serve as a foolproff filter. Since even the biggest fool can "click here". and It's addict proof, since every singe yeshiva can simply install it by having the rosh yeshiva put-it into the CD drive, and lock the door to the room (so no-one unplugs the computer)

No but seroisly, a good hacker (whom you can trust??) is a tremendious asset. He can do better than "show my PC" and he can delete all the files already saved on ppls computers (from b4 they installed the filter).  With concent, he can simply find any recently updated pic. buried deep within the bowels of the system files, like all to many ppl figured out.

Ads should include funding a kinus of rabbanim, and doing the whole photoshoot.

We need to give-out free sefarim on this stuff. Even write one up using the breslav publishers, and give it to all of them. SInce addcits who turn to breslav won't find the 12 steps listed in the indes (if there is one).

WOW Guard. You really shoot for the stars.

That's fine, of course.

Please prioritize the list above.
A) What needs to be done NOW, and what can wait. 
How critical is it bichlal? meaning even of the things that need to be done NOW, what is more important, and what is less.

humbly,
kutan

this will take some time because many are still afraid to touch these subjects, but a clear goal is for those yeshivos (high school and early bais midrash ages 13-25) that already have mashgichim and madrichim that bochurim talk to,to spend time and effort TO TRAIN THEM how to speak to boys about problems with lust,how to apply the handbooks.and even if a yeshiva does not want any boys to use internet to go on the site,you can still create handbooks tailor made for them.and these madrichim need to learn how to act in a way that the boys would not be fearful in approaching them with problems like masturbation and pornography.

this zooms in to the root and the core right where these problems are.

Understandably,many yeshivos believe that thier boys are above it all but the rude awakening is just beginning.

But for those yeshivos that express interest in helping boys with these struggles this is more important than everything mentioned so far.

because I know as a fact that many boys are afraid to take that first step to open up with what they are struggling with

GYE cannot reach them unless they reach out first

but if help is right in front of them,they will open up to a madrich or mashgiach providingng that they are TRAINED in how to speak and how to handle situations.

you may even want to place such people within the yeshivos if you can find such people,interview them,study them,and then place them where the boys can be helped by them.

Rage, I like your attitude. You dream even bigger than me - and that's saying something!  

I would call your ideas "Stage II" - it's like a whole new dimension.

But I think we need to first develop Stage I to the maximum (which would all be on-line, in print and by phone) - and then I believe that Stage II will kind-of flow out of that naturally...

take the approach of Shuvu, and do like yechida says.    Stop the tide that will effect 90% of teens/children  and it will be the greatest investment to further our cause. Definitely top priority. Then "all that is left" is to 1. reach ALL the adicts 2. Have the tools to meet the requirement of their treetments, and the surging amount of addicts in the program

You do need someone to come-up with a "stage II" chizuk email, where there is enough material to satiate an addict following every approach. and this will work better than having seperate emails, since we tend to be the 'curious' type here, and we will occasionaly glnace into the 'derech' we aren't using (it may help).  Additionaly, is there still a shmiras einayim email?    And how-about a weekly, with the best of the emails- printed and delivered to yeshivas (yes printing sheimos, but only after that yeshiva has agrreed to adress the issue, so bachurim will actualy look).    The emails will always reach more people than the forum. And the site will always help those people who don't have the guts to open up.

still thinking....

This is all way too serious. Are we forgetting the fun part of GYE?? I think we need to hire guys lie the Rebbe bardichev and have a hotline for instant pic up. It will be done eithe rwith a line over the phone or we can even pick you up with the GYE truck. The one that keeps on truckin. I think this should be our first priorty. And when we have the truck full of some richies it will be all the more easier to get some money to do all the rest of what you wanna do! Oh and we need a sponser for the woodford too dont forget. And im starting to get the feeling we may need for chulent. But for more details please contact Rebbe Bardichev!



HATZLACHA!!!!!!!!!!

I think a phone based program is essential. I mean like chafetz chaim's chazak - where you can order print copies, hear chizuk shmuessem, or sort of 911 I'm gonna fall recording. We need to reach the non-net people, and when I'm in crisis, a phone call would really help. And a phone based wall of honor system would be great- that calls you everyday (on your personal cell, of course) and says "you have been cleanr for ... press one if you're still clean..."

Guard, this is awesome. I want to be part of this - yes, I know, I need to get clean first. I happen to be a good writer...

also, a therapist referral service would be great. There are so many therapists with so many approaches; and it's so hard to know what's good for you and when to drop a bad therapist. Hypnosis? 12 step? CBT? DBT? SSRI meds? Someone to guide the right person to the right professional. Also, it would give us leverage over professionals for discounts - we've referred six people to you last month, this guy gets a discount. We could also work with them - 1/3 from gye 1/3 discount 1/3 payment from patient etc.

In other words, to give someone access to all of the therapy tools. Your GYE agent knows the code.

I think one way to reach more people is not only look at the orthodox community.  I think it's possible to look elsewhere, like reform or conservative jewish areas.  (Maybe a area dedicated to non-religious jews.)  I think that the other way for this site to be better is to have an area for online chat very similar to how AA has chat meetings. 

CAN WE WRITE THE HANDBOOKS IN YIDDISH

OR IN YESHIVISH ENGLISH

I think a major motivator would be a GYE counter - of how many people have reached 90 days through GYE (or with GYE).

I agree with IT25 that the helpful humor needs to be taken seriously, but I don't think it needs to be prioritized as much. The beauty of it is that it comes spontaneously, and organizing it too much would make it sour. Just keep the Chill spots functioning for everyone to contribute would be a big thing.

One difficulty I've encountered with the Forum is not being able to find out easily when new people join or post, or if there is a new topic or a hot debate going on, or if someone made a call-out for help. Maybe there's some way or organizing that, or teaching up neanderthals how to work the forum software, like notification, better.

Also, I think a BIG emphasis has to be on developing areas for teens, with and without forums, to get help, guidance and chizuk. I don't know if the men's forum is appropriate for some ages. And the person that runs that has to be really up on what is hip now, how to talk to these kids.

I think that I value the Torah-dike atmosphere here in our forum, and i feel safe knowing that we are all struggling toward Deveykus Hashem. I would not want this place to become a platform for non-orthodox viewpoints, where people who are non-orthodox feel they have to justify themselves. It will defocus us from the direction we are working toward. Conservative and Reform Jews are our brothers, and therefore deserve our respect, and should have access to all of GYE, but should they have their own forum? i don't know what's right here.

I firmly agree. We must have a NEW wing of this program geared at stemming the tide of the next generation, (I mean the addicts of the next generation). Ain Apitropul la'arayos. ANd just as every movement, which has set a 'mid-standard' for frumkeit, has started with a steady and secure hashkafa, and slowly spiralled into destruction.  So too the use of computers, which where at-first not 'so-bad' (dialup doesn't load fast enough), but have now reached the stage of an epedemic!  We must stem the tide by focusing on exactly that, in addition to being a ONE STOP adress for addiction.

Steve wrote on 07 Feb 2010 22:03:


Everyone who is sincere is welcome on GYE, but GYE must continue to be run 100% within a Torah framework.