Sheffield-based national broadcaster Dan Walker is urging people to spare just £1 a week in a bid to help support local charities.
The Channel 5 presenter launched Sheffield 1000 last summer with the idea to give £1,000 a week to a local nominated charity, good cause or organisation.
Sheffield 1000, which is a registered charity, currently has around 500 members and is therefore giving out £1,000 fortnightly.
But the organisation, which has so far given away £14,000, is asking more people to get involved so they can reach the £1,000 each week.
The idea came after Mr Walker, Sheffield 1000’s patron, heard a charity auction broadcast on the radio in the back of a taxi where the highest bid was £250,000.
The former BBC breakfast presenter said: “I remember talking to the taxi driver and he said, wouldn’t it be much better if they got 250,000 people to give a quid and then picked one of them. It just made me think. How do you get everybody to feel part of something that’s a lot bigger than they are?”
Eight months ago, Dan met with friends Arnie Singh of City Taxis and Steve Manley of Universal Office products who are now the charity’s trustees.
An independent judging panel of eight members decide which charity gets the donation and Mr Walker said the aim was to have people from different areas with different expertise who were connected to different parts of the city.
Baby Basics, who help around 200 Sheffield families every month, was the first charity to receive £1,000. The charity relies on second hand donations but often must buy new mattresses for each cot they provide.
Bethany Millard, 30, centre coordinator, said: “I think it’s an amazing idea. It’s a fantastic way for people to contribute a small amount. The support we got from is significant to us.”
Another recipient was the Hidden Gem Café, a part of the charity Work Ltd, who have helped people with learning difficulties since 1995.
Glynis Philliskirk from Hidden Gem said: “The money was used on a theatre trip. Small independent charities like ourselves have to work hard to make as much money as we can to survive.
“It gives students an opportunity that they might not otherwise get, some of them will never have been to the panto.”
Mr Walker added: “I like the idea that you can live and give in the same community. There was a lovely lady in the Hidden Gem called Di and we gave her the money and she got emotional. That was lovely, that’s the best part of the job.”
Sheffield 1000’s first charity of the year is the Sheffield Hospitals Charity. Any money raised each week between £1,000 and £2,000 will go to the charity of the year pot. If £2,000 is raised one week the money will be donated to two charities.
Dan hopes that other cities will adopt the idea in the future.
He said: “We’re a well-oiled machine. I would love to say in the future; here it is, we’ve built this, this is how we’ve done it, it can work for you. ”
Members can see which charities receive donations on Sheffield 1000 website.