About Us
What is Acceder?
ACCEDER, Hebrew Free Loan, is an organization that offers interest-free loans on a non-sectarian basis to those in need. The target population is individuals and families who’s needs are urgent, but may not qualify for assistance through other, more traditional, financial resources.
Each person depicted on our web site is a real case. By lending, you are doing more than helping to alleviate poverty. You are making someone’s dreams come true.
As the story goes, if you give a man a fish, he will eat for a night. But if you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime. By providing interest-free loans Acceder gives people the tools necessary to once again become self-sufficient.
A loan of as little as $25 to further education, start or expand a business, or to assist with a health or housing concern, enables the recipient to work toward economic independence and an improved life for them, their family, and their community.
Acceder uniquely allows you to view applicant profiles and allows you to hand pick the person whose story compels you the most to lend to. Acceder provides each donor with updates on the applicant in how they are using the loan, as well as their progress in paying it back. After they have paid back their loan, your donation is recycled and you are able to impact the future of yet another person.
To view success stories and see how you can change a life, visit accederfreeloan.blogspot.com or click the Blog link at the top of the page.
Acceder was created to accomplish our dream of equal opportunity. As the world continuously changes lives sometimes change too and, unfortunately, not always for the best. It is our mission, our goal, and indeed our pleasure to give each individual the opportunity to access an interest FREE loan so they will not have to live in unacceptable situations ever again. We invite you to join us in making this dream a reality.
Tzedekah means charity but the origin of this word is actually justice. We have the religious responsibility to give and to engage in philanthropic ventures. This beautifully rewarding act applies to everyone, even one poor person can help another.
Maimonides, a Jewish philosopher, established 8 principles of Tzedekah:
"The greatest level, is to support a fellow Jew by endowing him with a gift or loan, or entering into a partnership with him, or finding employment for him, in order to strengthen his hand until he need no longer be dependent upon others."
History
The idea of creating an organization dedicated to lending money without charging interest or any other expenses was born under the cloud of the Argentinean financial crisis of 2001. Acceder´s founder, Mr. Eduardo Elsztain, shared with Elias Kier Joffe the need for creating a new concept in the lending industry; a non-profit foundation with the mission of lending money, interest free, to people in financial need. People whom without the support of this foundation could never gain access to a loan within the structure of the current financial system. Thus, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Elias Kier Joffe set up the first free loan Foundation in Argentina: Acceder Argentina.
Acceder Argentina is the youngest and the first non-English, non-Hebrew speaking organization that has joined the International Association of Hebrew Free Loans (www.freeloan.org).
ACCEDER is a 501C American Organization incorporated in the state of New York.
Acceder Argentina has successfully granted over 200 loans, amounting to almost $500,000. This success has enabled us to expand our reach throughout Latin America and even into the Former Soviet Union, where there are no Free Loan Organizations.
Inspired by online plattforms such as KIVA, Prosper and Zopa, we launched Acceder.com. The web site enables people to lend money Peer to Peer. The main concept for the web site is that no contribution is too small. Even in today’s economic climate it is still possible for everyone to give to charity affordably and to make a difference in the life of another person.
We are working with the local Jewish communities to launch ACCEDER in Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Mexico and FSU.
How Acceder Works
The below diagram shows briefly how money gets from you to a developing-world borrower, and back:
- Lenders like you browse profiles of borrowers in need, and choose someone to lend to. When they lend, using PayPal or their credit cards, Acceder.com collects the funds
- Acceder.com then passes the funds along to one of our field partners worldwide.
- Acceder.com’s field partners distribute the loan funds to the selected borrower.
- Over time, the borrower repays their loan to the field partner. Repayment and other updates are posted on Acceder.com and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.
- After the borrower finish to repay its loan, the field partner passes the funds back to Acceder.com.
- Acceder.com will credit the amounts as “virtual funds” in the lender account with Acceder.com in order to let him make a new loan and re-lend to someone else in need.
Our Team
- Elias Kier Joffe | Co-Founder
- Ezequiel Kier Joffe | Chief Operating Officer
- Jeremias Kier Joffe | Chief Financial Officer
- Jonathan Kier Joffe | Chief Legal Officer
- Juan Martinez | Accounting Manager
- Allyson Toscher | Marketing Director
- Eitan Galam | International Developer
- Joy Galam | International Developer
Programs
Life cycle: Life Cycle loans provide assistance for celebrations such as a wedding or a bar/bat mitzvah.
Housing: Assists normally self-supporting individuals with money for rent, moving expenses, security deposit.
Debt Consolidation: Provide relief for people faced with serious debt.
Trip to Israel: Assist families who have never had the opportunity to meet the family they have in Israel.
Small Business: Enable people to start or expand a small commercial enterprise
Health: Provide assistance when medical or special care in regards to health situations arise.
Student Loans: Assist those enrolled full-time in a college, graduate school, professional program or vocational school.
Special Needs: Special needs loans provide assistance when medical or special educational needs arise.
