Question:
One of my congregants has a brother in Israel who doesn’t have money to marry off his children. May he collect charity money in advance, to save for a wedding which will hopefully occur in approximately three years?
Answer:
Both R’ Moshe Feinstein (Iggross Moshe YD Vol 1 siman 144) and R’ Chaim Kanievsky (Derech Emunah Matnos Aniyim chapter 9) permit this if it will be necessary for him to begin collecting even when the children are at a young age. Although under normal circumstances one may not collect charity for more than one’s needs for the current year, nonetheless if the amount he would collect in that year will not be sufficient he may begin collecting earlier.
