A Jewish actor of West Wing fame is raising money for a poverty relief charity by urging fans to donate in return for him following them on Twitter.

Josh Malina, who played political strategist Will Bailey on the later seasons of Aaron Sorkin's Washington-set series, is attempting to raise funds for Mazon. The organisation aims to offer a Jewish response to hunger, which supports Jews and non-Jews living in poverty in both the United States and Israel. Mr Malina, who also appears in the series Sports Night and now stars in the political drama Scandal, has launched the campaign ahead of his 47th birthday.

Instead of simply asking for donations, for the sum of $10 fans can expect Mr Malina to follow them on the social networking site for a year, which means the actor will automatically see anything they post. "At least once a week, I will check in to your feed, and laugh gently to myself at something you've posted," he has promised.

The actor, who frequently posts sarcastic or jokey comments on his personal Twitter page, added: "Of course the standard Jewish response to hunger is to overeat. But the good people of Mazon recognize that this is not an option for millions of people."

Donate to his campaign here