Archive

December 2013

Browsing

The year end tax deduction

CharitableTaxDeduction

Yikes, just the word itself is enough to drive everyone away, but it is a fact of life that we all have to face. Taxes. Today, is December 30th and we are getting down to the wire for those last-minute tax deductions. My father was giddy 46 years ago today when my younger sister was born, because he received an extra tax deduction that year……and of course a beautiful baby girl. Inducing labor is probably the more difficult way to receive a tax deduction, charitable giving might be an easier path.

While, I am not a financial expert I did do a little research and thought it was worth sharing for those trying to wrap up their end of year donations.

Suggested Guidelines for Financial Donations

  • If you are planning on deducting any charitable donation of money, regardless of amount, you must have a bank record or credit card receipt and a letter in writing from the charity you donated too. The letter must show the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution and the organizations 501c3 non-profit status.
  • You must always obtain an acknowledgment from a charitable organization for any tax-deductible donation, whether it is money or property, of $250 or more.

Rules for Charitable Contributions of Clothing and Household Items

  • In order to be tax-deductible, clothing and household items donated to charity, must be in good used condition or better. A clothing or household item for which a taxpayer claims a deduction of over $500 does not have to meet this standard, if a qualified appraisal of the item is included.
  • Donors must get a written acknowledgement from the charity for all gifts worth $250 or more that includes a description of the items contributed. Household items include furniture, furnishings, electronics, appliances and linens.

Additional Tips from the IRS

• Your donations are only deductible for the year they were made.  So remember, donations that were charged to a credit card before the end of 2013 count for 2013. This is true even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until 2014. Checks count for 2013 as long as they were mailed in 2013.

• It’s sad that this even has to be said, but always check to make sure that the non-profit organization is eligible. Non-profits with 501c3 status, many religious organizations such as churches and some government organizations, are the only ones that are tax-deductible. If you are unsure, you can check using this link from the IRS, Exempt Organization Select Check.

• If the amount of a taxpayer’s deduction for all non-cash contributions is over $500, a properly completed Form 8283 must be submitted with the tax return.

• Make sure to keep good records and receipts.

• For more information from the IRS, you can go to this link Charities and Nonprofits

While there is nothing fun about taxes, remember the joy that comes with giving. At least there is a silver lining for year-end giving….oh yeah and that deduction too!

Charity Matters.

 

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

 

Charity Matters Quotes

“Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.”  

Theodore Roosevelt

day after xmasI hope this finds you rested and relaxed from a wonderful holiday. As you dig out from all that wrapping paper and think about returns, clean up and how blessed you are, remember all those who might appreciate your duplicates.

Enjoy your family and wishing you a wonderful relaxing weekend!

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

“At Christmas, all roads lead home.”

 Marjorie Holmes

NormanRockwellChristmas

I hope that this post finds you enjoying your Christmas with family and friends and savoring every moment.

I hope Santa was good to you too!

Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas!

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Charity Matters Quotes

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.”

 W.T. Ellis

Christmas giving 1930

Today is the day my children get out of school for Christmas break and the joy is palpable. This is the last Christmas that all of my children will live under the same roof and I must confess I am a bit melancholy. I am so looking forward to Christmas and yet I am mindful of how quickly these holidays seem to pass. This year my nostalgia is running deep.

As I dash around to finish the last-minute details I am determined to savor every moment, every laugh and all the chaos that comes with a house full of children and focus on what matters. In this moment, it is the blessings of family.

Have a joyous weekend!

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

The Miracles of Christmas: Matthew’s Hope

Matthews HopeIn searching for a Christmas miracle story to share with you, I came across an incredible family and am blessed that when I reached out to them, they agreed to let me share their story. It began in November 2002 when Bud Hanley began writing letters to his unborn son, Matthew. This is his letter.

 

My little Matthew,

 

Good morning, my sweet baby boy. We miss you so much and wish God had allowed you to be with us. Your short life has changed ours and has impacted hundreds of others. We started a non-profit organization in your memory called Matthew’s Hope Children’s Ministry to help other children in our community. I could write a book sharing the many miracles that have taken place through Matthew’s Hope, but I’ll just share this one for now . . .

 

When Mommy was pregnant with you in the fall of 2002, we decided to pick out a needy family and buy Christmas gifts for them on our own. Our church and Sunday school class had done this and we always participated in that, but never had we done it ourselves . . . Our local schools send home an information sheet to the kids who are in need and the families fill it out with requests and sizes . . . Me and Mommy looked through the sheets of paper and one stood out to us.

 

It was a 12- year-old boy with a two-year-old nephew. They lived in a pretty bad home situation. The older boy, Chris Bagwell, returned his sheet to school and asked for socks and underwear and “if possible” a football. He asked for the same for his little two-year- old nephew and “if possible” a fire truck. That broke our hearts and impressed us that a 12- year-old would ask for such minimal and basic needs . . .

 

We loaded those boys down with everything from new jeans, shirts, shoes and coats to bicycles and footballs and fire trucks…and yes socks and underwear. Mommy went and bought the stuff the day before Thanksgiving and came home that night and we wrapped it all up with your big sister “helping” us. She was two years old at the time . . .

 

Then our nightmare began. The day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 30, 2002, your Mommy’s water broke and our ordeal began. You were born and died on December 18th. We flew home and buried you on December 21st. That night, we went and delivered those gifts to Chris and his little nephew.

 

I can’t begin to describe how happy and grateful that little boy was. He had never had such things before. It helped us so much to see the gratitude in his face and his words. He helped us as much as we helped him; he just didn’t realize it. He was so proud of what we had given him.

 

Well, several years passed and we often wondered what happened to Chris because he had impressed us so much. He even worked with his uncle to help bring in some money for his family.

 

We later started Matthew’s Hope and have helped many similar families since then. In the Spring of 2008, two women from Belton-Honea Path High School approached me and asked if we would like to provide a scholarship from Matthew’s Hope. We decided that would be a good idea and instructed them that our criteria would not be necessarily the straight “A” student, but rather a kid who had overcome bad circumstances and did well anyway.

 

They brought us several essays that students had written about why they deserved a scholarship and we chose one that seemed to stand out to us. The scholarships are given every year at a ceremony at Erskine College called the Evening of Excellence. Mommy and me went that evening and presented the scholarship to the recipient after briefly sharing a little about Matthew’s Hope and why we were doing it. It was a nice evening and we went home. We had just walked in the door when the telephone rang. Mommy answered the phone and all of a sudden the color drained from her face and she put it on speaker phone.

 

It was the young man to whom we had just given the scholarship.

 

He said, “This is Chris—you don’t remember me do you? But when I was 12 years old, you and your husband brought Christmas gifts to me and my nephew.”

 

Matthew, when he said that, I thought I was going to pass out . . . He went on to tell us that when we brought those gifts at age 12, he realized for the first time in his life that somebody loved him.

You see how God works? . . .

Love,

Daddy

One of Bud’s last letters to his son.

Dear Matthew,

My son, you touched so many lives and you will continue to touch lives. As long as I live, I will tell of the miracles I personally witnessed . . . I will make you these promises . . I will work tirelessly to cause good to come from your life. I will tell the world about you to motivate people to help others in your memory. I will let your life be my testimony and I will share it with as many people as God gives me the opportunity . . .

   I will one day meet you in heaven. Until then, I will continue to live because I know you live . . . I know that your Papas and Grannys in heaven will take care of you . . . Hang in there my, little man, Daddy will be home soon.

Daddy

When I reached out to the Hanleys this past weekend and asked permission to share, Bud said to me, “Coincidentally (or not) Wednesday, December 18th would have been Matthew’s 12th birthday.” A true Christmas miracle full of love, family, faith and giving.

Charity Matters.

 

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Charity Matters Quotes

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.” 

Janice Maeditere

xmas opening heart

And so the count down begins, 9 days until Christmas!  Less than two weeks left to soak up the spirit of the season and too open up our hearts to the magic of the holiday. While we begin our week with shopping list, cards to address and gifts to wrap, lets give our selves a moment to stop and enjoy all the wonder that surrounds us.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Sandyhook

Sandyhook promiseToday is Friday the 13th, a day shrouded in superstition and bad luck. Worse than being Friday, the 13th it is the one year anniversary of the tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary. A moment so horrific and tragic that it seems surreal, except to those families that will spend this one year anniversary still asking why?

Only 365 days out, the hindsight offers little perspective and few answers. There is a glimmer of hope and healing and that is the new non-profit founded by Sandy Hook parents called the Sandy Hook Promise. Its mission is to research and implement sensible solutions to prevent gun violence, as well as to influence legislators and engage constituents in the legislative process that helps their community to heal.

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

Joining the Sandy Hook promise is not about politics but rather about working together to create a dialogue and beginning to take the pain and use it as fuel to heal and move forward. This sunday is an international day of remembrance for children that have died. There are candle lighting services around the globe honoring children we have lost and sadly there will be 20 extra candles lit this year in remembrance.

Charity Matters.

 

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Christmas in the City

Christmas in the city

Can you hear the song playing now? “Ring a-ling, hear them sing, its Christmas Time in the City.”  I am always looking for inspiring people and stories that make our world better and this family has created a holiday classic even better than the song it is named after.

It all started 23 years ago, in 1989 ,when the Kennedy family from Boston (not sure if there is a relation) saw the excess that their children had on Christmas. These two amazing parents, Jake and Sparky, wondered how they were going to teach their children what the season was really all about? They simply wanted them to understand the spirit of Christmas, of kindness, goodwill and the gift of sharing. Their solution was to take the holiday tradition that they had with their family and bring it to others, that didn’t.

So the following year, the Kennedy’s expanded their Christmas tradition with the help of their friends, co-workers, and clients all volunteering their time and donating gifts and money to provide Christmas for those that didn’t have one. In that moment, Christmas in the City was born.  The first year 165 mothers and children from Boston Homeless Shelters were guests at a party at Boston City Hall, with holiday decorations, games, a holiday meal and a gift for each child that the child had asked Santa to deliver.

In the two decades since, Christmas in the City  hosts over 3,000 children and parents from homeless shelters from Boston and surrounding communities.  More than replicating the Kennedy’s Christmas morning, these children now experience a safe environment, filled with food, entertainment, a Winter Wonderland with games, rides, a petting zoo, activities from the Museum of Science and the Children’s Museum, and each child received a personalized gift from Santa which they had wished for.

As if that wasn’t enough, Christmas in the City also distributes toys and gifts to almost 2000 families who can not be accommodated at the event.

The Kennedy’s small gesture to share the joy of the season has now become a year round affair because Christmas in the City simply could not turn away those they have cared for.  In addition, they now provide a Thanksgiving food distribution for families in need; an Adopt- a-Family program to assist families transitioning from a shelter to their own home; assisting homeless families in providing support to help find employment, financial aid and legal advise, daycare and other help to get back on their feet.

What began as a way to teach the joy of the season to their own children has become a teaching moment for all of us blessed to witness the magic of Christmas happening all around us. Cue music….Ring a-ling, hear them sing, soon it will be Christmas day….

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Charitable Children continued

“Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness of giving.”

Charles Alexander Eastman

Raising philanthropic children

This post was originally intended to follow up The Raising Charitable Children post. However, due to the passing of Nelson Mandela it was bumped back in line.Regardless of this post’s timing, the  message of Charitable Children is timeless.

So with that said, it is upon us to show by example and lead the way to those that do not know where to go. Giving is no different than someone asking directions who is lost. Simply show them and they will learn the way, regardless of age.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Mandela

“A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.”

Nelson Mandela

Nelson-Mandela-Desktop-2013

Yesterday we lost an icon, legend, peacemaker and a man who simply put, just made our world better. There are very few words you can write that have not been said about Nelson Mandela. So rather than tell you what you already know, I think we can all take a page from his amazing life and apply it to our own.

There is no greater tribute than to put his legacy into action.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Raising charitable children

charitable kids that givePeople ask me all the time about suggestions for raising philanthropic children. While my sons are far from the poster children for philanthropy, they certainly do a lot to help others. My oldest has spent more than 600 hours in Watts, serving inner city children. His younger brother throws touchdowns for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and reads to low-income children struggling in school. The youngest, at 12, is still finding his way but a few adventures to the LA Regional Food Bank, Childrens Hospital and Watts are giving him food for thought.

The reality is that there is no simple answer to this question and that raising charitable children is an ongoing process. I read an article recently that said role modeling philanthropy is simply not enough. The article referenced a new study from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University. The director, Debra Mesch, said “the research showed that talking to children about giving increased by 20 percent the likelihood that children would give.”

Here are a few tips to remember as we approach the season of giving:

Six Tips for Raising charitable children:

  1. Start early, as early as 4 or 5 years old. Giving becomes a habit.
  2. Talk to your children about what causes interest them and bring causes to their attention.
  3. Be intentional by involving your children in your own charity endeavors.
  4. Use online tools to research organizations to involve your children
  5. Be consistent. Make charity a part of your traditions, the holidays and birthdays.
  6. Emphasize the joy because giving feels great.

Benefits of raising charitable children:

  1. Opens children’s eyes to the fact that others are not as fortunate as they are
  2. Develops empathetic thinking
  3. Fosters an appreciation for what they have
  4. Enhances self-esteem
  5. Correlates to improved performance in school

While this topic is relevant for the holidays, it is important to remember that giving does not just happen once a year. Teaching the gifts you receive from giving should be a part of the year, not simply the season. Once your children feel how great it is to give, their lives will forever be altered in wonderful ways.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Giving Tuesday

Giving tuesday 2013What is Giving Tuesday and why is everyone talking about it?  First of all, you might want to mark your calendars because its tomorrow. GivingTuesday™ is a national day of giving at the start of the holiday season. The purpose is to celebrate and encourage charitable activities in support of non-profits.

This day and now movement began as something to counter Black friday and Cyber monday, It was started by New York’s 92nd Street Y, which has 139 years of fundraising experience. They reached out to the United Nations Foundation and joined as partners. Soon after, big corporations and non-profits signed on to help spread the word and the rest is history, as they say.

 

While Giving Tuesday is just a few years old, it is definitely not going away. Last year alone, over $10 million dollars in online donations was processed, which was a 53% increase compared to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, the year before.

We all love holiday shopping but really the point is to give. So tomorrow, think about what cause moves your heart, who you can help? Maybe giving to that cause is the gift you give to someone else or perhaps just one you give for yourself.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.