< Previous20 | The Daily News | Giving Back | December 2021 She needs your help. She needs an angel this Christmas. Make your gift by midnight, December 24th and help children and families in Galveston take the first step toward a better life this Christmas. A United Way Agency Become an Angel of Advent and help provide a family safe housing, food, employment assistance and other resources so that they’ll never be homeless again! Give now at CatholicCharities.org/angels Will you be an Angel of Advent and help children and families in need? People of Faith. Helping People in Need.December 2021 | Giving Back | The Daily News | 21 D onations come in many forms. Charitable orga- nizations always can benefit from finan- cial donations. But cold hard cash isn’t the only way to help a favorite charity. Noncash donations can include every- thing from clothing to electronics to art and collectibles and much more. In fact, such do- nations are very com- mon. Many people have items they want to donate to a good cause. But donors might want to do a little legwork before making noncash donations to ensure their generosity does as much good as possible. • Determine the usefulness of noncash items. The organization Charity Navigator, which is one of the world’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities, notes that most charities only can make use of new, unused or nearly new items. If nec- essary, work with the charity you hope to donate to so you only drop off items the charity ulti- mately can utilize. • Don’t give up on items deemed not useful. Just because a charity cannot accept a certain item does not mean the charity cannot benefit from that item. Items that have too much wear and tear for charities can be sold still, and donors can turn the proceeds from those sales into financial dona- tions to their favorite charities. Items can be sold at garage sales, at flea markets, online through websites like Ebay or even via the local newspaper classi- fieds section. • Donate locally. Some organizations offer to pick up large noncash donations, such as furniture, according to Charity Navigator. By choosing to donate such items to local charities, donors can save the organizations the po- tentially costly expense of extensive travel. That means donations go that much further. • Accept your tax deduction. There’s no shame in accepting some goodwill in return for your charitable efforts. When donating non-cash items, ask for a receipt and any addi- tional forms necessary to claim a tax deduction. Noncash donations can be as valuable to charitable organizations as cash donations, espe- cially when donors take the time to ensure they donate only those items organizations can use. — Metro Creative Connection How to approach donating clothing and household items Noncash donations can include everything from clothing to electronics to art and collectibles and much more. G iving to charity is a selfless act that’s worthy of recognition. That recognition can come in many forms, and donors should know that even the “tax man” likes to reward men and women who donate to charity. The United States rewards donors with tax credits. Taxpay- ers can deduct donations made to qualified char- ities, according to the financial services firm H&R Block. Such deduc- tions must be itemized, but they can reduce a person’s taxable income greatly. Laws regarding dona- tions and tax deductions can be difficult to under- stand, so donors should discuss their donations with their financial planners or tax prepar- ers before filing their returns. The following is some general informa- tion regarding donations and deductions that can be useful to prospective donors. Are all donations deductible? Donations must go to one of three types of groups in order to qualify for deductions, according to H&R Block. Donations made to non- profit religious groups, nonprofit educational groups and non- profit charita- ble groups, which are often referred to as 501(c) (3) organiza- tions, may qualify for deductions. Does a donation have to be money in order for it to be deducted? Noncash donations are eligible for deductions. Do I need to get anything from the organization I donate to? In most instances, charitable organizations must provide donors with certain information in order for donations to be deducted, accord- ing to H&R Block. A receipt that indicates the organization’s name and address and the date and location of the donation must be sub- mitted. In addition, the amount of the donation when donating cash or, in the case of noncash donations, a reasonably detailed description of the items donated. — Metro Creative Connection Deductions and donations: What donors should know22 | The Daily News | Giving Back | December 2021 F ew things are as effective at bring- ing people togeth- er as food. A good meal shared with others is an invitation many people simply can’t pass up, making food a per- fect thing to partner with charitable endeavors. Charitable organiza- tions always can benefit from a little financial help, and well-inten- tioned men and women can raise funds for their favorite charities in vari- ous ways. The following are some food-friendly ways to lend a hand to a favorite charity while also enjoying a good meal. Fundraising food fight Decorum tends to dic- tate how to behave at the dinner table. But even the most well-mannered men, women and chil- dren might welcome the chance to leave decorum at the door if they’re do- ing so for a good cause. Mix a little fun with your food and fundraising by organizing a food fight. Encourage everyone to wear white and then serve an especially messy dish like spaghetti and meatballs. Host the meal on the grass in the back- yard so any shrapnel left behind gets cleaned up by pets or local wildlife. A post-meal pie throw- ing contest can make the food fight that much more fun. Pay-per-plate pig roast Pig roasts are tradi- tionally laid-back affairs where everyone has a good time. A pay-per- plate neighborhood pig roast with friends, family and neighbors can be a great way to mingle with loved ones, meet new people, enjoy great food and raise money for charity. Communal cooking Another great way to use food to raise funds for charity is to organize a communal cooking event. Encourage friends, family, neighbors or fellow members of local religious and/or civic or- ganizations to gather and prepare an assortment of dishes together. The resulting dishes then can be sold bake sale-style with all of the proceeds going to a local charity. Food truck block party The food truck indus- try is booming, and just about any type of cuisine can be prepared on a truck. Combine people’s love of food trucks with a neighborhood block party. Work with food truck vendors, who may be eligible for tax breaks by offering free or dis- counted rates for the day of the party. Encourage neighbors to pitch in for the trucks and organize a 50/50 raffle with the proceeds going to a local charity. Before spread- ing the word about the party, contact your local government to confirm if any permits are neces- sary for special events. Combining food with fundraising is a great way to raise money for local charities. — Metro Creative Connection Combine food and fun to raise funds for charity 6 ways you can help nonprofit organizations from home Charitable organizations recognize the importance of a social media presence, so prospective volunteers can offer to help nonprof- its keep their social media accounts updated and viable. Volunteers with Be My Eyes can provide import- ant assistance to blind or low-vision individuals. Virtual video calls enable volunteers to communi- cate with people directly and provide help. Virtual learning has become the new norm in many different school districts. Parents who may need assistance with chil- dren adapting to remote learning can benefit from quality educators willing to lend their time and skill sets. Organizations may have trouble finding time to keep their websites updated with the latest information. Writers may be needed to keep blogs current, while coders can improve sites and make them more secure. People may have various questions and needs in a time of crisis. Volunteers can be used in retail call centers, online therapy lifelines and even school offices. Remote technology enables calls to be parsed out and answered by volunteers working from home. Translators are always in demand in an increasingly global society. Bilingual men and women can volunteer as translators so their favorite charitable or- ganizations can overcome any language barriers that may exist between their staffs and the people they’re trying to help. Manage social media accounts Assist those without sight Offer tutoring or teaching Design and build websites Assist call centers Translate emails and phone calls — Metro Creative ConnectionDecember 2021 | Giving Back | The Daily News | 23 The Bolivar Point Lighthouse Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the 1872 Bolivar Point Lighthouse for historic and educational purposes. The Bolivar Point Lighthouse is a significant navigational aid to maritime history, and one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Upper Texas Coast. It has served as a refuge for some of the most devastating storms in American history, and was instrumental in the economic development of the area guiding millions of tons of shipping cargo to the region. The Bolivar Point Lighthouse Foundation is on a critical path to the successful preservation of this endangered Texas landmark. Without its immediate repair and restoration, the cupola will likely be toppled by a strong storm, exposing the inner structures to rust and deteriorating beyond help. The Bolivar Point Lighthouse Foundation is committed to rescuing this precious piece of history by fully restoring it. Can we count on you to join us? By making a tax deductible donation, you’ll be directly contributing to a living piece of the history of Texas and the Greater Galveston community. • Do your research. If you plan to give this holiday season or during any time of year, resolve to research charities rather than make knee-jerk donations when the impulse to donate strikes. The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance has reviewed more than 1,000 charities, assessing each on a host of factors that include organizational oversight and program effectiveness. Such reviews are free to access and can help do- nors rest easy knowing they made informed donation decisions. • Volunteer with an organization. This hands-on approach can give a first-hand glimpse in to just how effective a charity’s programs are and how the organiza- tions directs donations. • Look into the organization’s financials. A charity’s financial filings are public record. In the United States, donors can look on Form 990 in the organization’s filing with the Internal Revenue Service. This form indicates if a charity finished the year with positive or negative assets. If it’s the latter, the charity might be suffering from mismanagement or legal troubles that are preventing it from meeting its mission statement. That’s not the case in every instance, but it should at least present a red flag to would-be donors. • Speak with represen- tatives of the charity. Many charities will speak with prospective donors happily. Such organi- zations will be specific regarding how donation dollars are spent, including where your donation will be directed should you decide to go forward. Many will even allow donors to dictate how their donations will be spent, as many donors want to know their money is going toward programs and not organization- al operating costs. — Metro Creative Connection How to vet charities before giving24 | The Daily News | Giving Back | December 2021 OURMISSION Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth in Galveston County and eastern Brazoria County. VISIONOUR All youth achieve their full potential. In partnership with parents/guardians and volunteers, children in our program are achieving: Educational Success Avoidance of risky behaviors Higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships The mission of Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Our vision is for all children to achieve success in life. By partnering with parents/ guardians, volunteers, and others in Galveston County, we are accountable for each child in our program achieving higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships. Collectively, we are contributing to better schools, brighter futures, and stronger communities for all. Like most of Galveston County, the pandemic hit us hard. We had to close the majority of our school- based matches, which directly impacts the youth of our county. The good news is, we are ready to get back into the schools. That’s where you come in. We are currently in need of volunteers to mentor in schools on both the Island and Mainland! In as little as 1 hour a week, you can help us defend potential and literally change a life. Please visit our website @ www.mentorsgc.org for more information. You can also call us @ 409-763-4638. Every child deserves a chance. Every child has potential. Let’s work together to defend that potential!Next >