Archive for category: Charity

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David Bowie and Iman’s Philanthropic Activities

David-Bowie-and-Iman-Philanthropy
Having been married for two decades, supermodel Iman and heavy-rocker David Bowie have walked a consistent pathway in relieving several communities of hardships pertaining to third-world threats such as the harrowing HIV/AIDS threat.

In late 1990, the dynamic pair participated in a fundraising event, 7th on Sale, for the enhanced medical research in treating and curing AIDS. The pair would go on to serve as recurring donors and participants in foundations that conducted deep, thorough studies of the then-unknown sexual catastrophe throughout the remainder of the 90’s.

But even with impactful collaboration in donor work as a married couple, the pair has never ceased in aiding disadvantaging areas on a separate, individual basis.

In 1998, Iman partnered with fellow philanthropist Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott in a charitable cosmetic line, Misdemeanor Lipstick, where proceeds collected from each item sold were issued to the nonprofit Break the Cycle, an organization that works to minimize domestic hardships and abuse to help young children and teenagers to live safely.

Around this time, other philanthropic measures taken by the supermodel included her support for organizations alleviating the mistreatment against Somali native women, world hunger and HIV/AIDS-related crises. A majority of Iman’s charitable endorsements were further supported through her organization IMAN Cosmetics, which supports the “Raise Hope for Congo Campaign,” an initiative aimed at protecting and empowering Congolese women and girls.

With his spouse generating similar awareness, David Bowie has headlined global concert tours that assist in the betterment of drastic illnesses that take a toll on developing nations. Along with his famous contributions was his feature in the 1985 Live Aid concert, which generated funds to minimize threats of climatic and AIDS-related dangers.

Moreover, Bowie went on to utilize his live performing skills through another charitable opportunity, this time in loose hand-in-hand with wife Iman. In 2006, the groundbreaking rock musician collaborated with Grammy-winning R&B musician Alicia Keys. The two artists sung and performed live at a New York concert as part of Keys’ nonprofit Keep a Child Alive, an organization that works to rid African children of AIDS and poverty-induced restraints.

Iman was also involved in the lively event, as she and comedian Wanda Sykes served as hosts of the event’s black-tie dinner in celebration of the initiative’s planning and success.

It would not be long until Keys and fellow organizers appointed Iman as the initiative’s Global Ambassador for Keep a Child Alive after noting the model’s sincere elements in raising awareness for multiple pandemics across the globe. With a newly designated role, Iman launched not only additional fundraisers to support a variety of causes but also programs like “I am African,” a tool utilized to build awareness of the AIDS pandemic greatly affecting her native Somalian homeland.

As years have progressed, nothing has stopped this power couple’s path to giving back to those in need. With social media tools redefining the nature of networking for a passionate cause, Iman and David Bowie still remain fixated and up-to-date on endorsing as many foundations as they possibly can to improve the world.

– Jeff Varner

Sources: Philly.com, Billboard, CNN, Slice, Iman Cosmetics, Getty Images
Photo: ENCA

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The Body Shop Foundation

Body Shop Foundation
Human rights, the environment and animal protection are all causes that The Body Shop Foundation advocates for.

This charitable company works closely with The Body Shop International, a company that sells beauty and makeup products, making many of The Body Shop products an option to donate to charity.

Since 1989, the foundation has been funding and giving money to different projects around the world that focus on working for a social and environmental change.

Besides The Body Shop beauty products, they create various fundraising activities that allow them to manage their three different grant programs: animal protection, environmental protection and human rights.

In the 2011 values report of The Body Shop International, BSI, the foundation’s money, during the years 2009 and 2010, was spent in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas and Africa Global.

For this foundation, the natural environment means everything, and fighting to preserve and protect the animals and the environment is an important aspect to conserve the planet. Some of the animal and environment protection organizations that The foundation has supported are PAMS, the World Cetacean Alliance, the Orangutan Foundation and Wateraid, among others.

In the human rights area, The foundation has the belief that all basic rights should be given to everyone. The foundation supports organizations that fight for these means and give a voice to those who do not have one. Some of the human rights organizations that the foundation has supported are Cybersmile, Kaibosh, Changing Faces, Compassionate Hearts and Children on the Edge.

According to the 2014 impact report of the foundation, wildlife conservation, animal welfare, climate change, domestic violence, disability, poverty, child protection, access to water, recycling, forest conservation and water conservation were some of the funded issues by the foundation.

As another option, the foundation also provides volunteer opportunities in the areas of London and Littlehampton as another charitable method to advocate for the humanitarian causes they support.

The Body Shop’s 2015 fundraising product is called “Soft Hands Kind Heart.” The product is a hand cream sold in every The Body Shop store worldwide, and every purchase becomes a donation to the foundation.

For every “Soft Hands Kind Heart” cream sold, The Shop will donate £1.50 (US$2.33) to the foundation, helping it with the creation and success of its charitable programs. This beauty and makeup company is making a difference that contributes with the betterment of the world through charitable activities and fundraising projects.

The BSI, working hand in hand with the foundation, is an example of a company that provides and sells quality products to its customers at the same time as it provides donations to the organization. In tandem, it is also able to support and advocate for their three focuses: human rights, environmental protection and animal protection.

– Diana Fernanda Leon

Sources: The Body Shop Foundation 1, The Body Shop Foundation 2, The Body Shop Foundation 3, The Body Shop Foundation 4, The Body Shop Foundation 5, The Body Shop USA
Photo: The Body Shop Foundation

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Charitable Footwear: Is One for One Enough?

Charitable_footwear
Charitable footwear brand TOMS has become a sort of gold standard for companies working toward being ethical. On their website, they boast of having improved maternal health, education and a variety of other areas in life through their “one for one” giving model, which supports these programs for each pair of shoes purchased.

But is this model followed by TOMS and a variety of other companies enough to break the cycle of generational poverty?

Although the model provides aid to those in need, it also does nothing to deal with issues of widespread unemployment and unfair wages. In an interview with GOOD Magazine, international aid expert Saundra Schimmelpfennig described TOMS as “quintessential whites in shining armor.” Critics have accused the one for one model of enforcing stereotypes of the developing world—portraying them as helpless—and as a part of a marketing ploy with a deeper focus on pity than active empowerment.

It is why many top brands, such as Warby Parker and soleRebels, have transitioned to a model of social enterprise, focusing on empowering local businesses and providing fair wages to workers. These brands focus on the idea that breaking the cycle of generational poverty must include the creation of well-paying jobs and greater opportunity for the next generation.

This is not to entirely dismiss the one for one model. This Bar Saves Lives, for instance, is a brand that provides life saving plumpy’nut to children suffering from malnutrition. There is an importance in education that requires similar levels of action.

Still, despite the need for certain programs, the increase of brands focusing on social enterprise perhaps represents a new attitude toward the nature of the charitable business, focusing on empowering as a quintessential part of one’s business model, and not a later effort.

– Andrew Michaels

Sources: TOMS, GOOD, SoleRebels, This Bar Saves Lives, Warby Parker
Photo: Huffington Post

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How Sevenly Raises Awareness and Funds Through Art and Design

Sevenly’s Socially Conscious Brands-TBP
Sevenly has become an outlet to create awareness about different causes around the world and collect funding.

They team up with different charities and organizations to create purchasable art. Every purchase that a person makes results in a donation to charity. People can buy shirts, prints, special edition products and many other things in the Sevenly Finds collection.

Every week, Sevenly chooses a certain charity and organization and gives $7 of each purchase to that charity.

The apparel company was founded in 2011 and, according to an article published by Mashable, Sevenly sold 864 shirts in their first week, raising $6,125 for charity. Sevenly’s mantra is “People Matter,” and they focus on promoting the causes of the charities they work with by creating videos that explain the mission of each one.

According to an article published by the Los Angeles Times, Sevenly makes donations to seven causes—anti-slavery, clean water, hunger relief, medical help, disaster relief, miscellaneous aid and anti-poverty.

Every week that Sevenly chooses a charity, their designers create typography and images that they can put on their t-shirts, bags, hoodies and different products. These products are sold for seven days to raise money for the cause that they are supporting that specific week.

Sevenly also created a project in which each subscribed customer receives a box of different goodies worth $150 of Sevenly’s socially conscious brands. Seven percent of each CAUSEBOX purchased is donated to various charities and world-changing causes.

According to Sevenly’s CAUSEBOX website, the CAUSEBOX is a way to provide meals, education, jobs, water and many other necessities to people around the world that are in need.

A PRWeb’s article mentions that Sevenly’s CAUSEBOX products are specifically created for this box. Each subscriber will have this box delivered every three months and there are two options for subscriptions. Customers can subscribe in a quarterly subscription of $54.95 per box or in an annual subscription of $199.80 that includes 4 boxes a year for $49.95.

Another part of the CAUSEBOX by Sevenly is that subscribers can choose the charity to which their donation goes.

Fans and CAUSEBOX subscribers are able to share their thoughts and love for the causes that this box supports by joining the community with #CAUSEBOXLOVE in social media.

This apparel company has the purpose to support good causes around the world by generating awareness by the products they sell. From shirts and hoodies to jewelry and prints, Sevenly approaches these causes with the use of art and design and raises $7 for each bought product.

CAUSEBOX by Sevenly is a different approach that the company uses to spread awareness and donate to good causes around the world. It is more interactive in that, while subscribers obtain a box worth $150 of Sevenly’s socially conscious brands, they also get to select the cause to which they wish to donate.

– Diana Fernanda Leon

Sources: Mashable, Sevenly 1, Los Angeles Times , Sevenly 2 , PR Web
Photo: Blog

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Geeks for Peace: The Comic-Con Fundraiser

Geeks-For-Peace-Comic-Con

While Comic-Con can be seen by some as only a weekend where nerdy, shut-in individuals gather in flocks for a week of waiting in lines and buying memorabilia from their favorite comic or TV show, it can now also be seen as something greater. More importantly, it can now be seen as an opportunity for charity.

Geeks for Peace is a fundraising event first created by Morgan Spurlock, best known for his work with the movie Super Size Me, after he was presented with the Peace Hero Award by Kids for Peace in 2013.

The event in question will be “a dynamic evening of music, dancing, live art, silent auction, and organic food and drink,” with all proceeds donated to Kids for Peace in order to expand their programs to undeserved youth in the United States, Pakistan, Iraq, Liberia and Kenya.

These programs include providing school supplies, uniforms, books and toiletries to children in need, purchasing beds for children in orphanages, and spreading awareness and educating the public about the issues that these children face.

With tickets selling at $250 each, unique artwork on sale, and several popular television personalities in attendance, the event is expected to raise quite a lot of money for Kids for Peace.

The event will take place on July 10th at the San Diego Comic-Con and will be attended by many popular individuals such as Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad, Frances Fisher, Greg Grunberg from Heroes, Scott Grimes from American Dad and Justified, Efren Ramirez from Napoleon Dynamite, Eddie Matos from Finding Carter and Adrian Pasadar from Heroes and Agents of Shield.

It is admirable to see all of these individuals take time out of their busy schedules to come together for an evening that is for a good cause and will surely make a difference in a child’s life.

– Alysha Biemolt

Sources: Look To the Stars, Geeks For Peace, An Englishman In San Diego, Kids For Peace Global
Photo: Highlight Hollywood

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The Shoe That Grows

The Shoe That Grows - TBP
Idaho native Kenton Lee’s “The Shoe That Grows” has seen quite a bit of media frenzy for its fascinating innovation. An idea that has been in the making since 2007, the unique invention could serve as the answer to those in developing regions who lack shoes.

Following his 2007 graduation from Northwest Nazarene University, aspiring philanthropist Kenton Lee embarked on monthly mission trips from Ecuador to Kenya. What would soon catch his attention was a stop at a Kenyan orphanage, where over 140 children with parents who died from AIDS resided.

While walking to a church, the fresh graduate spotted a 6-year-old girl wearing a white dress and a pair of shoes that were “four- or five-sizes too small.” They were so undersized that holes were made for the girl’s toes to hang out. Lee was also astonished by the unsanitary conditions within the orphanage, including a lack of clean water and on-and-off electricity.

Following the sighting, Lee spoke with the director of the orphanage to seek further information as to why the young girl and others lacked durable footwear. The director disclosed to Lee that shipments of shoe donations were made a year prior, but because those in need happen to be kids, they easily outgrow the shoes as they age. The optimistic designer later found that over 300 million children in developing countries lack shoes, resulting in the contraction of soil-transmitted diseases such as threadworms and Guinea worms.

Upon returning to the United States, Lee sparked an idea that could maintain comfortable footwear to poverty-stricken children in developing regions. That idea was The Shoe That Grows, but Lee knew his plan would not come to light if he did not seek help from a supportive team of volunteers to push his idea into effective force.

The year 2009 would mark Kenton Lee’s founding of Because International, a nonprofit organization to help propel the innovative shoe idea into the media. Following backfire from failed efforts to get big-name shoe companies like Nike onboard, Lee and voluntary members partnered with shoe development company Proof of Concept to pull the “growing shoe” design together.

Lee would explain in an interview with Buzzfeed that the base of the creation is a sandal made with compressed rubber material similar to tires. It was also indicated that the sandal could last up to 10 years with the help of durable leather and heavy-duty buckles.

The optimistic contributor later added in 2011 that the shoe could grow from a size 5 to a size 12, enabling users to adjust their shoe as their feet grow.

In 2012, Kenton Lee shared that, because Proof of Concept undergoes a 16-week shoemaking process, funding support would be urgently needed. Hence, in October 2012, Lee and Because International launched a two-week fundraising campaign via Crowdrise to meet a desired goal of $4,000 in order to produce a prototype of the innovative shoe. When enough money was raised, Lee and his wife traveled back to Kenya to test out 100 prototypes in four schools. Much to his liking, the disadvantaged schoolchildren “loved them,” and with a few tweaks, Lee had the final product ready in 2014.

In October 2014, Idaho news station KTVB was among the first to get a glance of the finished product, and they later disclosed on their official website that each pair would be sold for $10. The following year, British publication Daily Mail noted that the sandal-based wear had increased by $30. However, it also said that if 100 pairs were purchased, the price would be reduced to $12.

Alternately, Because International launched a digital page requesting willing donors to contribute $15 to fill duffle bags with 50 pairs of shoes each. Once filled, each bag is sent off to its destination to aid shoeless people.

While the growing shoe has accumulated praise, a few critics have remained skeptical of its potential performance, arguing that the product will fail like previous similar ideas attempted by other shoemakers. For example, created in 2002, the company INCHworm designed footwear that retained an accordion-like segment that could expand three sizes. However, the product immediately faced criticism when stockers failed to understand its purpose due to the shoe “only filling one niche,” and only serving as a “casual slip-on,” rather than being marketed as a sneaker or a dress shoe. Moreover, its price of over $45 did not sit well with consumers, which resulted in American disinterest and limited production in the United Kingdom.

By a stark contrast, Kenton Lee’s invention is not strictly designed for American sale, but rather for a wider release overseas for the betterment of underprivileged kids. With the global sale in perspective, individuals like Jacksonville State University professor Pam Hill hope the product is not “just limited to tropical or sub-tropical regions,” but is also geared toward children in “inclement [or] snowy” regions who lack the same essentials.

Some have been weary of the product’s production in China, where they hope the procession units will not add any unnecessary material that could pose as a harmful threat to the children. Lee, however, has noted that the factories have been long proponents of Proof of Concept.

With five nonprofit establishments backing the product, alongside a successful $50,000 crowdfunding campaign, 2,500 units have been sold in disadvantaged regions from Colombia and Peru to Kenya and Haiti. The Shoe That Grows is ready to make an impact. But when success is ultimately achieved, what will be next on Lee’s list?

Lee and Because International plan to produce a second project, tentatively titled “A Better Bed-net,” which will supply bedding to orphaned kids in mosquito-infested areas. The bedding is to be equipped with netting that will trap disease-carrying mosquitoes that try to make their way into orphan shelters. For now, Kenton Lee and his supportive network are carefully taking one step at a time to ensure that they are truly living up to their motto: “Making things better by making better things.”

– Jefferson Varner IV

Sources: The Shoe That Grows 1, The Shoe That Grows 2, OregonLive, Buzzfeed, Smithsonian, KTBV, Youtube 1, Daily Mail Online 1, Daily Mail Online 2, Youtube 2, CNN Money, The Cultureist, AOL Money UK, Idaho Entrepreneurs
Photo: Daily Mail

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What Charitable Organization Should I Donate To?

which charitable organization should i donate toBefore you think about participating in a charitable organization, you should do your research. Due to the many charitable organizations that exist within our philanthropic community, some organizations have come to be that do not have charity in mind. In order to understand which organization is beneficial or harmful, it is important to pay attention to the impact of the organization. While numbers on their website may be important, they aren’t everything within the giving equation.

Some organizations have claimed to be nonprofit and have thus exploited a system based on charity. While a contribution may make its way to the intended individual, along the way the amount is decreased for a variety of reasons leaving the final amount received significantly less than the original contribution.

While it is important to realize the many pitfalls of philanthropic donation, it is essential to realize that not all organizations are like this. In some cases, it can mean life or death to those individuals who are on the receiving end of a donation.

For individual giving, it is important to give to a cause that is important to you. While there are many great organizations that help with global hunger like the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Action Against Hunger, or global poverty like Innovations for Poverty Action, ultimately where your donation goes is up to you.

Before donating to that major philanthropic organization that says they have used the money to provide x, y and z, look deeper into their numbers and statistics and decide if your donation will really be making a difference.

A good place to get started with general philanthropic organizations can be found here.

In addition, it is important to know which organizations to generally avoid here.

– Alysha Biemolt

Sources: Marketplace, The Life You Can Save 1Tampa Bay Times, The Life You Can Save 2The Life You Can Save 3, Love to Know
Photo: Needpix.com

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Ex Novo: A Charitable Brewery

Ex-Novo-Charitable-Brewery
A company that unites good beer, good food and good causes seems too good to be true. But the Ex Novo Brewing Company in Portland, touting itself as “a 10-barrel non-profit brewery,” is making this dream a reality.

The charitable brewery was founded by former engineer Joel Gregory, who stated in an interview with Portland Monthly Magazine that he “felt compelled to help in any way.” And with the brewery’s charitable efforts supporting causes such as Mercy Corps’ work with Syrian refugees and the International Justice Mission, Mr. Gregory is helping.

The alcohol industry is not exactly known for its charitable efforts. By taking the growing craft beer craze and using it as an opportunity to do good, Ex Novo is bringing charity to the beer industry, and bringing change to the world.

And they’re doing it deliciously. Food items served at the brewery include bacon, cottage pie and a pork meatball banh mi. Beers include Irish Stouts, IPAs and a variety of Saison brews. In addition, the brewery serves homemade brownies and a stout milkshake.

The first non-profit brewery is receiving nothing but praise for these features. Customers on Yelp praise the non-profit nature of the establishment, along with the charitable brewery’s expansive food and drink menu. Though Ex Novo does not currently bottle or can its beer, it can be found on tap throughout the Portland area.

Opened in July 2014, it would appear that the one-year-old brewery is making a big splash in Portland. And with its delicious menu and good reputation, the organization can change both lives and tastes.

Only time will tell if Ex Novo’s conception of the not-for-profit brewery will have an impact in the beer industry. Through its support of Mercy Corps’ fight to end the cycle of refugee poverty and the International Justice Missions’ fight against global systems of exploitation, Ex Novo is a wonderful example of a local business making a global difference in the fight against poverty.

– Andrew Michaels

Sources: Portland Monthly Magazine, Ex Novo Brewing Company, Yelp, Eater, International Justice Mission, Mercy Corps
Photo: Koperski

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Charity for Every Millennium Development Goal

Millennium Development Goal
Looking to gain some good karma? A Millennium development goal can address many issues ranging from health to HIV/AIDS. This list recommends one great way to support each of the latter four Millennium Development Goals. All charities listed have a score of 96 or higher on Charity Navigator. To see part one of this article, please click here.

Millennium Development Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Where to donate: Direct Relief

Women in low-income countries are at a startling disadvantage when it comes to maternal health. Worldwide, a woman dies from complications during pregnancy or childbirth every two minutes. Even more shocking is the fact that 90 percent of these women die from preventable conditions.

One of Direct Relief’s chief programs works to improve the health of mothers in impoverished countries. The organization’s health services train and equip midwives, provide emergency obstetric care and treat birth-related injuries.

Charity Navigator recently ranked Direct Relief at the top of its “10 of the Best Charities Everyone’s Heard Of” list. When donating to Direct Relief, you can choose to either direct your gift specifically to their Maternal and Child Health programs or let the organization use the money where it is most needed.

Millennium Development Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Where to donate: United Nations Foundation Nothing But Nets

Malaria, a disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, kills over 600,000 people every year. In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is the leading killer of children; one child dies from the disease every 60 seconds.

In 2006, Rick Reilly published an article in Sports Illustrated challenging his readers to donate to the fight against malaria. His column inspired the creation of Nothing But Nets, which in the past nine years has worked with hundreds of thousands of individuals to distribute bed nets throughout Africa. The organization has also partnered with some big names, including the World Health Organization, the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The idea behind Nothing But Nets is simple: when bed nets keep out mosquitoes, fewer people are infected with malaria. The insecticide-treated nets also kill mosquitoes, which helps slow the spread of the disease. This life-saving strategy is also relatively cheap; it costs only $10 to send a net to a family in sub-Saharan Africa.

Millennium Development Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Where to donate: Global Greengrants Fund

Want an organization that works to promote sustainability and social justice? Since 1993, Global Greengrants has provided worthy communities with grants to help them face environmental and social challenges. According to the organization’s website, “Global Greengrants believes local people know best how to address the environmental issues impacting their own lives.”

The Global Greengrants Fund supports over 5,300 projects in 163 countries. Before giving a grant, the organization’s team of Grant Advisors carefully reviews which projects will receive funding. Once chosen, grant recipients use the money to combat issues such as fresh water shortages, biodiversity loss and land rights violations. Women in Ghana, for example, used a Greengrant to prevent a mining company from destroying their freshwater spring. Community members in Indonesia used their Greengrant to keep palm-oil companies from illegally clear-cutting local rainforests.

Millennium Development Goal 8: Global Partnership for Development

What to donate: Your time!

Millennium Development Goal 8 is especially complex. It calls for fairer trade practices, better debt relief services, affordable access to pharmaceutical drugs and new technologies and increased aid for the world’s poorest countries. While all these targets may seem overwhelming, you can advocate to make your support for them heard.

Time can be just as valuable a donation as money. Call or email your Congressional representatives and ask them to support bills such as the Food for Peace Reform Act of 2015. The act would allow U.S. global food aid to reach over eight million more people while saving an estimated $440 million.

Another important bill to support is the Electrify Africa Act, which addresses the target of MDG 8 that calls for increased availability of technology in developing regions. The bill was passed by the House in 2014 but never made it through the Senate. Show your Congressional leaders that the Millenium Development Goal like this matter to you by making a 30-second phone call.

– Caitlin Harrison

To see part one of this article, please click here.

Sources: Direct Relief, Nothing But Nets, Global Greengrants Fund, The Borgen Project
Photo: Flickr

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What are Charitable Contributions?

what-are-Charitable-Contributions

We all know that giving to charity is both personally satisfying, in that it allows us to give to the causes we support, as well as financially satisfying, when we fill out our taxes and collect on deductions.

And that’s great, but what is a charitable contribution?

According to the IRS, “a charitable contribution is a donation or gift to, or for the use of, a qualified organization. It is voluntary and is made without getting, or expecting to get, anything of equal value.”

The IRS states that “qualified organizations include nonprofit groups that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or literary in purpose, or that work to prevent cruelty to children or animals.” Qualified organizations have 501(c)3 status. Whether or not an individual organization is qualified can be found using the IRS Exempt Organizations Select Check tool.

Charitable contributions are not tax deductible for certain organizations. For instance, donations to sports clubs and chambers of commerce are not deductible. Neither are donations to political candidates or labor unions.

Though many people think of charitable contributions as simply consisting of cash, contributions are far from limited to money. Items such as clothing, jewelry and cars are tax deductible to varying degrees when donated. It is important to note that not all noncash contributions are accepted as tax deductible. For instance, service costs cannot be deducted, and blood donated to a blood bank or blood drive cannot be donated for monetary value.

Volunteer work is not deductible. However, costs directly resulting from volunteer work are deductible. For instance, the cost of gasoline used while travelling to and from volunteer work can be deducted.

There is a variety of paperwork which must be filled out in the process of claiming a deduction from a charitable donation. This paperwork depends on the size and nature of the donation. For example, to receive a deduction on any donation of $250 or more, cash or noncash, a receipt is required. Any noncash donation worth $500 or more means filling out IRS form 8383.

The most important thing about charitable contributions, however, won’t be found in tax codes or deductions. It will be found in the satisfying reward of giving time, money, possessions and effort to fight for a cause that you believe in. That’s something to which no monetary value can be assigned.

– Andrew Michaels

Sources: TurboTax Blog, IRS, IRS,
Photo: Business 2 Community