I am a Lions Club member and wondered if the money I spend on dues and auto are considered charitable contributions per IRS rules? Is Lions a 501(c)3 organization? Please give reference. Thanks.
No, your dues are not deductible as a charitable contribution. Any donations that you make above and beyond the annual dues ARE deductible, however.
My local humane society is on the verge of closing due to lack of donations. Food, money, cleaning supplies, etc. The unfortunate part of them closing, they eventually will have to put down all of the animals if no other shelters will take them. There are just under 200 cats & dogs in this shelter. What can an individual do?
Our local shelter got together with our local grocery store.
There’s a section in the store where I can buy a bag for 5, 10, or 20 dollars. In each bag are items the shelter needs. I buy a bag each time I shop there.
My vet office has a coffee can on their counter for cash donations. I also can buy cat/dog food in large bags to donate.
Important thing is to get the word out to people.
I work with St. Vincent de Paul and we are looking to raise $20,000 to help send children in our community to summer camp. Last year we didnt need donations, but the help that we received last year has pulled out and we need to raise the money. As a charity, at most we can afford to put in $1600 from our own funds. I would love to just raise the entire amount and not dip into our own funds so that our money can be used for other things. We have a letter drafted out with official letterhead but I am having a heck of a time getting out there in front of the people who need to see it.
My company has a community service comittee that they basically force new employees to be on. so i have to actually seek out charities so we can have events.
I’m sure some other companies have this type of thing too. You can call, explain yourself, and ask if there is a Community Service or Social Commitee that takes care of charity events.
If they don’t you might ask simply to speak to the person who’s usually in charge of organizing events. they might not have a designated person, but in my experience most places have this "chearleader"- type employee that just likes to get everyone involved in something — you know– that one co-worker that is always smiling and tries to make you sign up for the christmas potluck. 
I’m trying to find plasma donation places in mid michigan other than the bio-life in Mt Pleasant…they screwed up in their computer system and put that I had a tattoo that is new, when it isn’t. They won’t believe me that it’s over 2 years old and they deferred me from donating. I’d like to find another center to donate at but can’t seem to find any on the internet. Obviously, I want to go someplace that pays for the donations just like biolife does.
Talecris Plasma Resources as two centers in Michigan and pays the most for Plasma Donations.
Saganaw and Flint are the only two for this company.
$40.00 for your first donation and $60.00 for your second.
Visit talecrsplasma.com
I’m not sure I even know what getting donations as tax write-offs means, but I remember when my mother used to donate a lot of old things to Goodwill when I was a kid, she’d get receipts and use her donations as tax write-offs.
Can somebody explain just what this means? And how I might be able to do it, myself?
Judy’s answer is right on target! To get a feel for what your stuff is worth, you can download Goodwill’s valuation guide.
Here’s a link – scroll down toward the bottom to get the guide:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4836954_donate-goodwill-charity.html
All donated furniture is given to our newly resettled refugees clients in LAs Vegas, NV. Contact:
Byron Williams
African Community Center
702-836-3324
byron.williams@ecdcinternational.org
You could give flyers to certain neighborhoods indicating a pick-up day. Then tell them to leave the furniture on the front porch or in the yard clearly marked with a note that it is a donation for you organization. You can follow up with a call the night before to confirm. Then go pick up the items.
Another thing you can do is to contact people who are having yard sales and let them know who you are, what your organizaion wants to do and then ask for donations for any items of furniture that is not sold.
You can post flyers in stores for people to call for a pick up of items they want to donate.
Don’t forget to do business to business calling to ask for old furniture. Many offices have things they are replacing and would be willing to donate.
Maybe you could get a spot on radio or tv or in the newspaper reserved for announcements for non-profits activities.
Good Luck with your cause! Sounds great!
We have several kids that need clothing such as jackets, sweaters, sweat pants, t-shirts and socks. We don’t have the funding to buy these items so I thought this year instead of asking for toys we could ask of clothes. Can anybody out there help my cause? These are good kids that are very involved in our community and I would really like to help them out.
Check with your local chamber of commerce. Or national
charities.
I am conteplating starting a non-profit business, but would like to outsource some of the work of calling business for charity cash or stocks.
Look for professional fundraisers but be careful and get references.
Check out www.afpnet.org for more information.
I donated to the Victorian Bushfire Disaster however i am sceptical as to how much of the donations actually reach the victims. Donations made to commonwealth bank and salvation army websites are more trustworthy but what about colse and other places that merely claim the donation box will be sent to those in need?
yeah im not donating…who knows where it goes. Some might make a healthy profit out of it in the end
Our center helps women and women with children recover from drug and alcohol dependency. All of the proceeds from our thrift shop go to help benefit the center. I need help with ideas/suggestions on where to go to solicit more clothing donations. Our store is very small, but can also handle small knick-knacks, or pieces of furniture. We also sell accessories, such as purses, shoes, hats, belts and jewelry. Thank you all for you time and considerations with this matter.
How about flyers at gyms and weight loss centers?? Ladies will be looking for someplace to get rid of the "old" clothes that no longer fit. Oh, and of course, the beauty parlor!!
Ads in local PennySaver, newspaper.
Perhaps a pizza parlor or sandwich shop would be willing to offer free chips, drinks, slice, for each piece of clothing brought in on a certain day or date.
Contact a local college sorority. Could make it part of pledge night or initiation.
Check with drycleaners and laudromats for unclaimed clothing.
Good luck! And God Bless for the great work you are doing!!