EveryJoe » *Charity

Dog Surf-A-Thon

Kori Ellis — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:34:15 +0000

The Atmosphere Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon 2010 benefiting the Helen Woodward Animal Center was held at the Dog Beach in Del Mar, California on Sunday. That’s right…dogs were surfing. The event supported a great cause and it’s always a good time when you can see a bulldog hanging 10…err, hanging 20.

Images: Tony Forte/ WENN.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Longhorns Send Clothing to Haiti

Allison Boyer — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:14:12 +0000

Texas celebrated during this interception, but unfortunately for the Longhorns, the scene at the end of the game was much different. Image: Newscom

Texas had high hopes when they went into the National Championship Game on January 7. Ultimately, Alabama’s team overcame the Longhorns, and they lost 37-21. Of course the loss was upsetting for the school, but it was also a financial blow. See, they had already had $300,000 worth of clothing printed to celebrate their win.

It’s something that most sports teams going into big games do. Texas paid for around 13,000 shirts and 1,000 caps that could be sold for $20 and $22 respectively as soon as the game ended. Instead of that merchandise going to waste, university spokesperson Casey Ellis says that they’ll be packed up and sent to Haiti to help earthquake victims.

After all, if you’ve just lost everything and are fighting to survive on the streets, you probably don’t really care if your shirt is accurate. Hell, many of the people who will be receiving the shirts and caps don’t even speak English.

The shirts can be used not only to actually wear, but the material can be ripped to make bandages and slings, and they can be sewn together to make blankets or stuff mattresses. The choice to send the clothing there couldn’t have been a hard one. Unless the administrators at Texas want to constantly remind their fans of the loss, sending shirts as far away as possible seems like a good plan.

Post from: EveryJoe

Give…And Get a Tax Deduction

Miranda Marquit — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:49:37 +0000

Of course, the only reason we give shouldn’t be for a tax deduction. But it is a nice bonus that you can get a tax advantage when you choose to donate in order to help others. And, with the holiday season prompting a little more generosity — and the end of the year providing a catalyst for improve tax efficiency — it is little surprise that many are trying to figure out what they can donate. The good news is that there are some tax advantaged ways to give.

You probably already know that you can write a check and deduct that (as long as you have a receipt to back it up in case of audit). But there are a couple of other charitable donation options that can net you a tax advantage:

Investments: You can donate investments that have gained. If you donate an investment that has gained value over the years, you can avoid capital gains on the increase, and you can take a tax deduction for the entire value of the investment. If you want to donate a losing stock, though, you are better off cashing it out, taking the loss (which can be tax advantaged) and then taking the deduction for a cash donation.
Stuff: You can get a tax advantage for donating stuff in good condition. Just make sure that the items are usable, and make sure that you get a receipt from the eligible charity to which you donated the items.

There are plenty of opportunities to give to others this time of year, and if you plan it right, you can receive a financial advantage in addition to the emotional and intangible advantages associated with giving.

Image source: Wikipedia Commons

Post from: EveryJoe