2010 -- A Great Year You Can Help Make Even Better
The end of the year is fast approaching, and between now and then the focus rightly should be on family and friends. However, we hope you will take a few minutes to think of others, and consider stepping outside the box a bit so as to do a bit more for charity.
First, many companies and individuals make the majority of their charitable donations between now and 31 December. This means that now is the time to see if your company might be willing to make a matching contribution, or a straight up contribution, to Cooking with the Troops. Companies sometimes do have regular charities they support; but, they also look to see what their employees support by word and deed. A number of individuals are looking for a way to do some good, and get a last tax break in the process. If you let your employer, companies you do business with, community leaders, and friends know about Cooking with the Troops, and your support of same, it can do us a lot of good -- and we can do a lot of good for the troops in turn.
Second, consider making a pledge of a set amount each month. It doesn't have to be much, as every bit helps. It helps us to know that we can count on a certain amount coming in each month. Planning becomes easier, and it allows us to plan the least we can do even as we work towards the most we can do.
Third, this is a great time of year to ask companies and individuals about planned giving programs (PGPs). Planned giving programs allow charities to be formally worked into a regular program of donations and support, that can cover everything from small yearly donations to larger monthly donations to inclusion in trusts and more. Check to see if your employer, friends, or philanthropic community leaders have a PGP, and recommend Cooking with the Troops for them if they do. We are ready to work with them to provide documentation and information to help with such an effort.
Fourth, we really do appreciate it when you provide suggestions of companies to approach for donations. However, it is even more appreciated when you can provide a point of contact for a company as well. If we just get the name of a company, we have to do research to try to determine who to approach there, what they want, and how they want to get such requests. If we don't do any one step properly, it not only puts us out of the running then, but with some companies it can mean that we won't be considered for years to come. Doing that research can and does easily take hours of time, and as we are an all volunteer organization, most of us only have an hour or so a day (at best) to get everything done we have to do. If you know someone at the company, who is willing to be contacted and help us do things right, it is a tremendous help to us and is far more likely to get a successful outcome. Please do send suggestions, but the more information you can provide the better.
Thank you all for your support this year. We have moved faster and further, and done more for U.S. and Allied troops, families, and caregivers, than we could have dared dream. Without you, it would not have been possible. Thank you.
