Consider an online charitable gift

To the editor:

This holiday season, give the gift that really counts— the gift of giving! An online charitable gift can be one of the simplest— and most meaningful— gifts to give.

Network for Good, a charitable online processor, reported that the average donation amount is much higher during the holiday season. In December 2010, the average gift was $142 versus an average of $91 for the year. More than 30 percent of annual giving via Network for Good’s donation processing system is during December— with 10 percent of the donations they process annually coming on the last two days of the year.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region has just unveiled a new web site, www.cfdrr.org, with online donations available for the first time. I personally made the first gift through our secure online formand instantly received an email receipt at my home email, as well as a notification of the gift at the foundation.

Of course, millions of year-end gifts are mailed to charitable organizations around the world. One potential problem with mailed donations is the busy postal system. Around 19 billion cards, letters, and packages are delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. Dec. 15 is the busiest mail day of the year. On that day, the postal service processes 40 percent more mail than on an average day.

You must keep a bank record or written communication froma charity including the charity’s name, along with the date and amount of your contribution, in order to deduct a cash contribution.

Maximum tax benefits depend on timing. Your credit card gift is effective for tax purposes on the date the card is charged. An online charitable gift is immediately processed and receipted! Of course, credit card gifts can also be done over the phone but you may need to check with your favorite charities’ holiday office hours first.

And, of course, what better way to recognize friends, neighbors, and family members than with a gift in their honor to their favorite charitable cause?

DEBRA L. DODSON

Executive Director

Community Foundation of the Dan River Region