MAGNOLIA

CLIPPING SERVICE

(601) 856-0911 I (2G5175S·8610

COMMERCiAL .Il,PPEAl

MEMPHIS, TN

igate INSIDE
you donate
sure they understand to whom CHARITY DONOR HOMEWORK

&ammers and an open

Last-minute checkbook. they are giving before writing that Check charity registratio"s with your state at:

just waiting
The odds are good that in your
to take
a-mail inbox sits a solicitation
advanmge of from some unknown charity nl­
hurried, minding you thar there's still time
to make a tax-deductible donation
end-of-year this year.
Or pemaps you want to begin
contributions the New Year with a giving heart
gifts: It's a Experts say check: said Todd Kelley, director • Tennessee Division of Charitable Solicitations and
you shouldn't be of the division of charitable s0­
busy time at
so eager to give licitations and gaming with the
Gaming at (615) 741-2555 or state.tn.uS/sos/charity
Goodwill drop • Mississippi SecrelJl.l::L2!.Slate. (601) 359-1633 or
sites, I 86 that you give Ull­ Tennessee Department of State.
I'IWW.sos.state.ms.us
wisely. Scam His division is currently inves­
artists abound. so tigating an organization that • Arkansas Attorney General's Office at (501) 682-2007
it's wise to resean:h nonprofit claims to be soliciting to benelit or arkansasag.gov/consumers.html
agencies before donating. veterans. And a few years ago, he • For the tax-exempt status of a non-profit, go to irs.gov
"I would urge people to make Please see SpA";;' 85 • Learn more on giving wisely at memphis.bbb.org

and services, he advised. South. Not aU nonprofit Memphis area began solicit­
Charities must be regis. groups accept donations, and ing fur the Regional Medic.aJ
tered with the state to solicit contnbutions to some mav Center at Memphis, which
and must include financial in­ not be allowable income taX was reporting funding prob­
formation, which is available deductions. lems.
said. another organization online in Tennessee, "For ex:ample,- Crawford
claimed to be a group of pe­ Arkansas and Mississippi. "So when they calied pe0­
said, "thLBetter Business ple it sounded legitimate:
lice officers raising money to
buy bulletproof vests,
•A summarv of their most is
Bureau a-slll(c)(6) non· Crawford said.
recent information is on our pro£itmganization. We don't
'1 think it was Ronald Rea­ Web site, so you as a donor, pay income taxes, but you Area charities have report­
gan who said, 'Trust, but ver­ before you donate, can look . can't donate to us.· ed that the sluggish economy
ifY: • Ketley said, adding that and see how the organization Many law< charities use and unemployment in the
you should ask questions and is spending the money: Kel­ names similar to well-estab­ double-digits have left them
don't feel pressured to give ley said. lished nonprofit groups, so unable to help the grOVi'ing
on the spot. Donors should know the you should pay attention, the number of people in need. I
Get the organization to difference between tax-ex­ experts said. "I think thar makes it even
provide a percentage break· empt and tax-deductible, The scanuners also follow more important for thoSE
down of how much money said Nancy Crawford, direc­ natural disasters and head­ people who are giving to give
goes to administration and tor of marketiug and commu­ lines in the news, Crawford to charities who are spending
fundrnising, and how much nications wfth the Belter said. their money wisely: Kelley
goes toward the programs Business Bureau of the Mid- Recently, someone in the said.