Fall is officially upon us. Before we know it, the holiday season will arrive and we’ll be ringing in 2025.
People commonly make charitable donations at the end of the year, with its focus on gratitude and giving. This means that now is the time to plan ahead and think about how you want to contribute to causes that are important to you.
For nonprofits, gifts of money, time and supplies are incredibly valued—they are what make the work possible, after all. At Better Together Animal Alliance, we rely on these contributions. We can’t help our community’s pets without support from our community members.
Giving also has tangible benefits for the donor, besides making you feel good. Charitable contributions of money or property may be tax deductible, which could mean you end up paying less in taxes. (Each situation is different, so talk to your accountant to confirm.) This is why thinking ahead has another benefit, since donations you make before the end of the year may be deductible for 2024 tax purposes.
There are many ways you can help, even if you aren’t able to make a monetary donation:
- Celebrate Giving Tuesday. On the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes Giving Tuesday, when many nonprofits run fundraisers. They often get donations from that day matched by donors, for double the impact. For example: On Giving Tuesday, a young philanthropist and his siblings sell baked goods at Better Together Animal Alliance. All proceeds are donated to us, and a generous couple matches the amount. Last year, he raised a whopping $17,000, so this couple also donated $17,000—meaning we raised $34,000, which is incredibly impactful and allows us to do our lifesaving work. So, stop by on December 3 to get some treats or donate! (That’s not all we have in store for December. Donations for the month will be matched up to $25,000, courtesy of another kind donor.)
- Commit to a monthly donation. At Better Together Animal Alliance, these can start at just $5 per month. Monthly donations are the unsung hero for nonprofits, providing predictable income throughout the year so groups can focus on their missions.
- Leave a gift in your will, estate, or trust. It’s a wonderful way to know you will make an impact for years to come. As with other donations, planned giving has tax benefits as well.
- Buy needed items. A shelter goes through a lot of food and supplies daily. You can help make sure we have everything on hand to keep our animals comfortable and healthy. Check out the wishlist on our website. Then you can drop off supplies in donation bins at stores throughout our community or send an online order directly to us.
- Donate your time by volunteering or fostering. Nonprofits seek volunteers for virtually everything. Better Together Animal Alliance volunteers walk dogs, socialize cats, clean kennels, do laundry, work in our thrift store, provide legal and veterinary services, photograph animals, and more. Additionally, fostering is a wonderful form of volunteering, and you get the benefit of having a pet without the financial responsibility. We provide food, medication, and other basic supplies. Fostering helps two animals at once—not just the one you get out of the shelter, but the one who the shelter is able to take in with a free kennel space.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there are many more ways you can get involved with us. We thank you in advance! To learn about more giving opportunities, visit our Ways to Give page.
