Eblen Charities Kindness In Action Newsletter : April 17, 2020
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Greetings Eblen Charities friends and family!
The key to getting through difficult times will always be our support systems. No matter the struggle we face; whether it's family & friends, community or a nation and beyond. The support we have for one another, as we all face daily challenges, can bring out the best in each of us at a time in which even the simplest tasks can suddenly feel so overwhelming.
When times are so uncertain, having a rock, someone in your corner supporting you, can make all the difference. YOU are our ROCK and we couldn't do any of this without you. Thank you for being there for us, so we can be there for others.
Please feel free to forward us to your family and friends, and we thank you for all that you do with Eblen Charities!
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Postponements / Cancellations:
Operation Prom Dress on March 21st: Postponed until further notice
The WLOS Spring Clean Coat Drive, originally scheduled for Thursday, April 23rd has been postponed due to COVID-19. Thank you to
WLOS, Carolina Furniture Concepts and Two Men and a Truck
for sponsoring the event.
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Hoops Against Hunger Food Distribution !
More than 200 boxes of food were delivered to the Buncombe County Resource Center housed at Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Discovery Academy
Read full story below.
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Small Donations will add up on
AmazonSmile!
If you are already using Amazon, we would like to remind you that if you use AmazonSmile at
smile.amazon.com
and choose Eblen Charities as your charity this is just one more way to help our community at no extra cost to you.
Read full story below.
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Extra Extra… Read all about it! Or us that is.
Eblen Charities is very proud to launch our new website!
You know we started our Kindness in Action Newsletter last spring and now we are very proud to have a new website to accompany it.
The staff involved in developing the website have worked many hours to update, organize and revise the content in a concise fashion. Whether you are looking for an upcoming event, want to volunteer, donate, look up a past newsletter, or even apply for assistance – it is all there in one place!
We would like to thank our friends at
Applied Solutions Group
here in Asheville at
wncit.com
for their continuous assistance and hosting, not only with the new site but for years previous. They have been a blessing.
If there is any silver lining to postponing events, it is in the fact that our staff has finally been able to take time to work on the site and begin integrating it into a new fundraising system, which will be our next step. This is only a preview of what's to come as the website will be ever changing and updating as we plan events or as programs expand - so please check back frequently.
Please email us with your feedback and suggestions on items to include.
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"Most People" only retire once..
Brenda is NOT "most people"
We wished Brenda off to her second retirement after 17 years helping those in need in our community at Eblen. She came to Eblen after she retired from Department of Social Services after 30 years. She will be missed by our staff and those in our community who were met daily with her big heart!
She would often get notes like this one,
“I would like to say that Brenda was so sweet and helpful today. She made me feel good and did not make me feel bad for having to have a little bit of help today. She is the best worker I have ever had. Thanks Brenda!”
“Brenda was very polite and courteous; She’s a great help in times like these.”
“Thank you Brenda for all you do. You are a very caring and sweet person. Thank you so
much”. “Brenda is a very wonderful and sweet lady”
“I just love her. She always helps with the best she can. Always smiles and makes you feel better. Thank you for just being you Brenda, You’re the best!”
We wish you all the best Brenda! Happy Retirement!
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Enhanced Giving Incentives for Taxpayers
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The CARES Act
Temporary Changes to Charitable Giving Laws
A key aspect of the CARES Act that directly impacts philanthropy is a temporary lifting of the adjusted gross income (AGI) limitation for cash gifts made by individuals to certain charitable organizations. Normally, an individual is limited in the amount of charitable gifts that she may deduct from her federal income taxes in a tax year. For example, taxpayers are typically not able to deduct more than 60 percent of their AGI for cash gifts made to public charities (for those taxpayers who itemize their deductions).
Under the CARES Act, the 60 percent AGI limit will not apply for charitable contributions made in cash during 2020, meaning taxpayers who itemize may deduct up to 100 percent of their AGI for qualifying charitable gifts made this year. This enhanced giving incentive applies to cash contributions only and does not apply to contributions to a donor advised fund or a supporting organization.
Further, there is a temporary above-the-line charitable deduction available for donors who do not itemize deductions on their federal taxes. The CARES Act provides for a maximum deduction of $300 for charitable contributions for taxpayers that elect not to itemize their deductions on their tax returns. As with those who itemize, the deduction does not apply to contributions made to a donor advised fund or a supporting organization.
This article and additonal information can be found at this website:
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Hoops Against Hunger Food Distribution
When more than 200 boxes of food was delivered to the Buncombe County Resource Center housed at Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Discovery Academy, they said they were down to only two food boxes, so it arrived just in time! The Resource Center is organizing donated supplies and delivering them to families facing supply shortages. “We're grateful for community partners like Eblen Charities who link arms with us in facing this COVID-19 crisis head on. Eblen's food donation to our Family Resource Center came at just the right moment and has already been put to work serving local families.” states Buncombe County Schools via Facebook Post.
The more than 10,000 meal and snack items (almost 5,000lbs of food) were collected at the 3rd Annual Hoops Against Hunger Challenge between thirteen area hotels and the Ingles SoCon Basketball Championships! The food was sorted into a variety of items by Eblen Volunteers filling 199 milk boxes with additional boxes of food and Milk Certificates redeemable at Ingles Markets. The food was picked up by the Buncombe County Maintenance Department on March 31st and taken to the Nesbitt Discovery Academy to help families looking for food and have been affected by COVID-19.
Eblen Charities is so grateful to everyone who helped with this food drive, as it couldn't have come at a more important time in our community!
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Choose Eblen Charities when you use AmazonSmile
If you are already using Amazon, we would like to remind you that if you use Amazon Smile at
smile.amazon.com
and choose Eblen Charities as your charity this is just one more way to help our community at no extra cost to you.
A great way to help is by simply sharing this video post in order to inform others in our community.
It could be weeks or months before some of our community members are back to work and Eblen Charities is already seeing many folks who need help with food, utilities, rent, and more. This is just one more way to help us help others!
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You shop. Amazon gives.
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as
Amazon.com
. When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. All you have to do is choose Eblen Charities as your charity, sit back, shop and know your purchase is helping a family in need right here in our community!
With the impact of COVID-19 keeping us from doing normal daily tasks like shopping in stores, AmazonSmile gives us an option to still shop for the things we need and have them delivered to our doors, without leaving our homes and help someone in need. It could be weeks or months before some of our community members are back to work and Eblen Charities is already seeing folks who need help with food, utilities, rent, and more. This is just one more way to help us help others!
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COVID-19 UPDATE
Eblen Charities remains open as an essential business but we will be modifying operations to abide by the guidelines of social distancing.
As much as possible, case workers - who have remained steadfast in their concern and care for the community - will assist clients via phone, fax and email.
PLEASE NOTE THAT EBLEN CHARITIES HAS TRANSITIONED TO SUMMER HOURS BEGINNING WEDNESDAY APRIL 1.
OUR HOURS ARE 9-5 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
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June 9th: ( Staying Hopeful )
The Wicked Weed / Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic 2020 at Etowah Valley Golf and Resort
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The Wicked Weed / Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic 2020 at Etowah Valley Golf and Resort
This year we will host the Thirty-First Annual Wicked Weed Brewing/Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic held on June 9th, at a new beautiful location in Etowah, NC.
We are honored to have our long-time partners and friends at Wicked Weed Brewing joining us for their signature event. Three years ago Wicked Weed and Eblen Charities joined together to create the Wicked Weed Help at Home Emergency Assistance Program, which reaches out to all families in our community who are in need during difficult times. Thousands of families have been served as we continue with the help of the Wicked Weed/Brad Johnson Celebrity Golf Classic.
On Monday, June 8th, we will begin our event with a private Premiere Sponsorship Reception, a special perk for our Premier, Round and Tee Gift sponsors beginning at 5:30pm at Wicked Weed West, located in West Asheville and hosted by our friends from Wicked Weed. On Tuesday, June 9th, we will play at Etowah Valley Golf Club, North Carolina’s Premiere Mountain Golf Resort.
We are grateful to the Etowah Valley Golf Club for joining us this year to hold this fun and very important fundraiser, as this event is instrumental in ensuring Eblen Charities is able to provide assistance to those in need. Last year through our numerous programs, we assisted thousands of local families who are battling the effects of illnesses, disabilities, and hardships. This year, more than ever, will be important to help families who are struggling, as we will see more families than ever before, and families that have never needed assistance due to the hardships of COVID-19. Thanks to this fundraiser, more families will get the help they need!
There will be two shotgun starts: 8:30 am and 2:00 pm. The number of teams is limited. If you are interested or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Julie Johnson at
[email protected]
Many other opportunities are available including $500 hole sponsors, $1000 teams, as well as a Round Sponsorship and a tee gift sponsor. All sponsors will receive a variety of recognition on the course and Eblen outlets.
We hope you will join us for the tournament… enjoying a great day on the course while helping our community recover from these difficult times.
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We thank you so much for the wonderful feedback on our Newsletter reboot and please, don't hesitate to contact us as we'd love to hear your thoughts or suggestions.
If you are a new subscriber you can catch up on previous editions at the links provided here on our website:
eblencharities.org/blog
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