As we reflect on 2025, everyone at Lafayette Urban Ministry is deeply grateful for your support during a challenging year. Across Greater Lafayette, the struggle has intensified: our 48-bed Emergency Shelter has been full every night; the Protein Food Pantry is on track to surpass 10,000 visits; and our Financial Assistance Program has already distributed more than $160,000 to prevent evictions and restore heat and electricity.

Even so, your generosity made progress possible—expanding food rescue and its impact, strengthening Youth Programs, improving the Emergency Shelter, and sustaining the Winter Warming Station. Because of you, LUM remains a lifeline of help & hope for neighbors in need. As needs continue to grow, your year-end support is more vital than ever. To donate, please visit LUMserve.org/donate, call 765-423-2691, or mail your donation to 420 N 4th Street, Lafayette, IN 47901-2213.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Your generosity plays a vital role in helping LUM fulfill its mission.

With just five day remaining before the end of the year, there is still time to make a meaningful gift that supports Lafayette Urban Ministry and may qualify for important year-end tax benefits.

Your generosity powers the essential work of LUM—providing food, shelter, education, and support to neighbors in need. A contribution made by December 31 helps ensure this work continues into the new year and beyond. As you finalize your year-end giving, now is the time to act. Gifts completed before the end of the year may be eligible for valuable tax advantages, making these final days especially important.

If you are considering a planned or legacy gift, LUM encourages you to act promptly and consult with your financial advisor. For questions or to discuss your giving plans, please contact Steve Mogensen at smogensen@LUMserve.org or 765-423-2691. In the meantime, check out the LUM Legacy Giving Guide.

Thank you for your continued generosity and for standing with LUM. To make a year-end gift today, please visit our website and help us start the new year strong.

Beginning December 24, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service has changed how postmarks are applied. Under the new process, most postmarks will be added by regional processing centers, not at local post offices or mailboxes. As a result, the date shown on your envelope may be several days later than the day you placed it in the mail.

This change may affect date-sensitive mail, including charitable contributions, tax documents, and payments that rely on postmark dates to meet deadlines.

What’s Changing

• Previously: Postmarks typically reflected the date mail was accepted or dropped off.
• New process: Machine-applied postmarks show the date mail enters automated regional processing, which may occur days after mailing.

How to Ensure the Correct Mailing Date

To protect your deadline, donors are encouraged to:

• Request a manual (local) postmark from a USPS clerk at a retail counter
• Obtain a Postage Validation Imprint (PVI) showing the date of acceptance
• Use Certified Mail or Registered Mail, which provides official proof of mailing
• Purchase a Certificate of Mailing for documented verification

Why This Matters

Federal and state agencies—including the IRS—rely on postmark dates to determine whether mail is submitted on time. A delayed postmark could result in a contribution, filing, or payment being considered late, potentially triggering penalties or interest.

For year-end giving and tax-related mail, taking these extra steps can help ensure your gift or documents are recorded as timely.

Give Online - Avoid the Issue

Giving online prevents the postmark delay issue because it provides instant, verifiable proof of the transaction date, bypassing the slow USPS process where machine postmarks get applied days later at regional centers, ensuring your 2025 donation counts for 2025 tax benefits