It’s the sixth day of our 12 Days of Charitable Giving! In December, I’ll be focusing on twelve charitable organizations which my readers have nominated as most deserving of your charitable donation. You have a couple more weeks to squeeze in you charitable deduction for tax purposes in 2014 – so why not consider one of our twelve?
Today’s featured charity is The Fugees Family. The Fugees Family is devoted to working with child survivors of war. The organization uses soccer as a way to reach out to refugee children living in the United States.
The Fugees Family began ten years ago when Coach Luma Mufleh started a Fugees team to provide refugee boys with free access to organized soccer. Today, the organization offers year-round soccer for 90 boys and girls aged 10-18, after-school tutoring, soccer for 50 elementary-aged students, an academic enrichment summer camp, and the Fugees Academy, the only school in the country dedicated to refugee education.
Kickstarting education is important for these children since prior to their arrival in the United States, many have been confined to refugee camps where education was not a priority. The Fugees Academy helps students transition to education and away from isolation. As a result, refugee children not only catch up, they thrive.
All soccer coaching is done in English to help improve language skills (many of the children’s families are illiterate or do not speak English at home). Currently 94 boys and girls, ages 11 to 18, from 23 different countries play soccer with the Fugees Family. To continue to play soccer with their teammates, the children must perform satisfactorily in school. Students attend tutoring sessions to keep up and in summer, in partnership with Agnes Scott College, The Fugees Family operates a summer academic program focused on language and math, the arts, and physical fitness.
You can learn more about the Fugees Family from this CBS News Clip – that’s how the reader who submitted this nomination learned about the organization.
So how can you help?
The Fugees Family is always looking to form relationships with organizations and businesses that provide meaningful support to our mission. If you are interested in partnering with The Fugees Family, please contact support@fugeesfamily.org.
The Fugees Family welcomes cash and in-kind donations. To make an in-kind donation, check out the organization’s Amazon wish list. Remember to save receipts from purchases for non-cash donations in order to support your charitable deductions.
You can make a cash donation to help fund scholarships. Donations are accepted by credit card and through Paypal. Remember to annotate your credit card bill to support your deduction – and get a receipt to support your tax deduction.
Finally, you can shop for awesome Fugees Fan gear at our store. Remember that when you purchase merchandise, you don’t get to claim a charitable deduction – even if the proceeds are going to a great cause. If you round your purchase up, or make an additional donation, anything over fair market value may be a charitable donation. Be sure to get a receipt.
As always, you want to make sure that your donation is going to a qualified charitable organization. A search using the IRS’ Exempt Organizations Select Check reveals that Fugees Family Inc. is on the list. To find out more about the work of the organization, check out their website, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
The Fugees Family is located in Georgia. In addition to the opportunity to claim a federal income tax deduction for your donations, Georgia residents and businesses have the option to redirect a portion of their state income tax – up to $1,000 for individuals and up to $10,000 for pass through entities – to scholarships for students at a private school of their choice. It is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. For more information and limitations, check out this page and consult with your tax professional. The Fugees staff is also willing to come to your home or office to discuss the specifics. Contact Lara Wagner (lara@fugeesfamily.org or (404) 398-9562).
Remember, submissions to the 12 Days of Charitable Giving are made by readers and in most cases, I can’t personally vouch for the good work that these folks do. So be generous. But be smart. Do your homework.
For more on making charitable donations, check out some of these prior posts:
- Making Your Gifts Count: 10 Smart Tips For Charitable Giving
- 12 Tips for Year End Charitable Giving
- Ask the taxgirl: Charitable Contributions and Receipts
