It’s the sixth day of my annual 12 Days of Charitable Giving. Each of the 12 charities that I’ll be featuring in the series was suggested by a reader as a charity that could use a boost this holiday season. I’ll be posting one a day for – well, 12 days (I’m clever that way).
Our sixth charitable organization is Rails to Trails Conservancy. Rails to Trails opened its doors more than 25 years ago in February 1986. A few months later, then Governor John Ashcroft (R-MO) filed the first railbanking application for the 185-mile Katy Trail, and in June 1987 Missouri legislature votes to convert the corridor.
Today, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has as its mission “to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.” Twenty five years after its start, there are nearly 20,000 miles of rail-trail that are used by tens of millions of Americans every year.
It’s easy to find a trail near you. There’s a handy search feature, Trail Link, on the organization’s site where you can even search by activity. You can locate a trail where you can run, go birdwatching, hike, bike, ride your ATV, go horseback riding, skate and even go geocaching (one of my newest interests with the family). Wheelchair accessible trails are also easy to find. The best part? All of these trails were already in use, just as railroad lines.
The most recent Rails to Trails project is the Urban Pathways Initiative. The idea behind the project is that active transportation and recreation options are not always easy available to low-income communities. Urban pathways provide opportunities for healthier living in those communities.
Sound good? You can make a donation by clicking here. You can also donate by phone (1-866-202-9788) or by mail. You can send your check to:
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The Duke Ellington Building
2121 Ward Ct, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20037
A search at irs.gov (which I highly recommend any time you are considering making a donation) confirms that Rails to Trails Conservancy is on the IRS list of charitable organizations as a public charity.
For tax tips to keep in mind when making charitable gifts, check out this prior post.
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