When you incorporate giving into your budget, you reap significant benefits. The greatest reward is knowing you’re making a difference. It’s important to note, however, that there are also potential financial compensations. Your donations can make a noticeable difference in the size of your tax return, particularly if you’re guided by tax accountant specialists like those at the Cedar City-based accountant Adrian D Anderson, MAcc.
With countless nonprofits welcoming your tax-deductible donations, it can be hard to choose where to direct your resources and attention. You might want to start by taking bang-for-your-buck into consideration. Will your contribution go directly to a worthy cause or be funneled into bloated administrative salaries?
If you’re looking for a nonprofit with a streamlined overhead and a dedicated all-volunteer staff, there’s a local charity sure to put a smile on your face.
At The Happy Factory, Helping People Is Child’s Play
Cedar City may not be the North Pole, but it is the site of a workshop where a merry team of “elves” oversees the construction of homemade toys to be given to the boys and girls of the world.
Meet The Happy Factory, a Cedar City nonprofit that has shipped a staggering 1,495,481 toys to children across the globe.
Founders Charles and Donna Cooley started by donating wooden animal toys to the Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City back in 1995. Following an enthusiastic response and a large donation of hardwood scraps, the Cooleys increased their efforts.
Charles started making small cars, which Donna painted. Soon the couple was also making toy deliveries to Shriner’s Hospital and the Humanitarian Center, a charitable arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was through the latter organization that they learned there are some 500 million children in the world without any toys.
Rather than taking this heartbreaking statistic standing down, Charles and Donna created The Happy Factory, named after the joyous smiles of children who receive the nonprofit’s toys.
Volunteers signed on to help and The Happy Factory expanded shipments to needy recipients in the United States and Beyond. The nonprofit delivers toys to young victims of natural disasters and to Native American organizations as well as to children at crisis centers, shelters, churches, schools, medical clinics and orphanages.
Full Steam Ahead
Next, The Happy Foundation began creating large homemade wooden steam shovels that kids can sit on, using the manual controls to manipulate the bucket. These have proven to be invaluable for disabled children, who gain motor skills and confidence through “steam shovel therapy.” To date, 2,610 steam shovels have been delivered to kids around the world.
How You Can Help
If you’re moved by the mission of the Happy Factory, you can help with a financial donation of any size.
The Happy Factory is an all-volunteer organization and wood for the toys is donated. Still, money is needed for wheels and axles and to support factory operations. A little goes a long way, with a $5 donation funding the construction of roughly 10 toys.
You may also want to offer hands-on help, joining a robust task force of volunteers who have collectively donated 82,000 service hours to the nonprofit over the years. Helpers of all ages, from kindergarteners to senior citizens, are welcome to contribute, whether their efforts include toy-making, toy delivery or organizational tasks.
For more information on supporting this winning nonprofit, visit happyfactory.org.
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