Business: Trends impacting year-end giving

4 Business

Trends impacting year-end giving

by Phil Hanson, President & CEO, Truman Heartland Community Foundation

The whole COVID experience has somehow warped time for me. It feels like just a few weeks ago my wife and I were hiking through Glacier National Park on one of the hottest days on record, and now it’s nearly Thanksgiving. It’s hard to believe we are now in the fourth quarter of 2021, but the chill in the air and fading daylight are sure signs the year-end will be here before we know it. The year-end holiday season is always the big charitable giving season, and many nonprofits depend on strong support during this time. As I mentioned in my August column, overall charitable giving increased 3.8 percent in 2020 and totaled $471.44 Billion. This was great news that even during a pandemic and the shutdown of the economy resulting in the loss of 9.6 million jobs, our fellow citizens continued their tradition of generosity. And individual giving leads the way comprising 78 percent of total giving. There has been a concerning trend identified regarding charitable giving. A study conducted by the Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy found that the percent of households making charitable gifts has dropped over time from two-thirds of households to under half. The declines have been especially steep with middle- and low-income donors. Strong contributions from wealthy households have helped overall, giving rise to 88 percent of affluent households donating in 2020. A group of the nation’s largest foundations (including the Kauffman Foundation) and other philanthropy leaders have recently announced the public kickoff of a campaign to drive greater giving of time and money, especially among middle-and lowincome Americans. The Generosity Commission created by this group has plans to “build broad national momentum and bipartisan congressional support for positive change to reimagine generosity across America.” Their timeline is by the fall of 2023 to offer its final recommendations. As I hear updates, I plan on sharing those in future columns. The Truman Heartland Community Foundation has the privilege of supporting the charitable giving of some of our community’s most generous people. And many of them would not be classified as “wealthy.” You can establish a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with a $5,000 contribution. Having a DAF enables you to use cash and other assets to support your charitable giving, enabling you to give more to your favorite charities and causes. Now is a great time to start planning your year-end charitable giving. As you do, here are a few things to keep in mind. If you have an IRA and are over age 70 ½, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA directly to a charity is a tax-wise way to give. Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) were put on hold in 2020 but are required again in 2021. A QCD will count towards your RMD, and you won’t pay taxes on the withdrawal. Due to the CARES Act, individuals who take the standard tax deduction can deduct up to $300 in charitable giving in 2021, and married couples who file joint returns can deduct up to $600. This is a significant change, as, before the CARES Act, taxpayers who take the standard deduction could not take any deductions for charitable gifts. We hope this provision will be made permanent, but it currently expires at year-end. I am sure it is one of those changes the Generosity Commission will be promoting. Most people cannot itemize and take the standard deduction on their tax returns with the higher standard deduction. Charitable bunching utilizing your DAF may be a good strategy. By bunching several years of charitable giving in one year and putting that gift in your DAF, you can exceed the standard deduction and see some tax savings result from your charitable giving. You then continue supporting your favorite charities through grants from your DAF for several years while taking the standard deduction. The clock is ticking. Don’t let the time -warp get you, or you may blink, and it will be spring, and you will have missed the opportunity to create positive change through your thoughtful giving. I hope you will take a few minutes to develop your plan, and please continue to be generous. We have lots of great organizations in our community that are counting on our support.

Phil Hanson is the president and CEO of Truman Heartland Community Foundation. Truman Heartland Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity committed to improving the communities in and around Eastern Jackson County through partnerships with donors and community members. For more information on charitable giving, visit www.thcf.org or call Truman Heartland at 816-836-8189.

POLICE continued from page 1

a study group to assist Hoefer Welker in the process. The study group includes 7 members, two representatives from each of the City’s three wards, and an at -large representative, Dr. Amanda Allen, principal at Grain Valley North Middle School. Wayne Geiger, Andrew Powell, Lance Schefers, Maegan Spencer, Luis Virgil, and Jo Anne Wasson-Honeywell have been appointed to serve on the study group. The group met at the Community Center with representatives from Hoefer Welker on October 26th to set goals and a schedule of meetings and site visits to other metro area civic buildings to assist in developing a plan for Grain Valley. In addition to ensuring the project is financially sound and accommodates growth projections for the City, the group agreed their goals also include developing a facility that best fits the needs of the Grain Valley community, serves the police department well, and is easily accessible. Following their initial meeting, the group toured the current police station located in the City Hall building. Chief James Beale, escorted the group throughout the facility, noting the areas in which the current facility is lacking. Besides the obvious deficits in terms of space for staff to meet, securely store files, and interview victims of crime in a private and comfortable space, Beale noted several areas of concern for the study group. The lack of a cover in the sally port (a secured entry way) and stairs leading up to the doors to the processing and holding area present safety risks for officers and those in their care. Sheet rock walls in holding cells in lieu of brick or cinder block walls also present security risks, and substandard doors in holding cells have been fortified with additional locks after prior failures. The reception area and windows lack bulletproof glass, and this limited space for case files to be securely stored. Detectives share small office spaces, creating a less than private and comfortable experience for victims to be interviewed, according to Beale. The study group will next tour several police and civic buildings in the metro area to gather ideas for the proposed building in Grain Valley. A larger community event will be planned for citizens to learn more about the project and provide input.

Girls tennis team finishes fourth at State in first appearance as a team

The Grain Valley High School girls tennis team finished fourth in the Class 2 State Championship last week. This is the team’s first appearance in the State competition. Photo credit: Grain Valley Tennis

The Grain Valley Marching Eagles placed seventh at the 2021 Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional Championships on October 23rd. Photo credit: Valley News staff

Marching Eagles place 7th at St. Louis Super Regional Championships

GRAIN VALLEY NEWS

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6 Your Health

Providing better care to loved ones with diabetes

(StatePoint) More than 34 million Americans are living with diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 90-95 percent of those diagnosed have Type 2 diabetes. With many Americans having deferred medical care since the start of the pandemic, delayed or overdue diabetes diagnoses are expected in the coming months. Experts encourage those living with diabetes and their loved ones to navigate the disease head -on and with confidence. “Instructions given to those with a new diabetes diagnosis at the hospital are often one-size-fits-all and can feel rigid, so it’s fairly typical for a diagnosis to be met with some resistance or even denial at first,” says Jennifer Sheets, president and CEO of Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation’s leading franchise network of home healthcare, personal care, healthcare staffing, and hospice services. As Sheets explains, a holistic, personalized approach to diabetes care can lessen symptoms while improving the quality of life for the individual impacted -- and their loved ones, and new resources can help your family find its footing. One such resource is “Caring for a Loved One With Diabetes,” a new guide from Interim HealthCare Inc. The latest offering in its HomeLife Enrichment series, the guide equips families with tools to care for the whole individual, not just one facet of diabetes management, including mind, body, and spirit, as well as the family dimension. According to Interim HealthCare Inc., this wide-angle approach can lead to more compassionate care, improved health and a positive outlook amid health challenges. Sheets also suggests that families consider professional home-based care, which can serve not only as an educational extension of the doctor’s office, but an opportunity to tailor care in a personal way that makes sense to the patient. “Making the lifestyle changes recommended by a physician after a diabetes diagnosis can be overwhelming,” explains Sheets. “By extending the education provided by a physician into a ‘real-life’ setting, home health clinicians and paraprofessionals get a total view of the patient to tailor a realistic and effective care plan.” In the case of Interim HealthCare, which is anchored by more than 25 years in diabetic chronic care, its proprietary training programs enable home health clinicians and paraprofessionals to provide valuable education and assistance in familiar surroundings -- at home or in assisted living communities. This intimate, unedited view into an individual’s daily life results in care plans accounting for a patient’s specific needs, personal motivations and unspoken obstacles, for improved health management and ideally, a more rewarding and better quality of life. “Patients are often more comfortable sharing with a home-based health professional than their doctor what their actual habits are. Whether it’s the occasional drink or consumption of food with lesser nutritional value, once a clinician knows what their patient is truly dealing with, they can help the patient make practical adjustments that can become part of everyday life and with that confidence, kickstart a new understanding and better management of their diabetes,” says Sheets. To download the free diabetes caregiver guide, now also available in Spanish, visit info.interimhealthcare.com/diabetesguide. To learn more about Interim HealthCare’s diabetes care program, contact a locally owned and operated office. Access the office locator at interimhealthcare.com/locations/. “With knowledge and the power that unique home-centered care provides, living well with diabetes is absolutely possible,” says Sheets.

COVID-19 vaccine myths busted

(StatePoint) COVID-19 vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and highly effective at reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalizations and death. Unfortunately, misinformation and pervasive myths continue to sow doubt, leaving many unprotected. Roughly 99% of deaths linked to COVID-19 in the latest wave -- and the vast majority of cases involving severe symptoms that require hospitalization - were among patients who weren’t fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “With high levels of community spread of COVID-19, we’re once again fighting a two-front war: against the virus and against rampant misinformation,” says American Medical Association president, Gerald E. Harmon, M.D. Here are some of the top myths physicians are hearing and what you need to know: --Can COVID-19 vaccines impact fertility? Risks to fertility or the ability to become pregnant after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine were disproven through clinical trials and real-world data points. While pregnant women weren’t specifically targeted for vaccine trials, several participants became pregnant without issue during the trial duration and there’s been no demonstrated real-world impact on fertility. Moreover, COVID-19 itself carries significant risks for pregnant women, including higher risks of preterm labor and stillbirth, and higher risks of hypertension and pneumonia for pregnant women. There’s also no evidence showing that COVID-19 vaccines affect male fertility. --Can vaccinated people “shed” spike proteins, affecting those close to them? Vaccine shedding can only occur when a vaccine contains a weakened version of the virus. None of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States contain a live virus, so it’s not biologically possible for a vaccinated person to affect an unvaccinated person by proxy or by “shedding” spike proteins. --I’ve already had COVID-19. Do I need the vaccine? Yes, the data shows that unvaccinated individuals are more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated after initially contracting the virus. Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and those around you.

--Why do I need the vaccine if breakthrough infections are possible? Some fully vaccinated people will still get sick because no vaccine is 100% effective. However, data show that vaccination may make COVID-19 symptoms less severe. The vaccines have also been shown to provide substantial protection against death and hospitalization in cases of breakthrough infection. --I’m young and healthy. Do I really need the vaccine? Many young, previously healthy people have gotten seriously ill or died from COVID-19, and those numbers are increasing with new, more transmissible variants. There’s no way to predict how you’ll respond to infection. Additionally, vaccines help prevent you from carrying the virus and transmitting it to others. Reducing the number of unvaccinated people will mitigate transmission of the virus. --I have allergies. Should I be worried about a reaction to the vaccine? There have been very rare (2.5-5 people per million) reports of severe (anaphylactic) allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. Having severe allergic reactions to certain foods, bee stings or oral medications doesn’t mean you will have an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccination sites are prepared to evaluate and handle these situations on individual bases. More fact-based vaccine information can be found by visiting cdc.gov or getvaccineanswers.org. “The evidence around vaccinations is abundantly clear; they’re safe, effective and will help protect you and your loved ones from severe COVID and death,” says Dr. Harmon. “If you have questions about the vaccine, its safety, or effectiveness, please speak to your physician. We are here for you, eager to answer your questions, and get you protected from this virus.”

Tips to ease the pain of holiday shipping

(StatePoint) Holiday plans may look different again this year. Some families will choose to host small gatherings, while others may celebrate from the comfort of home instead of traveling. If you won’t be spending the holidays with loved ones—and if this season is anything like 2020—you’ll likely be shipping gifts. Here’s how to ensure a timely, damage-free arrival.

Be Aware of Shipping Deadlines

Each year, the United States Postal Service and other major shipping companies release deadlines to help people plan timely delivery of packages during their busiest season of the year. Whether you’ll manually ship gifts or order them online, prioritizing these deadlines is key. Give yourself ample time. Aim to have packages shipped about 10-12 days before the holiday. The USPS recommends no later than December 15, 2021 for ground shipping.

Invest in a Quality Box. While it may be tempting to use any old box you have hanging out in the garage, worndown boxes are much more likely to crumple in-transit. Additionally, if the package is too big for its contents, you risk things rolling or shaking; if it’s too small, you risk tearing and breaking. With this in mind, consider investing in new, quality boxes, like Duck Brand Kraft Box. They are cost-effective, made from recycled, durable materials, and are available in a variety of sizes, all of which meet postal regulations, so you can pick the best fit that protects from damage, while keeping shipping costs down.

Pick Proper Packing Tape. If you’re going to invest in shipping supplies, don’t forget to include a strong, easy-touse packing tape. Lower-quality options may lead to splitting or tearing, which is a recipe for disaster when shipping holiday presents (or even for storing décor until next year). Duck Max Strength Packing Tape offers premium quality and tough adhesion, to keep boxes and packages secure during shipping. Stronger and more durable than ordinary tapes, this packing tape is designed to seal even the heaviest boxes safely and securely to help prevent items inside from being damaged during delivery. Add an Extra Layer of Protection. Handle fragile packages with extra care by including the all-important layer of bubble cushioning. BUBBLE WRAP brand cushioning easily conforms around treasured objects and helps prevent shifts and damage during shipping. The product’s Air Lock Technology maintains consistent, light-as-air cushioning while filling empty voids in boxes, so items stay put. For best protection, make sure the bubbles are facing your gift to cushion impact. Other special touches to your longdistance holiday delivery could be including a thoughtful note or adding a drop of essential oil to the ribbon. The holidays can be stressful. When you plan ahead and have the proper supplies on-hand, you’ll be able to quickly cross “ship holiday gifts” off your to-do list and enjoy the magic of the season.

Solution to last week’s puzzle.