Blessing Foundation Blog

Ways on How Blessing Foundation Supports Diabetic Patients

credentials@gray.tv (Gray Digital) — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 13:04:58 GMT

Diabetes is a chronic illness in which blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, is above normal. Glucose, which comes from the food we eat, is used by the body as energy. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin that regulates blood sugar. When the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body cannot use its own insulin effectively, diabetes occurs.

If not controlled properly, this disease can lead to a variety of health complications over time. Elevated blood sugar levels can cause cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, coma, blindness, and foot soreness.

Because diabetes is a long-lasting health condition with no known cure, diabetic individuals must manage their illness to stay healthy. As a result, they pay twice as much on their medical costs compared to those without the disease.

Higher expenditures can add stress to diabetics, especially if they are impoverished. Fortunately, they can be supported by diabetes charities like Blessing Foundation. This charitable foundation oversees over 60 funds, one of which is the Diabetes Patient Care Fund.

Donations for this fund help financially struggling patients who are treated at the Blessing Diabetes Center in Quincy, IL. Here are the following ways they are assisted by the charity:

Pay Medical Bills

Checkups, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits can be costly for diabetic individuals. The non-profit foundation can alleviate this problem by footing the bill for patients who can’t afford their medical expenses.

Subsidize Necessary Supplies and Medication

Aside from hospital visits, people with diabetes need medication and supplies to keep their disease in check. Insulin, nebulizer, diabetic footwear, nutritional supplement, and insulin pump are some of what people with diabetes need. The charitable organization steps in and provides financial aid so the patients can buy these necessities.

Help Buy Basic Necessities

Diabetic individuals who have low household incomes can end up in a tight spot, choosing between their medication and food. They can avoid this situation because donated gifts to the Diabetic Patient Care Fund can help them afford groceries. This is crucial because they need proper diet and nutrition to control their disease. The organization can also arrange their transportation for needed grocery runs.

Donate Today and Make a Difference

Blessing Foundation is one of the many diabetes charities you can donate to. Contact our charitable foundation today to learn more about how your charitable giving impacts the lives of diabetic patients in Quincy, IL and the surrounding communities.

Charitable Contribution Deduction: What You Need To Know

credentials@gray.tv (Gray Digital) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 12:03:25 GMT

One way of helping a cause you believe in is through charitable giving. This act of altruism can benefit people in need, but it can also be favorable for you because you can claim a charitable contribution deduction. This allows you to deduct charitable donations from your taxable income. Here are essential details you need to know to claim deductions for your contributions:

Give Cash or Noncash Contributions

Consider donating cash contributions or properties, which are both tax deductibles. For monetary gifts, you can give cash, check, and credit. For noncash contributions like vehicles, jewelry, and artworks, their prices must be determined at a fair market value. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can allow deductions for these donated goods or properties if they are in good or better conditions when appraised.

However, you need to fill out Form 8283, a tax document for reporting certain noncash charitable contributions to the IRS, if they have a value exceeding $500. This paperwork must be filed along with your tax return.

Donate to a Qualified Charity

You can only deduct your donations if you give them to qualified charities. These include churches and other religious organizations, philanthropic groups, nonprofit veterans’ organizations, nonprofit cemeteries, child or animal abuse prevention organizations, and fraternal lodge groups.

These charities must meet the 501(c)(3) requirements of the IRS code. Check if the organization has a tax-exempt status on the IRS website. You can also ensure that the charity is nonprofit by consulting with a tax professional.

Record Your Charitable Giving

Always keep written records of your contributions. For every charitable giving, you need to include details like the amount, donation date, and the name of the organization that received the gift. Bank and credit card statements, as well as canceled checks, are great examples of records you can present to the IRS when you claim your deductions. Moreover, keep any written letters of acknowledgment from charities for donations worth $250 or more.

Contribute to a Charitable Foundation Today!

Now that you know what you can do to deduct your contributions, consider donating to a charitable foundation . Claim your deduction when you give to Blessing Foundation. Learn how your donations can help patients in Quincy, IL, and nearby communities. Contact us today!

How Contributing to Charity Affects Your Tax Return

credentials@gray.tv (Gray Digital) — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:39:34 GMT

Many people donate to charity as a way of helping others and supporting causes. Giving charitable contributions can benefit the world, but doing this selfless act can also benefit you through federal taxes reduction. If you want to maximize your charity tax deduction, there are a few elements you need to consider. Here are three factors that can affect your tax bill when you give charitable donations:

What Qualified Charities You Donate To

The recipient of your contribution affects your potential tax benefits. Ensure that your chosen nonprofit organization is tax-exempt. You can only give tax-deductible donations to qualified charities with 501(c)(3) status. Verify their legitimacy and tax-exempt status by checking their data with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Keep in mind that you need receipts for your charitable giving in order to claim tax breaks with the IRS. Some charities require a minimum donation before you can request a bank statement or receipt from them. Check with the recipient to learn how much you can give to receive proof of your charitable giving.

Which Method Can Give You Greater Tax Benefits

You can donate how much you want, but remember that charitable donations can generally have a deduction of up to 60% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). However, depending on the kind of donation, some cases have lower thresholds like 50%, 30%, or 20%.

You must itemize if you want to claim charity tax deductions between 20% and 60% of your AGI. For this approach, you must record all your charitable donations on your tax returns to prepare for IRS audits. However, you can also use standard deduction if you pay a smaller tax bill than when you itemize.

What Type of Donation You Give

Your potential tax benefits can also vary based on the form of your charitable contributions. Monetary donations like cash, credit, and checks aren’t your only charitable giving options. You can also give appreciated securities like bonds, stocks, or mutual funds directly to the charity of your choice and still receive tax breaks.

Other noncash donations that are also tax-deductible include jewelry, patents, real estate, vehicles, and artworks, among others. To get the appropriate tax deductions for these nonmonetary contributions, make sure they are properly appraised with their fair market value.

Consider these things whenever you give to a charitable foundation so you can reduce your taxes. Though getting tax deductions is a great incentive for charitable giving, the main motivation should be bringing positive changes to the community. You can make a difference by donating to the Blessing Foundation today. Contact us to learn how your contributions can help patients in Quincy, IL, and the surrounding region.

How To Maximize Your Charitable Giving

credentials@gray.tv (Gray Digital) — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 13:37:40 GMT

The most common form of philanthropy is giving donations through a charity that supports your cause. Though this is the standard method, many people don’t know how to maximize their tax deductions when they donate. If you’re charitably minded and want to make a bigger impact through your donations, here are ways you can make the most of your charitable giving.

1. Bunch Your Charitable Donations

Instead of donating small amounts every year, you can choose to give a larger chunk to a charity every few years to minimize your tax hit. This is ideal and advantageous for people with enough funds to give several years’ worth of donations in one year.

2. Give Appreciated Securities

People commonly give cash or checks to charitable organizations. However, consider donating appreciated securities like stocks, bonds, or mutual funds to get the most out of your contribution. This form of charitable giving lowers your taxes by keeping the amount donated out of your taxable income in the first place.

When non-cash assets are sold, you also owe capital gains tax. Instead of selling assets and then donating the proceeds, you can avoid paying for capital gains by directly giving those highly appreciated securities to the organization.

3. Set Up a Donation Advised Fund (DAF)

If you want to invest your charitable donations, consider establishing your own DAF. When you fund it with cash or highly appreciated assets, your contribution in that year immediately receives a tax deduction.

You decide when and how much you want to distribute to qualified charities. Your donations can go to one or multiple charities over time. Because DAF is loosely similar to traditional investment accounts, the donations you put in the fund have the potential to grow tax-free. You can let the assets sit in the fund as long as you want, and the longer those contributions stay there, the more they increase in value.

4. Consider Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

To be eligible for QCD, you have to be at least 70 ½ in age, and you need to have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). A QCD allows you to annually donate up to $100,000 from your account directly to a charitable organization approved by Internal Revenue Services (IRS) without getting any tax hit. QCDs can also take the place of your required minimum distribution (RMD) of the year if it has not already been met.

Maximize your charitable contributions by considering these strategies. You can also make the most out of your charitable giving by donating to the Blessing Foundation. With your help, our charitable foundation can provide financial assistance to patients in Quincy, IL, and the surrounding region. Contact us today!

Starting Family Philanthropic Work in Quincy, IL

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 13:38:28 GMT

Philanthropy creates the opportunity for your family to help people in need and connect more with the community. Allowing your family, especially your children, to actively participate in charitable work can help them grow to become good people. Here is how your family can make the most of your philanthropic work in Quincy, IL:

Lay Down Your Family Values

Everyone in the family can have a different set of values and goals. One member might think of supporting one cause, while others might have different objectives. Talking and sharing ideas can allow for a healthy discussion on how to combine each one’s values to help further the family’s philanthropic cause. Doing so can create a meaningful experience in your family’s philanthropic journey.

Your family should decide how you want to do charitable work. Some donors wish to remain anonymous, while others want to be hands-on. Ask each member of your family how they want to do it. Communication is essential, and your family should agree on how you want to give.

Decide Who Takes Part

Make sure that the family philanthropy is inclusive. It is crucial that everyone involved has an equal right to voice their opinions and can join in the decision-making process. Everyone would feel more motivated if they got to participate more. Each member can be given different assignments for charity work. Their duties serve as their training to manage and allocate the family’s charitable funds.

Create a Clear Strategy

The most important part of family philanthropy is to have a plan. Be clear on how to allocate your family’s charitable resources. What organizations will your family fund, and for how long will you fund them? Your family won’t agree with one another completely all the time, so consider how to mitigate potential disagreements that might arise during the decision-making process.

It’s good to have an annual check-up to review how the family’s charity is doing. Check if the goals that you’ve set before have been met. Your family can agree on whether to change anything in your plans and discuss new perspectives.

Eventually, you will need to plan for succession. Family philanthropy can become a tradition passed from one generation to another. Your family needs to map out how the next generation will handle the resources and how they should implement changes in the process and decision-making.

Start Your Family Philanthropy Today!

Blessing Foundation has different donation opportunities to help your family start their philanthropic work in Quincy, IL. With your help, our charitable foundation can make a difference in the lives of those who need assistance the most. Contact us today to learn more.

Setting Up a Charitable Foundation

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 06:20:58 GMT

Setting up charitable organizations for a specific cause is a great and effective way to conduct philanthropy. Whether it’s from a business or yourself, foundations offer many advantages and open up a lot of opportunities for you to be able to give back to the community. You may consider creating your own charitable foundation in Quincy, IL. Here is some information you should know.

Key Things To Know When Starting a Foundation

The opportunity to have a lasting positive change doesn’t come to people often. Here are some key pointers to be mindful of:

Know the Different Types of Charities – Charities can have various purposes, from animal welfare to education and environmental awareness. Choose a cause that you wholeheartedly support and start from there.

There are primarily two main types of charities: private foundations and public charities. Private foundations are mostly operated by a select few individuals, and they are usually funded by a large initial investment. Public charities, on the other hand, are more hands-on when it comes to their finances. They rely mostly on soliciting donor funds to conduct their projects.

Establish Your Organization’s Mission – To keep track of your goals, you must establish a mission statement. It should contain your organization's core values and purpose to be transparent with what you would like to achieve as a charity.

Follow State and Local Requirements – Before you can operate as a charity, you have to meet the requirements for setting up a charity. Make sure that your organization is registered. Be sure to have your foundation compliant with IRS requirements so that you can get your tax-exempts.

Determine Your Charity’s Strategy – Once you have been approved to operate, determine your next move. You can go for a long-term legacy or make a short-term impact first to get more support down the line.

When To Start a Charity?

Often enough, when you’re selling off a business, you can start up your very own private foundation. By selling the company shares you own, you can lessen your tax liabilities and use the funds for more charitable means. The foundation can be funded by private or publicly traded stock.

Assets contributed to private foundations are not subject to taxes. Because of this, many high-net-worth individuals like multimillionaires set up their own charities on their retirement. By giving back to the community, they’ll pay fewer taxes and contribute a lasting legacy as a philanthropist at the same time.

For public organizations, the best time to start off a charity is now. If you have a passion for helping out in your community and the means to organize, then starting up your own foundation should be one of your top priorities.

Five Unique Funding Ideas in Quincy, IL for Nonprofits

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 13:25:30 GMT

Thinking of fundraising ideas can be tricky, and finding something that will work might be difficult. Safety should be a priority with the pandemic going on, so here are safe and great funding ideas in Quincy, IL for your nonprofit:

Online Raffle

An online raffle is a good way to raise funds. Provide good prizes and sell raffle tickets for good prices so you can entice people to sign up. To make your raffle more exciting, make sure that participants can see the drawing of winners through a livestream, for example.

Your nonprofit can use online raffle sites or programs. These will charge you a fee, but you can make up for it with ticket sales. Plus, you get the added benefit of making the draw faster for everyone.

Virtual Auction

Collect items you can sell at an auction. These can be donated by your board members or people from your community. Take some pictures of these items, then post them online. Virtual auctions are not only safe but also allow more people to view and join. There are charity auction sites that your nonprofit can use. The good news is that they do not charge a fee.

Before you start your auction, you must determine a starting bid. A starting bid of 25% or even 50% less than the fair market value is reasonable because the price draws in more bidders.

Online Market

You can almost sell anything online. People would be willing to pay a higher price for fundraising items because they know they would go to a good cause. Your nonprofit can sell branded merchandise like shirts or other products like gourmet snacks. Everyone in your organization can help. They have to promote or sell the products to people they know.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a good fundraiser for specific programs, and many crowdfunding platforms will help you promote your project. Once you choose a platform, determine the amount you want to achieve. Write a description of the fundraiser, then place it on the platform. Members of your organization can share this crowdfunding campaign—the greater the social media presence, the better the chances of the campaign’s success.

Virtual Classes

With online conferencing software, virtual classes are easy. If you know someone within your organization or community with a talent or skill, you can ask them to host an online course. The class can be about anything, like writing, cooking, sports, and more! You will ask people to join the online course for a fee, and all proceeds will go to your program.

At Blessing Foundation, we have been coming up with many funding ideas in Quincy, IL. These charitable funds have helped many people in our community. Learn more about how your donations make a difference by visiting our website today!

How To Start a Foundation for Hospital Patients | Blessing Foundation

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 21:17:47 GMT

How To Start a Foundation for Hospital Patients

If you want to help other people, setting up a foundation could be a smart move. However, not many people know exactly how to start a foundation to help others here in Quincy, IL, and good intentions only go so far.

The Blessing Foundation has been helping people and taking donations since 1983. The key to setting up our successful foundation was clearly defining our goals, who we would work with, and what we could do for patients. Carefully thinking about all of these things before you proceed is a necessity if you want your foundation for hospital patients in Quincy, IL to be a success.

What is the Goal of Your Foundation?

Establishing the goal of your foundation has to be a top priority. This doesn't just help you define your mission. It's a necessary step before you register your foundation with the Internal Revenue Service.

A foundation can have a narrow focus or it can offer grants to a wide range of organizations and causes. We often have donors set up their funds when they work with our foundation, and their funds can be used broadly or in more specific ways.

Choosing a Name

You also want to make sure that you pick out a memorable name, one that people will recall when they go to make their charitable donations. People who set up foundations to help patients with a particular disease often name the foundation after someone they knew who suffered from the disease, but there are no hard and fast rules for what you can name your foundation.

Setting Up Your Foundation

Once you have a name and a goal in mind, it's time to do the formal work of setting up your foundation. That means registering with the IRS and receiving an EIN, or employer identification number. This is necessary even if you don't plan to hire employees for your foundation. The EIN helps the IRS keep track of your foundation and hold you accountable for any taxes that need to be paid.

You can also choose between setting up your foundation as a charitable trust or a nonprofit corporation. Both have their pros and cons. A charitable trust is often less complicated when it comes to day-to-day operations, but offers less legal protection to trustees. A nonprofit often have strict operating requirements, but it can be quite flexible with their donated funds. It's wise to meet with legal or tax professionals before finalizing how your foundation for hospital patients in Quincy, IL is set up.

Once your foundation is established, the real work begins. You can decide whether to solicit donations from others or if this is a foundation that is going to be something that your family will use to give back to worthy causes. No matter how you proceed, all of us at the Blessing Foundation can speak to how rewarding this type of work can be after our decades of experience helping patients in Quincy, IL, and beyond. We wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!

How Dental Care Grants Help Those in Need in Quincy, IL

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 22:03:23 GMT

Patients who need cancer treatments have enough on their plate without also having to worry about the costs of other types of medical care. Unfortunately, as some patients have had to find out, that doesn't necessarily stop the human body from developing other issues that need treatment. That's why Blessing Foundation will often help people who need grants to help pay for dental work .

Taking care of your teeth is always important, even if you're fighting another health problem. If getting the dental treatment you need is difficult or nearly impossible due to your financial or medical situation, we want to help.

Who Benefits?

The most obvious beneficiary of these donations are the cancer patients who need treatment. If a sudden dental problem arises and a cancer patient feels as if they cannot afford to get it fixed, that's a major issue. Ignoring your dental needs can easily result in larger and more expensive problems later on. A dental problem can also end up becoming quite painful if ignored, and this just adds more stress to a patient's life when they should be focusing on recovery and their health.

So even if you're undergoing expensive cancer treatments and facing other costs and stresses, our foundation wants to make sure that you can get the care you need. The patient benefits and so does their family, because this is just one less financial burden that they need to bear.

Partnerships in the Quincy Community

We can accomplish these things because of our roots in this community. We work with so many great people and medical professionals in Quincy, IL, and beyond. We know that there is always someone out there willing to donate time or money to help cancer patients address their basic needs, like dental care.

If you want to be one of those partners that we rely on in our local community, let us know. We will help you learn more about what we can do for patients and their families.

How We Help

We can direct grant money to help patients pay for their dental treatments, but that's not the only thing that we can accomplish. We may also use donated money to buy gas cards, enabling patients to get to their dental appointments without having to worry about the cost of fuel and travel.

In some cases, we can also help when patients need the help of a dentist and simply do not have the time or the energy to deal with the paperwork and other obstacles to getting care. For example, we've helped patients who need to get an official clearance from their dentist before starting their medications or another course of treatment.

Donate Today

If you would like to make your contribution, please reach out to the Blessing Foundation . We can put your donation to use in many ways and help patients here in Quincy, IL. You can even set up your own fund to tackle specific issues, like dental care. We look forward to hearing from you.

Can You Make Donations to Hospice in Quincy, IL?

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 19:55:03 GMT

Can You Make Hospice Care Donations in Quincy, IL?

If you know a bit about what we do here at Blessing Foundation, you may be wondering if you can make a donation to Blessing Health System hospice patients. There are many ways that you can help out our hospice patients. Donors are always welcome to make monetary donations or set up funds that our patients can use, but we also take donations of certain items as well. Let's take a closer look at how much of a difference your hospice donations can make in Quincy, IL.

Read our success stories

Items to Donate For Hospice Care and Seniors in Quincy, IL

Money isn't the only thing that people in hospice need. There are also various items that can be donated to make life better for hospice patients. Some hospice care donations in Quincy, IL also help patients have certain end of life experiences that can make a huge difference to them and their families. We have had people donate:

Clothing: A local seamstress has sewn over 1,000 hats, scarves, and other types of head coverings in the past decade or so. She donates these to our patients who have lost hair due to cancer treatments. This can give patients one less thing to worry about along with a confidence boost.

Gas cards: Sometimes hospice patients are located far away from their family members. If money is an issue, traveling all that way to visit can be a major financial burden. Donated gas cards take that burden off families and allow hospice patients to see their loved ones more often.

Anything that can fulfill end of life wishes: Hospice patients can have many different end of life wishes. Some people want to be able to see their families, which is where a fund called Big Hearts TAPP comes in. TAPP stands for Trains, Automobiles, Planes, and Phones. Donations to a fund like this help people see their families or speak to them while they are in hospice.

Wishes can also be more specific. For example, hospice care donations in Quincy, IL have helped a patient who wanted to leave behind recorded books for his family. His family cherishes these items and creating them was only possible due to generous donations to the Blessing Foundation and our hospice program .

Why Should You Donate To Hospice?

Your donations to hospice patients make a tangible difference in their lives and go straight to the need you donate to . You're giving them the opportunity to spend more time with their loved ones or leave something behind for their families. You're helping to alleviate financial stresses for ill people and their families. If you want to make sure that your money is going to a great cause, donating to help our hospice patients in Quincy, IL is a compassionate move.

Make a Donation Today!

If you want to learn more about what a donation to the Blessing Foundation can do, visit our website. There are more examples of what our funds can do to help patients and make lives better. Make a difference in the life of a Quincy, IL hospice patient today.

How to Donate to Cancer Patients in Quincy

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 19:15:57 GMT

Giving Cash Contributions to Cancer Patients in Quincy, IL

At Blessing Foundation , we go above and beyond to help cancer patients here in Quincy, IL. We cannot do that important work without the help of generous donors. If you would like to be one of them, there are many ways for you to support our work and make life better for cancer patients and their families.

Types of Donations

We do more than just help patients with their hospital bills. When people get diagnosed with cancer, they can run into a variety of unexpected financial difficulties. That's why, in addition to cash contributions in Quincy, IL or direct help with medical bills, we also give our patients things like gift cards.

A gift card can help with a variety of expenses. We offer cancer patients cards that can help them pay for:

The gas needed to get to and from appointments
Groceries and healthy food
A night out at a restaurant

A cancer diagnosis comes with all kinds of stress and financial burdens. These small donations can make an enormous difference in a patient's life.

A donation can also help a patient fulfill the end-of-life wishes. We've helped a patient who wanted to leave behind recorded storybooks for his family. We've helped patients who want to take trips and helped families throw giant birthday bashes for young patients who may not get to see another birthday party.

Anything that we can do to give financial aid to cancer patients and their families are on the table.

Creating Your Own Fund

Along those lines, we also allow people to create their own funds . You can decide exactly how you want your money to be used. You can use your fund to help cancer patients pay for previously mentioned costs like food, transportation, and medical bills, but those aren't the only things that cancer patients may need during treatment.

We have funds that help pay housing costs for patients. It's easy to fall behind on rent or a mortgage when you're going through taxing cancer treatments, but no one should have to lose their home because they got sick. Funds can also help with home repairs, something that would be easy to fall behind on for a sick homeowner. We have even had funds that help pay for new appliances when patients are in need.

Blessing Foundation Helps Patient in Need

The Blessing Foundation was established in 1983 and it has given back more than $50 million to people in the region in the last 38 years. People keep giving cash contributions in Quincy, IL because they trust in our mission and they know that we're using their donations to help patients in need. Our foundation looks forward to helping even more people in the coming years.

Get in Touch

If you want to learn more about how to donate to cancer patients in Quincy or other Blessing Health System patients, visit our website. We make it easy to donate, or you can contact our staff members to learn more about how your generosity can be put to use. We look forward to answering your questions and teaching you more about how Blessing Foundation can help!

Blessing Foundation Donor FAQ

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 19:30:17 GMT

Whether you’re looking for a worthy cause or wondering how healthcare donations work, we understand that you probably have some questions. We hope to address your concerns, while showing you how nonprofit donations can be as rewarding to the giver as they are to the ultimate recipient.

To that end, Blessing Foundation is taking time to shed light on what becomes of your donation, and exactly how it helps those in need. If you have further questions, we invite you to contact us at 217-223-8400, ext. 4800.

Your Healthcare Donation Makes a Difference!

What Does the Blessing Foundation Do?

Simply put, the Blessing Foundation is here to help people in their time of need. When people come into the hospital to address their medical needs, they can quickly realize that their health is not the only major stressor that they will have to contend with. A healthcare-related struggle can quickly become a financial one, and the goal of our foundation is to help address that patient's issue quickly so that they can focus on their health and get better. Your donations help us with that.

How Will My Donation Be Used?

Your donation will be used to help patients cover their expenses while they are sick or after they have recovered. This can result in your donation being used in a wide variety of ways.

Your donation might be used to pay for a gas card so that a patient can get to their treatments even when their bank account is low. Your donation can help a patient pay for a prescription that they otherwise couldn't afford. Donations are used to purchase medical equipment that can help a patient on the road to recovery. We have even used a donation to get someone a copy of their birth certificate so that they could apply for Medicaid.

A donation that you have made can be used to help a patient stay in their home comfortably. We have helped people pay for mattresses and air conditioners. We have assisted people who need their rent or utility bills paid.

The Blessing Foundation will do anything to help a patient in need.

How Can I Make a Donation?

We offer an online form that makes it simple to donate. You can choose whether your donation goes to the Blessing Foundation, the hospital itself, or another worthy cause. If you would prefer to mail your donation, just print out the form and follow the instructions to mail in your check.

How Much of My Donation Goes to Those Who Need Help?

100% of your healthcare donations go to those in need. If you donate to the Blessing Foundation, you can be sure that your money is going to directly help someone who needs assistance during one of the hardest times in their lives. You can feel good about that.

Can I Create My Own Fund?

If you want to have more control over how your donation is spent, you can create your own fund! You can ensure that your donation will be spent wisely in categories like housing, home care, transportation, food, and bills. See how far your money can go at the Blessing Foundation and help some patients in serious need today!

Charitable Donations and Your Estate

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 19:46:11 GMT

If you've made charitable giving a priority in life, you may also be concerned about how you can continue to make nonprofit donations and ensure that your money keeps helping people after you're gone. At Blessing Foundation, we know just how important charitable giving is, and we've worked with many people who have decided to keep their donations coming even after they have passed on.

It takes some planning and a bit of foresight, but there are a few ways that you can work charitable giving into your estate planning and continue to make a difference.

Make it Part of Your Will

The simplest option is making your charitable giving a part of your will. You can state a specific amount that will go right to a specific charity. You can even specify how you would like the funding to be used, or you can make it “general purpose” funding, so the charity can use it however it sees fit.

Just make sure that you're using the correct legal name of the charity. Some charities have similar names, and you want to make sure that your money is going to the right place and the right cause.

Make a Charity a Beneficiary of Your Retirement Account

You can also name a charity a beneficiary of your retirement account. If it's a non-Roth retirement account, you can donate all of your account or a specific portion to a charitable organization. It's wise to work with an estate planner to learn about taxes and rules in your state to ensure that this is a smart way to make charitable donations and that you have other options for leaving money for family members and others.

Form a Charitable Remainder Trust

You can create a trust that names a family member as a beneficiary of your IRA. They receive annual payments from it, and when that interest expires that rest is all donated to charity. There are many specific rules for creating and operating a charitable remainder trust, or CRT, so it's wise to meet with an attorney to make sure that this is the best way for you to donate money and leave something to a family member.

Set Up a Foundation

If you plan to leave a larger donation or one that will be donated over a long period of time, setting up a family foundation might be the way to go. You can have control over the foundation while you're alive and set rules for how your family can carry on the work of the charitable foundation after you've passed away.

Learn More About How Your Donation Can Help

Visit our website to learn more about how Blessing Foundation uses your donation to help people in your community. We help people in their toughest times, and you can be a part of that and make an enormous difference with your donations.

Charitable Giving for Businesses

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 19:41:46 GMT

It doesn't matter how big or small your company is, there are many ways that your business can give back to charity and your local community. There are also plenty of benefits for companies that do give back. At Blessing Foundation, we know just how rewarding it can be to help people in need, so if you plan to make more nonprofit donations , here's how your business can get involved.

How Businesses Can Give to Charity

There are many ways for businesses to make charitable giving a top priority. Some great ways to do this include:

Matching employee donations: Do you have some employees who already give to charities and other organizations? You likely do. You can begin matching employee donations to specific charities or make it easier for them to hold a fundraiser for a cause that's close to their heart.

Encouraging donations of time: Your local charities and community organizations likely need more than monetary donations. You can also encourage workers to donate their time to local charities that need manpower. You can encourage this with rewards at the office, like a catered lunch. For some employees, volunteering could end up becoming a habit.

Synchronizing your charity with your business: It's also a wise idea to synchronize your charitable giving with your business. To use one example, do you sell items targeted at kids? Donate to charitable organizations that help children.

Sponsoring a local team: Smaller sports teams and youth sports teams often need sponsors. This is an easy way to help out in your community, and it doesn't hurt that it helps get your name out there.

Benefits of Charitable Giving

Giving to charity doesn't just help out that charity. Making charitable giving a priority for your business can also benefit your company. When you give to charity it can:

Appeal to customers: Whatever market you're in, you likely have some stiff competition to face. Consumers are becoming more concerned about where their money is going and what the companies they support are doing with their funds. Showing that you donate to charitable causes can make your customers feel good about choosing your business, and this can encourage continued loyalty.

Result in tax deductions: Charitable donations can often be written off. These tax deductions can be good for the financial health of your business.

Make you a larger part of your community: Your charitable giving can help you form a better relationship with other companies and organizations in your community. You become a more essential part of your community, you can build your network, and you can make new partnerships.

Learn More About How We Help

If you want to learn more about how the Blessing Foundation can help, visit our website. We assist patients and their families at the toughest time in their lives, and we offer businesses and individuals plenty of options when it comes to how their gift is spent. Make a donation that will make an incredible difference today!

Every Bit Helps: How To Budget for a Charity Cause in Quincy, IL | Blessing Foundation

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 14:47:32 GMT

Every Bit Helps: How To Budget for a Charity Cause in Quincy, IL

Here at the Blessing Foundation , we've seen just how big of a difference a small donation can make in a patient's life. To someone undergoing serious medical treatments, a paid utility bill, a grocery store gift card, or the money for a home repair can have an enormous impact.

It doesn't take much to help out, but we still hear from some people that they don't always have money left over when they want to make charitable donations. Fortunately, there are a few steps that you can take to budget for more charitable giving and make a difference in the lives of others, even with small charity gifts.

Do Your Research

First, do your research on the charitable organizations that you're thinking about giving to. Learn what they do and who they help. You'll confirm that you're supporting the right kinds of organizations - and seeing exactly how they help people can motivate you to ensure that you can continue making your charitable donations and supporting the work they do.

Make it a Part of Your Budget

When we budget each month, we normally set aside money for “wants” and “needs.” Essentially, there are the bills that need to be paid and things that you can't go without, like groceries, utility bills, and rent. Then there are things that you want to do, like go out to a nice dinner or buy that new video game.

We recommend having a third “giving” category. If you don't specifically set aside money for charitable giving, you can easily forget about it and end up spending too much on your “wants” category before making sure that you have enough left over for charity gifts. We all have to treat ourselves sometimes, but if you want to prioritize charitable giving , making a category in your budget for it can help.

Trim the Fat in Your Budget

We understand that it can be tough to find extra money each month. However, there are usually ways to trim the fat in your monthly budget even if you think that all your funds are already accounted for.

Take a close look at your budget and see if there is anything that you pay for each month that you don't use. Is there a streaming service you barely use? What about your gym membership? Are there any things that you can easily do without? Do a deep dive into your budget and see.

Make it Automatic

Some charities allow you to make a recurring donation. Once you sort out your budget, you may be able to automatically donate to a charity cause in Quincy, IL or charities of choice every month or every few months. It makes your charitable giving one less thing that you have to remember to do each month.

Learn More About Our Foundation and How We Help

If you want to donate money to a good charity cause in Quincy, IL, visit our website and learn more about how the Blessing Foundation helps people as they go through one of the toughest times in their lives. See what we've done in the past and contribute to scholarships for healthcare issues and our other endeavors today!

Getting Children Involved in Fundraising

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 03 May 2021 18:12:22 GMT

If you’re like many parents, you want your kids to grow into helpful adults. One way you can achieve that is to get your children involved in fundraising early. By helping to generate nonprofit donations for a charity like ours, your kids will develop a sense of charitability, generosity, and commitment to giving back .

Talking to Children about the Cause

For kids to rally in support of a charitable cause, they need to know what they’re raising money for and why the cause is so important. Dedicate time to explain what the fundraiser your kids will participate in is about. Be prepared to answer any questions they might have. If possible, show them pictures or videos from past fundraisers so they can see how much fun they’ll have as they raise money.

Getting Kids Interested in Helping Others

To pique your kids’ interest in helping others, you should make it a point to pick a charity they’ll have an interest in. It’s also advisable to choose fundraising activities that your children will enjoy and look forward to.

For example, Blessing Foundation would be a great choice for kids who are passionate about medical care being available to everyone regardless of people’s ability to pay. That’s because our Quincy, IL foundation requests healthcare donations and puts them to work for the benefit of area residents in need.

If, on the other hand, your kids play sports and their team is short on funds, you may want to involve your children in a fundraiser for their team. Do your children like animals? Maybe your family could help raise money for a local animal shelter and volunteer when the organization hosts a pet adoption event.

Family-Friendly Fundraising Ideas

Luckily, there are plenty of kid- and family-friendly fundraising ideas you can employ to raise funds for all sorts of charities. These ideas are also effective means you can use to raise money for private causes, such as collecting funds to help out with someone’s medical bills, tuition, or moving expenses.

Silent Auction

Regardless of whether you host it online or in-person, a silent auction is a great way to raise money for a cause. You can solicit items or services from local businesses and auction them off or you could have the kids participating in the event make some things so you can put them up for auction.

Talent Show

You can get your children – and all their friends and schoolmates – involved in fundraising by putting together a talent show. Even kids who don’t want to perform can participate by working backstage or selling concessions to audience members. Don’t forget to tape the show so parents can buy a copy down the line.

Walkathon or 5K Race

All you need to host a walkathon or a 5K race is a marked pathway, registration forms, and, in the case of the latter event, a timer. To raise extra funds, consider selling custom t-shirts in advance and on the day the event is set to take place. You can even put a collection box at the finish line so participants can donate their sneakers when they wrap up their walk or run.

For more family-friendly fundraising ideas and/or to raise money for our charitable organization, reach out to the Blessing Foundation !

Have a Say in Which Charitable Funds Your Donations Help

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:14:51 GMT

Since the Blessing Foundation was launched in 1983, the charitable foundation has contributed over $50 million to improve people’s health and their daily lives. Our Quincy, IL foundation exists for the sole purpose of helping others, which is something we’re standing by to do day in and day out. Helping our neighbors is our mission, after all.

Putting Nonprofit Donations to Work

To successfully help others improve their health and the quality of their lives, we rely on nonprofit donations from people just like you. While we support any charitable donations you make, we want you to know that donating to the Blessing Foundation is different.

When you donate to our charitable organization, you maintain control over the funds you give. What does that mean? It means you can choose how we put your nonprofit donations to work.

Blessing Foundation is one of the local charities in Quincy, IL that already has multiple campaigns set up. They have funds to provide transportation, food, financial assistance, medicine or medical equipment to people in need. If you see an existing campaign you’d like to rally around, you can donate directly to it and we’ll put your gift to work on your behalf.

Sometimes, charitably oriented people don’t see a campaign that speaks to them. In cases like that, they have the freedom to create a fund for the specific cause they want to support. Whether you want to help people who have mental health challenges, individuals who can’t pay their medical bills, people who need assistance covering their nursing school tuition, or another group, you can set up a fund where 100% of the money donated will be dedicated to helping the people you identify.

If you create a new fund, you won’t necessarily be the only supporter of the campaign because other people will be able to give to it. No matter how many people donate or how much money is raised, you can rest assured that every penny will be put to work for the purpose(s) you identified when you set up the fund.

Fostering a Personal Tie

By allowing people to choose where we’ll put their donations to work to help others, our charitable platform fosters a personal tie between our donors and the particular causes they support. When you select the fund you’re going to give to, you’ll find that you’re personally invested well beyond the amount of your generous gift.

Help Us Write the Next Chapter in Our History of Giving

As we stated earlier, we count on generous people like you to continue our long-standing history of giving so that people can enjoy improved health and quality of life. We invite you to help us assist others by starting your own story of charitable giving. By doing so, your story will become our next chapter – something all the Quincy-area neighbors we share with you can celebrate. Donate to charity today!

To learn more about the work we do and how you can pick or create a fund you want to support, give us a call at 217-223-8400, ext. 4800, or send an email to blessingfoundation@blessinghealth.org .

Thank you for supporting the Blessing Foundation , where your donations really make a personal difference.

Giving Back This Easter Season

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 23:04:58 GMT

Regardless of your faith, Easter is a beautiful time of year to celebrate the importance of giving back.

For many people, giving back this Easter season will be different than in years past because of the ongoing pandemic. Although that’s true, giving back now is more important than ever for that very same reason.

Luckily, there are some ways to make nonprofit donations – to the Blessing Foundation or other charities – that won’t require you to violate social distancing mandates.

Write Letters

It’s been widely reported that the professionals on the front lines of the pandemic are putting themselves in grave danger every day, with some of them experiencing depressed moods amidst all the suffering they witness. To acknowledge their sacrifices and lift their spirits, consider sending cards or letters to the first responders and emergency medical personnel in your community, including those at Blessing Health System .

Thank a Health Care Worker

This Easter season, thank a health care worker who’s made a difference in your life with a Who’s Your Angel Award , which allows you to express your appreciation to a Blessing caregiver and honor them with a donation to the Blessing Foundation.

This program is a meaningful way to thank a health care worker who’s touched your life or the life of a loved one who was a Blessing Health System patient – either at Blessing Hospital, Blessing Physician Services, Illini Community Hospital or Blessing Health Keokuk. Plus, your donation helps pay the kindness forward and will make a difference in someone else’s life.

Host a Virtual Fundraiser

Even though getting people together to raise money for a good cause isn’t advisable due to COVID, you can still host a fundraiser – you’ll just have to do it online. A “silent” auction, a raffle, an art sale – there is seemingly no limit to the types of fundraisers you can host right on your social media pages or a dedicated fundraiser website.

We absolutely loved the generosity of a Quincy girl, Clare Conrad, who set up a lemonade stand with profits going to the Blessing Foundation. We’d love to hear your creative fundraising idea! Reach out to a Blessing Foundation staff member at 217-223-8400, ext. 4800, or email us .

Donate Online

Donating cash is the most traditional way of giving back for many people. Just because you might not be able to hand a charity’s representative an envelope with cash or a check inside, you don’t have to skip donating money to a charitable organization like Blessing Foundation .

As is the case with many other nonprofits, you can give a gift to our charitable foundation online by using our secure portal. When you give to our Quincy, IL foundation , you can choose how your gift will be used. You can also take comfort in knowing that 100% of your gift will be used to support the cause of your choice.

Whether you donate to our organization or another charitable foundation, it’s important to give in any way you can this Easter season. More than ever before, your gift has the power to have an impact on the lives of people in need.

We thank you for rallying to answer the call to give back!

Be Sure to Log Your Charitable Donations This Tax Season

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 20:54:59 GMT

Be Sure To Log Your Monetary Donation This Tax Season

There are a lot of ways you can lend support to charities in need. For example, you can plan a fundraiser or you can volunteer. One even easier way to show your support is to make a donation to a nonprofit.

Even in the difficult economic climate brought about by the ongoing pandemic, Gallup reports that 73% of adults living in the United States have donated cash to a charity in the past year. Whether you donated cash or something else, your generosity may reward you when you prepare your federal taxes.

Tax-Deductible Donations

In order for your charitable donations to help you out on your federal taxes, you must have donated to a qualifying charity. Luckily, the Internal Revenue Service makes finding qualifying nonprofits a breeze by maintaining a Tax Exempt Organization Search tool on its website. If you donate to one or more of the eligible charities included in the IRS’s database, you’ll be able to deduct at least a portion of your monetary donation on your federal taxes.

Opportunities to Take Deductions

The IRS gives charitably oriented taxpayers several ways to lower their adjusted gross income and/or their taxable income on their federal returns. The key to taking advantage of any or all of these opportunities is to hold onto proof of your donations. If you donated money, keep a bank statement, canceled check, or credit or debit card receipt. People who donated property worth more than $250 should keep the receiving charity’s written acknowledgment of their gift.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

The CARES Act passed in 2020 included some temporary tax changes at the federal level, including a special provision that allows people who donated cash to a qualifying charity and don’t itemize their deductions to take a $300 deduction from their AGI on their 2020 federal returns. If you’re eligible for this deduction, it will lower both your AGI and your taxable income.

Deduction for Financial Assets Held One Year or Less

If you have donated stock or another financial asset you held for one year or less to a charity like our Quincy, Ill. foundation , you can deduct the amount you paid for the asset on your federal return. If the asset appreciates while you owned it, you have to report the gain on your taxes.

Donations That Account for a Significant Amount of Your Income

Depending on your situation, you may find that your charitable donations account for a large amount of your income for 2020. Here is the breakdown of what you can deduct based on the type of donations you made to qualifying nonprofits:

Cash: Up to 100% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
Property: Up to 30% of your AGI
Long-term securities: Up to 20% of your AGI
Vehicles: Up to the amount the charity sells the vehicle for. If a qualifying charity decides to use a vehicle you donated instead of selling it, you may deduct the vehicle’s fair market value on your federal return.

While it’s too late to make a tax-deductible monetary donation in Quincy, IL to a qualifying charitable foundation for 2020, it’s the perfect time to consider making nonprofit donations that can benefit you when you file your 2021 tax return. See what your gift can do when you donate to the Blessing Foundation now!

How to Give Back This New Year

info@blessinghealth.org (Blessing Health) — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:15:19 GMT

“Giving back” means different things to different people, and all interpretations of the phrase have merit. Although that’s the case, giving back has taken on a new meaning for many in 2021, in the context of helping others at least, thanks to the ongoing global pandemic.

Given social distancing guidelines, volunteering in-person isn’t possible in many instances, for example. Even donating cash may not be as simple as it was just a year ago.

New Ways to Give Back

Clearly, giving back in 2021 is fraught with difficulties no one could have predicted 12 months ago. While that’s true, it doesn’t mean helping people is impossible. It simply means the paradigm for giving back in the New Year has shifted a bit. And that shift represents new opportunities for willing participants to help others in new, creative ways.

Volunteer in a Virtual Space

No matter what skill set you have, it’s likely you can give back by volunteering in a virtual space. If you’re a writer, you can draft content for marginalized small businesses or nonprofits. Tradespeople can create tutorials showing homeowners how to address simple DIY tasks on their own. Yoga instructors can host free classes on a readily accessible platform like Zoom.

If you don’t have the time to lend your services online, you can still give back virtually. You can promote an action-driven charitable foundation like ours using social media, for instance. Alternatively, you can purchase goods or services online from local businesses that might be struggling and post reviews on relevant websites for others to read.

Write Letters

The start of a new year can be overwhelming for some, particularly for people who might feel as if they’re all alone and/or facing intimidating odds. To ease their insecurity, consider writing letters to the elderly, incarcerated individuals, or essential workers to remind them that they’re not alone and that they are appreciated and valued.

Donate Online

Many nonprofits, including our Quincy, IL foundation, have recognized that the charitable landscape has changed at least temporarily as the result of COVID-19. As part of that evolution, charities like ours have made it simpler than ever to make nonprofit donations online.

If you’re looking for a way to give back to launch the New Year and lend support year-round, we invite you to make a donation to Blessing Foundation using our secure portal. Your donation will help us continue to be there for area residents during their most difficult moments, ensuring they have access to the medical care and resources necessary for them to live their best lives despite their trying circumstances.

As always, 100 percent of your donation to Blessing Foundation will go to those in need. Give back with an online donation today!

Read some of the powerful stories of how Blessing Foundation dollars are spent – to help Blessing Health System patients and their families who are in financial need, as well as employees and students who need help.