LIFT 4 Autism Auction!

Bidding is open NOW!

charityauction.bid/Lift4Autism2020

Since 2015, LIFT 4 Autism has raised approximately $140,000 to benefit ASD families. All proceeds go to non-profit organizations serving the autism community. Now more than ever, we as a global community are uniting, even as we stay apart to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Auction organizers authors Ginger Scott and Kennedy Ryan, along with Kulture City, this year’s charitable partner, wanted to respond to the real needs of autism families during this incredibly challenging time. Kulture City will direct proceeds from the 2020 auction to a scholarship program for autism families struggling during COVID-19.

The online auction features signed paperbacks, hardcovers, full series sets, out-of-print covers, foreign editions, personal one-on-one Skype calls with some of your favorites . . . and MORE, all donated by authors, publishers, bloggers, readers. Just people who wanted to be a part of something to help autism families. In the past, some of our highest bidding items were tickets to sold-out author signings and in-demand book events. Of course, with social distancing, those have all been cancelled. To possibly compensate, several amazing authors, narrators and publishing professionals are auctioning off virtual chats! We’re hoping many readers will be enticed to bid on virtual chats with authors like LJ Shen, Tarryn Fisher, Beverly Jenkins, and Kristen Ashley, to name a few. To chat with all-star narrators like Zachary Webber, Shane East, Erin Mallon and more. Not to mention critiques and video chats with agents and editors. These are just a few items up for bid. We are incredibly grateful for every single item donated.

You can bid here NOW: charityauction.bid/Lift4Autism2020

Bidding closes Friday, May 1 at 5pm EST.

★And if you don’t win your bid or want to bid, you can STILL be involved!

1. Make a tax-deductible “no amount is too big or too small” donation to our Kulture City Fund: http://bit.ly/LIFT202Give

1. Buy LIFT Gear like t-shirts, mugs, sweatshirts, mugs, etc… (Proceeds to Kulture City)

https://teespring.com/stores/lift4autism

★ Here’s some FAQ about the auction and the bidding process that may prove helpful★

http://lift4autism.com/auctionfaq/

Winning bidders will be emailed with payment instructions.

There's an easy and relatively painless way to avoid the year-end crush and make more effective gifts: Create a plan now and fulfill it throughout the year. Here's how.

1. Start by making a list of the things you care about and want to benefit in the coming year. The things you focus on change as your life does, so decide which past causes to keep and which new ones to add.

2. Create a list of the nonprofits you want to support. Some of these may be organizations you have benefited for a long time. Consider adding a few new nonprofits to your list, either because you've found them recently or want to know more about them.

3. Then consider your charitable budget for the year. As you gather your paperwork together to file taxes, take a frank look at your financial resources and how much you donated in 2014. Are you living out your values, fulfilling a religious belief, or giving back? You might be able to be more generous in 2015, if you're creative with your finances.

4. Decide how and when you want to give during the year. This decision depends on your own cash flow and the form your gifts will take. Write out your plan in a simple format and get going.

5. Better yet, set up a series of gifts during the year using automatic withdrawals. Doing so will ensure that next December, you can take at least one thing off of your year-end to-do list: catching up on your charitable giving.

Then follow up with your plan during the year by engaging with the nonprofits you care about. Read their materials, meet staff or board members, or spend some time volunteering. You're giving to make a difference, yet you can't know whether you made a difference without following up.

This is a simple level of planning. If you have a large or complex set of financial resources, or want to make unusual gifts, you would benefit from having a professional help you with your planning. These services are usually scalable to your situation and may include multi-year planning.

Do you know BInc? If the booksellers in your community are not aware of the services available through BInC then please pass this on to them.

Last week, on the second floor of 420 E. German St., Billy Gifford worked in a small group preparing boxes of tissues to be packaged. Gifford is one of about 600 people that benefit daily from Herkimer ARC programs, not to mention the 400 people employed with the nonprofit. "They provide me safety and they give me work to do," said the 21-year-old West Winfield resident. "They teach me new stuff every day, and I learn a lot."

There's no dispute that nonprofit organizations help the community through programs, grants and job creation as employers. But when it comes to tax-exempt properties, charitable nonprofits often become the scapegoat. The ARC owns 35 tax-exempt buildings in Herkimer County, ranging from housing facilities to manufacturing operations. The East German Street building is partially exempt because it houses other businesses. "We're providing work opportunities for people in an integrated setting for people with and without disabilities," ARC President and CEO Kevin Crosley. And without the tax exemption, the organization would be "in a very serious financial crisis, Crosley said. "The importance of the tax status is such that it keeps our business alive and allows us to provide services," Crosley said. "Not-for-profit is a tax status, it's not a business strategy."

Charitable nonprofits raise property values, increase the quality of life and generally take up 5 to 10 percent of a tax base, a relatively small amount, said David Thompson, National Council of Nonprofits vice president of public policy. They also often are contracted to provide services the government cannot. "Our strong view is that cities do better because of nonprofits, not despite nonprofits," Thompson said. "In many ways we reduce the burden on the government." And as financial times get difficult, the need for charitable nonprofits rises, and they become vital in helping the community make ends meet.

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties employs 10 people and in 2013 the nonprofit distributed 494 grants totaling nearly $4 million to the community in the areas such as economic development, enhancing education and improving quality of life.