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Straight
Track #88
| A $25,000 Charitable Matching Fund
J. Dillon Hoey
Hoey & Farina Partner
1-888-425-1212 Two weeks ago we
issued a call for readers’ input for ways to respond to the
events of September 11 and its aftermath. |
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The response from railroaders and our readers was
overwhelming – with unanimous support for the idea of a $25,000
charitable matching fund.
We received many emails, phone calls and face-to-face
responses at union meetings from railroaders who told us that their
locals, lodges and divisions have already acted and given to the charities
for the Sept. 11 victims. Because of this, they suggested to us that it
would be better to establish a matching fund account that would help many
kinds of charities.
Taking our readers’ advice, we have established an
account that will match dollar-for-dollar – up to a total of $25,000 –
any contribution to any charity made by our friends, clients, and anyone
else who would like to help this holiday season. This effort will have no
administrative or fundraising costs – 100% of any money donated will go
to the charities. The only restriction is that the charity must be an
established organization with tax-exemption status.
If you choose to participate in our matching fund
program, please mail to us a check made out to the charity of your choice
– together with the charity’s name, address and tax exemption number.
We will then match the amount of your donation and forward both checks to
the charitable organization. As always, you can contact us anytime with
questions or concerns at 1-888-425-1212 or 312-939-1212, or send an email
to info@felahfd.com.
Of course, you can call me personally or send me an email at hoey@felahfd.com
with any questions that you may have about our matching program.
The decision to give to all charities from the matching
fund is more important now than ever. Volunteers and fundraisers, with the
bell-ringing season here, are realizing that fewer people are willing to
put money in their pots this year. The unprecedented generosity of so many
in response to the events of September 11th is having a momentous effect
on local charities. For these charities, the September 11th giving,
coupled with the effects from economic downturn, have been devastating to
their efforts at a time when they most count on contributions.
According to a study by America's Second Harvest, a
national network of food-aid organizations based here in Chicago, the
number of Americans seeking food assistance this year has jumped to 23
million, up 7.5% from the last survey four years ago. The study also found
that nearly half of those who received food at shelters, kitchens or food
pantries this year were forced to choose between buying food or paying for
utilities and nearly a third were unable to pay for both food and health
care/medicine.
On the other side of the table, a national survey last
month by Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, found that 26% of
donors to terrorism victims will stop or reduce their giving to other
charities and 48% of those surveyed said they will cut back on
contributions in the next six months if the economic slowdown worsens.
President Bush recently used a traditional Thanksgiving
visit to a soup kitchen to urged Americans to “dig a little deeper in
their pocket'' for neighborhood charities left wanting in the rush to aid
terror victims. At the Washington, D.C. soup kitchen, President Bush
stated,
“The generosity of this country will say to the
world that we are a nation that will not be affected by terror and evil.
We encourage good to overcome evil through our actions and deeds, not
just our bravado, not just our waving a flag.''
For all those heeding our President’s call to reach
out to help those amongst us who are less fortunate, you have my deepest
gratitude.
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