It’s that time of year again – when we all start the search for how to save money on taxes. There’s no threat of filing late ... yet. But the process all Americans go through in the first few months of the year – has a history that began over 100 years ago.

In the beginning there was no tax deduction list.

It all started way before our time, according to an article on the IRS website. From the beginning of our nation – 1776 until 1802 – Americans paid few taxes. Mostly the government received funding through taxes on goods such as sugar, liquor, carriages and tobacco, and another sales tax was instituted during the War of 1812 to offset costs of fighting the British. 

During the Civil War, there was an office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue established and income tax was instituted by Congress in 1862. Nothing like our system today, only employees with an annual income between $600 and $10,000 paid taxes – at a rate of just 3% – plus those with earnings above $10,000 paid taxes at a higher rate. If citizens didn’t pay the taxes, the Commissioner could seize assets, including income or property.

Income taxes got closer to what we do currently, where we pay attention to things like charitable donations tax deductions and look for how to save money on taxes in other ways, when it became a permanent system in 1913. The 16th Amendment enabled Congress to assess taxes based on the incomes of residents and corporations. The annual tax collection totaled more than $1 billion by 1918, and two years later it exceeded $5 billion.

When Ronald Reagan was president there were changes made to the tax code. The Tax Reform Act reduced taxation of individuals and increased the burden on businesses. President George W. Bush made one of the biggest tax cuts in our country’s history in 2001. It created a low-income tax rate of 10% and increased the tax credit for children, plus made adjustments to the tax structure for married couples.

The laws are constantly changing, which makes it challenging for the average citizen to maintain a full awareness of the tax structure such as the current charity tax deduction. But even as April 15 comes near and we don’t feel we’ve done all we could in the last calendar year, there are experts we can turn to for help with our charitable donations.

There are many tax preparation services to help you with your tax deductions.

If you’re the DIY type, you may be a Turbo Tax “regular.” First developed in the 1980s by Michael A. Chipman of ChipSoft, Turbo Tax became a hugely successful fintech company, acquired by Intuit a decade later.

It’s definitely the route a lot of savvy taxpayers choose who know how to save money on taxes. You need to re-purchase the online software each year. And while mailed-in paper tax returns take about 6 to 8 weeks to process (once the IRS gets your return), e-filed tax returns typically get processed within 21 days. So, it’s a much better prospect, as far as speed goes!

TaxACT offers a range of online products to calculate your own taxes. So if you're a college grad who's new to the process or a grandparent who knows the ropes, you have options.

There’s a basic service that’s free, and several other levels:
• Basic costs $9.95 and covers individuals filing who have dependents and college expenses, etc.
• Deluxe is a $29.95 option and includes homeowners, those with deductions, credits and adjustments.
• Premier costs $34.95 and is designed for filers with rental properties or other investments and offers prioritized support.
• Self-Employed service is the most expensive, at $49.95, and has a “deduction maximizer” with tax resources for the user year-round.

TaxAct guarantees 100% accuracy in your tax return and backs that promise with $100,000.

But, do you sometimes feel you need a tax deduction guide? Many do.

There are sources who know how to save money on taxes and are trained to counsel clients in the best decisions toward that goal.

H&R Block is one of the best-known tax preparation companies in the country, having been in the business since 1955. Brothers Henry and Richard Bloch founded the powerhouse, which is run in various communities by franchisees.

That local ownership has contributed to the company's reputation for serving families from generation to generation.

In addition to offering tax filing help, H&R Block has courses you can take so you can become a tax preparation pro too. There are several tax tools on the website, plus a number of levels of tax filing assistance. They range from free filing to self-employed online tax filing, plus in-office appointments are also available.

Any of those options can help you with the charity tax deduction aspect. You should be able to find the right formula for how to save money on taxes – with a little help from your friends.

Tax deductible donations are available for every type of taxpayer.

We all know tax deductions are good, but we may not truly understand how they work. And in order to find out how to save money on taxes, we need to know where and when they’re applicable.

Tax deductible donations lower a person’s taxable income. You begin with the total gross income and apply each of your deductions, which are defined as certain expenses that subtract from that total.

Students

The money used to purchase both required coursework materials (books, computer software, etc.) and non-required materials (notebooks, backpacks, pens) may be eligible as tax deductible items.

Of course, regulations change, which is why you need to either pay attention to small print or hire a professional who knows how to save money on taxes to prepare you for filing.

You can gain a benefit known as the Lifetime Learning Credit, which is a tax deduction with some particular elements. This applies to you if:

• You pay qualified expenses for higher education
• You pay the expenses
• You are the student, the spouse of the student, or the parent of the dependent you file for

Educators

Teaching professionals can deduct up to $250 of unreimbursed expenditures from the purchase of classroom materials. Examples of items that can be deducted include books, stationery supplies, professional development merchandise and computer software.

Parents

If you pay for most of your kids’ living expenses, children may be listed as dependents on your tax return. If you’re financially supporting them, you may be eligible for up to $4,000 in exemptions for your taxable income.

Other articles used by parents, including breastfeeding equipment and supplies, may be used to exceed the 10% medical deduction thresholds.

Believe it or not, there are actually circumstances where you can write off payments to a babysitter. The federal tax court explains that you can list babysitting services as a charitable contribution only if you needed childcare while

performing volunteer work.

Health Insurance

Last year, if you completed a form with itemized deductions, you could deduct as much as 10% of your income. But if you are self-employed, you may be able to deduct up to 100%. Again, check to see if these regulations have changed.

Charitable giving equals receiving – a tax benefit.

Though consumers may joke about real money being obsolete, most 501(c)(3) charities accept cash donations. Some financial planning experts suggest operating with a budget that takes a fixed amount of your paycheck out for charity giving first – before proceeding with bill paying.

It might sound crazy to carve charitable donations tax deductions into your budget – and to take that right off the top – but it’s a financial modus operandi that’s a part of some popular programs.

Personal finance guru Dave Ramsey suggests the Judeo-Christian “tithing process,” where 10% comes out of your gross income, designated for a nonprofit, such as a place of worship. He is world-renowned for offering instruction in how to save money on taxes and in every other aspect of the budgeting process.

To those who feel it’s an impossible task to not have access to all of your take-home income, Ramsey poses the question – “If you cannot live off 90% of what you make, what makes you think you can live off 100%?”

His precepts have been outlined in seven best-selling books, including “The Total Money Makeover” and “Financial Peace.” He largely advises individuals who have found themselves in a financial crisis due to medical bills or other unforeseen expenses.

One of the biggest goals of his program is to encourage individuals and couples to become debt-free, which then makes it more possible for them to make tax deductible donations.

Ramsey has “7 Baby Steps to Financial Freedom,” and the final step is “Build Wealth and Give” which he points out is the most fun stage in the process. Charitable giving isn’t about moving money, he says. It’s the realization that others are less fortunate and the importance of developing a desire to help them.

Ramsey has a blog talking about the vast financial loss to Americans when they don’t take advantage of the tax credit they’re allowed. He says that 2 million American taxpayers overpay the IRS every year, totaling a billion dollars. The finance expert says that 27% of taxpayers fail to take their rightful charitable donations tax deductions.

Learn how to save money on taxes through non-cash charitable gifts.

Even Ramsey admits that especially in the beginning stages of establishing a budget, his tax deduction guide would include something other than cold, hard cash. He suggests getting creative and finding alternate modes of giving, such as knowledge, time or service to help others.

Item donations

Have you cleaned out a closet and taken a load to the local thrift store recently? Depending on the size of your home, condo or apartment, it’s a good idea (for your sanity alone) to do that several times a year. Of course, don’t forget to accept a receipt for your records!

A couple of years ago, says environmental nonprofit Planet Aid, Newsweek had an article with a statistic claiming that Americans throw away about 14 million tons of clothing each year, which is about 80 pounds per person. 

And well into the 21st century, stats show that Americans throw more than 80% of our old clothes in the trash. 

What about your other things? Chances are you have toys and games in the closet with a pile of dust on them. If your son is in his teens, he won’t be picking up his “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” weapon anytime soon, and chances are you don’t have an 8-track player to hear your Barry Manilow tapes either.

Car donations

One of the best ideas when you want to know how to save money on taxes is to donate a car to charity. It’s an everyday item that practically everyone has, and at times you probably dream of an upgrade, a downgrade, or simply finding a vehicle that meets your needs better than your current vehicle.

If fiddling around with finances isn’t your bailiwick, don’t worry, because many of us understand the process of supporting the charity you wish while also garnering your charity tax deduction. At Cars2Charities, for instance, we literally handle the entire process, from towing away your vehicle donation to completing the paperwork, including the title transfer.

With a car donation to charity, you typically just turn it over to the company that’s processing your gift. For instance, when Cars2Charities gets an online donation or a call, we arrange a time for pickup and tow it to one of our technicians, who assesses it for possible alterations.

Not only is the value of your vehicle transformed into support for the charity of your choice, our process tends to raise the selling price of your car by about 25-50%. And because your tax write-off is based on the selling price of your car, it makes your tax break stronger.

You don’t have to be rich to score on your taxes. The truth is, when you look at the particulars regarding how to save money on your taxes, it’s actually very simple – don’t neglect the potential to pay less to the IRS by not participating in charitable giving and accessing your charity tax deduction.

Downturns in the economy can kill a nonprofit’s ability to survive. If you think about it – not only do consumers haveless money to give to charity, the demands on their services typically rise. Meeting the needs out there with dwindling budget numbers plagues many charities, possibly one of your favorites.

Though America has been recovering from the recent Recession, there are still unmet needs out there.

If you want to give a car to charity or simply fund a 501(c)(3) directly, there are many to choose from – more than 1.5 million in the United States, to be exact. You can consult a tax deduction list of charities if you need ideas, but chances are you’re already involved with some nonprofit entity. Your child could be involved in Scouting or you could be a member of PTA. Or you may choose to give to your non-profit gardening club or performing arts group.

If you need more detailed information, it’s available here.

The prospects are really wide open, as your bottom line benefits whether you’re donating to veterans, rescuing animals or you’re throwing it in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. When it comes to how to save money on taxes, giving to charity is a winning way to achieve it. All it takes is a little creativity and attention to resources available to you.

When fires rage and people need help, we sometimes forget that donations for fire victims need to include the firefighters who suffer alongside residents. The California Fire Foundation is a non-profit organization providing emotional and financial support to families of firefighters who fall in the line of duty, at the same time supporting other victims of natural disasters. 

Professional firefighters in the state of California formed the Foundation in 1987 to aid in the aftermath of devastation from fires and the suffering that results. From the losses experienced by California fire victims to the sacrifice made by families of firefighters, there are unmet needs on every side of the equation.

Those with resources can become a part of the healing process through nonprofit agencies such as the California Fire Foundation.

Ceremonies at the California Firefighter Memorial are reminders of the heroism of emergency personnel.

When the public becomes keenly aware of the devastation of a natural disaster, its’ easy to remember donations for fire victims, but forget the sacrifices being made by the firefighters and their families. The California Fire Foundation constructed the California Firefighter Memorial, which is a public symbol of the work of first responders. It reminds our citizens of the dangers they face when they battle wildfires and protect citizenry in other ways.

An important part of ceremonies held at the memorial is the music. The Pipes & Drums of California Professional Firefighters is a group that was created to perform at memorial services honoring firefighters who have died in the line of duty. It’s made up of more than 25 musicians who are each either a paid, career or retired firefighter. It’s a volunteer musical group that was originally designed to provide a dignified presence at the California Firefighters Memorial in Sacramento.

Like the image many of us have of a proper firefighter funeral procession, the Pipes & Drums bring Scottish bagpipes to important gatherings and memorial occasions. Members of the group come from counties as far north as Sacramento to as far south as San Diego County. They have also appeared at such events as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in San Francisco and the Firefighter Olympics.

The aim of the California Fire Foundation is to support firefighters through many different means.

California Last Alarm Service Team, known as Cal-LAST, was developed to provide support to fire departments that have lost one of their members in the line of duty. The team arrives to comfort individuals going through the grief process while providing the administration skills necessary to access funding through state and local benefits.

Funded by the Department of Justice, Cal-LAST values:
• Family and department above all
• Ask first, act later, tread lightly
• Maintain transparency
• Assist, do not take over unless requested
• Do all things well
• Provide accurate and timely information
• Personal and organizational integrity are paramount
• Honor, dignity and respect at all times

The Fire Foundation also contributes to scholarship and grant programs. Children of a fallen firefighter who are younger than 27 years old can apply for the Daniel A. Terry Scholarship, which offers financial support for higher education. The Foundation raises money to provide grants to individuals needing to take the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center, or FCTC, Physical Ability Test or written exam, but do not have the finances.

The nonprofit also funds the National Child ID program, which seeks to benefit the search for the nearly 800,000 kids reported missing each year. That’s one child every 40 seconds that parents or other family members are hoping to recover.

Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency, or SAVE, is a program reaching out to such victims as those who survived the recent California wildfires. Mastercard gift cards are handed out to people who need to replace lost items and purchase groceries.

Prevention is also an important goal for the California Fire Foundation. Firefighters on Your Side provides education to help lower the chance of mistakes that people make simply because they aren’t informed. Sometimes these cause fires that end up costing lives and resources.

The fires of 2017 were lesson enough in the need for adjustments to address climate change, which has been affecting issues from wildfires to flooding. The Foundation provides fire prevention funding to make the kinds of adjustments needed to further the goal of reducing the likelihood of disasters.

The California Firefighters Benevolent Fund is a relatively new program providing necessary assistance to those responders who are battling fires while their own homes are impacted by natural disasters.

The California Fire Foundation built the California Firefighters Memorial.

The Foundation designed, built and maintains a memorial at the Sacramento State Capitol in Northern California. It’s a tribute to California firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty since the state’s inception in 1850, and it currently totals more than 1,300 individuals.

The Memorial had its inception in 1992 when the California legislature passed a bill authorizing the presence of the memorial on the grounds of the Sacramento State Capitol. The physical structure of the California Firefighters Memorial was dedicated in 1995 and has three aspects to it.

The Memorial Wall is a wall made of limestone which lists every firefighter who died while on duty. It’s two-sided and has bronze statues on each side.

The “Fallen Brother” is a statue made of bronze that sits next to the wall and depicts a firefighter who is removing a fellow firefighter through flames.

“Holding the Line” is the name of a statue of four firefighters who are using a hose line to fight a fire.

Every year for almost two decades, the Foundation holds a ceremony to honor the bravery of their colleagues who died in the line of duty. The California Firefighter Memorial Ceremony is held on State Capitol grounds and the names of additional fallen firefighters become a part of the listing on the wall.

You can view photos of the California Fire Foundation’s memorial ceremony, including families of fallen firefighters andsee the Pipes & Drums musicians, on Flickr.

SAVE is a fire service charity program providing for victims of natural disasters.

SAVE stands for Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency and is a service to provide short-term financial assistance to California natural disaster victims. To suffer the losses of fire, flood, earthquake or disaster is impossible to imagine unless you’ve been affected as well. The grieving process is painful for those who suffer collateral damage, such as losing a loved one.

The California Fire Foundation implements the SAVE program to offset the hardship caused by the financial hit victims endure from the aftermath of wildfires. These experiences are not only emotionally damaging, but also affect finances and physical challenges.

Through the program, the Foundation seeks to provide immediate support following a fire or other natural disaster to displaced victims. Firefighters from up and down the state work together with the CFF, firefighters throughout the state of California, will distribute gift cards, in an amount designated by CFF at a minimum of $100, to eligible victims of fire or other natural disasters so they may purchase basic necessities such as food, clothing or medicine.

Firefighters working with the CFF on the SAVE program provide assurance that those impacted by disaster will receive instant, direct relief before, during and after the alarm. All parties will work together in partnership to ensure the program is executed and overseen efficien

The aid often comes through a SAVE gift card, which is handed out to both civilians and firefighters who need financial assistance. The California Fire Foundation depends on donations to continue the program, which grants victims a gift card carrying a value of $250.

Individuals can donate directly to the program, thereby becoming a generous donor to those in need. Last year more than 2,700 SAVE cards were handed out to natural disaster survivors.

The CFF fire safety charity provides a large number of resources to California residents.

A firefighter donation through the California Fire Foundation is a way to fund more public education about issues related to fire safety.

The nonprofit provides free online resources that help educate the public on fire safety, evacuation plans, and staying safe on the roads. They also provide resources for victims of wild fires by informing them of the various programs offered throughout California.

These are the kinds of programs you support with donations to fire victims through te California Fire Foundation.

In a collaboration with PG&E, the CFF has a safety campaign reminding homeowners and contractors to call 8-1-1 before digging. It’s an information line with fire safety messages in multiple languages. The messages come from firefighters themselves.

One of the CFF’s fire safety taglines is “Get Ready, Get Out, Get Help!” It’s another attempt to offer individuals with language barriers the chance to gain the necessary preparation for disasters like fire.

Some of their effort has been directed at meeting needs in the Chinese communities. The Foundation has partnered with fire unions and departments to bring their safety messages to Chinese individuals living in America. There is printed information as well as public service messages provided.

In an attempt to curb the number of auto collisions with emergency vehicles, the California Fire Foundation sponsors an information campaign regarding street safety. They have produced video public service announcements that are available to local affiliates through FireStar Productions. Two of them discuss the need to pull over when a driver sees lights and hears sirens.

There are many means to donate to firefighters and California fire victims.

The California Fire Foundation accepts donations on an ongoing basis or as a one-time gift. They can total anywhere from $25-$1,000. It gives donors the opportunity to play a part in fire prevention by supporting the work of the Foundation in dispersing necessary tips and funding public service messages.

Financial support for the Foundation also contributes to scholarships for the children of fallen firefighters. Though you may not know a firefighter’s family personally, you can be personally involved in caring for them when they have experienced a loss of life on the job.

A donation to fire victims and residents who lose their homes due to mudslides is made possible through CFF. And because it’s a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donors receive a tax deduction for the gift.

You can also make a purchase to support the California Fire Foundation. When you order a $50 personalized firefighter license plate, it send proceeds to the Foundation. 

In an effort to enlist help from every avenue conceivable, the California Fire Foundation will accept car donations to fire victims. By donating your used or unwanted vehicle to Cars2Charities, proceeds from the sale of your car, truck or SUV goes to support the nonprofit.

We handle the pick-up and the paperwork of your car donation to fire victims and firefighters – even the title transfer. You can also donate a boat, golf cart or RV to support the cause. After the donation vehicle is sold, a donation check is sent to the California Fire Foundation, and you receive your tax deduction!

Find out more ways to get involved and help support the California Fire Foundation by attending their events. 

It’s easy to feel the weight of devastation when fire sweeps through a town or city and destroys tens of thousands of acres in the process. You can see the needs when you turn on your news channel or look at your pone.

When nonprofits do the legwork – arranging easy, reliable, trustworthy means to contribute, you become an active participant in giving comfort to your fellow man and woman. In the case of California wildfires, there are many ways to make donations for fire victims – even through a singular charity, the California Fire Foundation.

We all need one this time of year – a guide to gift giving so we can wow our friends, family, boss and co-workers while scoring the best deals to save a little cash. Of course, there’s no perfect list, unless you’re Santa Claus, and everyone’s got their own field of recipients. But when someone else does the legwork for you, its a big help.

Everyone needs a guide to gift giving that includes affordable, last-minute ideas.

We all want to find cheap gifts – the trick is to locate the kinds of presents that either: look more expensive than they are; actually are more valuable than what you paid for them; or are so unique that nobody has any idea what the price tag was.

The affordable guide to gift giving is a different priority than just a clever gift guide. Sure – you can go to Neiman Marcus, but will another down vest or faux fur boots really impress again this year?

The key is to shake it up a little, maybe get away from ordering off your daughter’s Amazon Gift List and put on your thinking cap.

Good news! We did it for you.

For the Family: It’s not just a club membership for cheap toilet paper anymore!

There are big advantages to membership warehouse stores, according to an article on the site Money Crashers, beginning with how easy it is to make up the membership fee – usually around $50. You get it back from the savings you get on everything from low-cost household supplies to cheap gifts for everyone year-round. According to Kiplinger, most retail stores have a 25-50% markup, which is why warehouse stores can offer lower prices – because they’re collecting membership fees.

This kind of business model uses a no-frills approach to pass on the savings to the public – which is why you can get affordable gifts for him and gifts for her. FedMart was a discount store in the 1950s, sort of a precursor to places like BJs, Costco and Sam’s Club today. They just keep growing too. Whereas they used to be known for cooking supplies and household paper goods in the ‘80s, now you can purchase travel, tires, and even insurance, through such stores as Costco.

The guide to gift-giving through a membership warehouse store would certainly include discounted movie and amusement park tickets https://www.costco.com/gift-cards-tickets.html Costco sells cheap movie tickets by the bundle, and discounted tickets to parks like Disneyland, Universal Studios and Legoland.

And it’s not just a few single amusement parks. The Costco site has categories of discounted tickets and passes:
• Movie Tickets
• Theme/Water Parks
• Tourist/City Attractions
• Gyms/Spas/Weight Management
• Restaurants
• Skiing/Winter Activities
• Sailing/Water Activities
• Jewelry/Watches
• Helicopter Tours
• iTunes Gift Cards
• Gift Baskets

Prepaid gift cards are a popular gift for him or her, because your gift recipients get to spend the credit cards at their leisure. There’s scarcely anything more practical, considering they can buy gas with it, dine or shop with a card.

For the Kids: Under the category of “clever, though affordable guide to gift-giving,” a Surprise Activity Box subscription would be a keeper. 

Every month the company sends the recipient activity boxes filled with all the supplies needed to spark creativity and enrichment. It’s a creative idea hatched by Donna and Rosy Khalife, who aim to inspire kids to do more than spend the American average of 7 hours a day in front of a screen.

Donna Khalife has a Harvard MBA and a background studying non-profit entrepreneurship. Rosy has a marketing degree and worked in advertising and media buying for companies in Europe and the U.S.

These two women offer parents the chance to get their kids doing off-line, hands-on play activities.

For the Traveler: This wallet has more pockets than your old purse and wallet combined. A waterproof wallet will keep your passport, cash, and tickets safe from all your adventures.

There’s nothing worse than sitting on the sand and either forgetting to take your wallet out of your pocket or not feeling secure to leave your ID with your towel on the beach. This makes it possible to hang ten while hanging onto your identity.

For the Beard Grower: To some, the Civil War is never out of style and today that’s true for a lot of men! Gifts for him aren’t always easy to find, but this one is a no-brainer if he’s got facial hair. A beard grooming kit includes: beard wash, beard lube, beard conditioner and a comb. 

For the Beauty Guru: A number of beauty industry companies offer a subscription service these days, which can be great gifts for her. Like a wine club, you let them know your preferences and they send out products to your door, which means these are gifts that keep gifting. Monthly beauty services are a newer phenomenon, though they’re much like the Avon Lady from the mid-1900s.

One of those is Birchbox, which is an app you can use on your phone to set up a subscription for five monthly beauty treats. You get a box of both prestige and niche brand beauty supplies, which is a way to sample different products and see which ones you’d like to use on a regular basis.

When you find a favorite, you can purchase a full-size version of the product and the company ships for free.

You can also send personalized beauty products through Ipsy, which was founded on a mission to “inspire individuals around the world to express their unique beauty.” The purpose is to customize options, so clients are getting exactly what meets their needs.

The company began in 2011 with a name derived from the Latin “ipse,” which means “self.” If your guide to gift giving has the individual in mind, Ipsy is probably a good bet. The Ipsy Glam Bag includes five products personalized for the “ipster,” and there’s more information available on the website, including videos and articles. It’s a way for the shopper to try more beauty options in the process of defining their beauty style.

For the Coworkers: If Secret Santa is a “thing” at your place of business, you need to come up with new ideas every year that outdo your last. But depending on the size of the company, it can be expensive! For cheap gifts, turn to the lottery. One idea is to buy scratchers in bulk for your fellow employees, because a cheap scratcher could be a $100 gift for a lucky coworker.

 Visit Brostrick for more last-minute gift ideas if you’re still stumped.

The site has some unique ones on the market this year, which are hot-linked to Brostrick. If you’re hunting cheap gifts for a child, you can check out the balloon animal night light. For the other end of the spectrum – a drinker (hopefully an adult) – there’s the Micro Brew Beer Gift Basket or the Whiskey Ice Wedge.

Your friends will think of you all year with gifts that keep gifting.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the present you pick out serves them beyond the 25th of December? The greatest gift of all is a gift that keeps on giving, which in many cases includes helping some of the thousands of charities that need donations this holiday season.

Animal Charities

If the sad eyes of a puppy needing a home is what pierces the heart of your friends and family members, chances are a donation to an animal charity would please them this year. There are many ways to buy gifts for animals – and if you do it in an individual’s name, he/she gets the satisfaction of saving a dog, cat or other animal.

And the good news is, it fits the bill in the case of gifts for her or gifts for him.

Pasadena Humane Society
You can send someone a contribution to the Pasadena Humane Society and express it to them in one of many ways. You can pay for the donation and obtain the receipt, which you send to your gift recipient in a holiday card. You may also create “tribute giving,” where donations are purchased in memory of someone who has passed away.

What animal donations can provide is food, shelter, blankets and medical care, plus more opportunities to find adoption families. Many animal shelters and rescue centers have wish lists that you can access online if you’d like to donate items for care. 

You can also donate a car to an animal charity through Cars2Charities. It’s an option in any cash-saving guide to gift giving, because you don’t have to pull out your checkbook! You’re simply turning the value of your vehicle into support for animal charities. 

Golda’s House
Golda’s House accepts online donations, plus you can shop from their unique merchandise at their store, which is located at 67802 E. Palm Canyon Cathedral City, California. The hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Check their wish lists online; and know that every purchase goes to support animal rescue, volunteering, and adopting.

Because it’s a 501(c)(3), all donations to the organization are tax-deductible. You can also donate your vehicle to Golda’s House and receive a tax break.

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

If someone on your list loves environmental causes, you may want to do some “green gifting.” One idea is to donate to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in the Coachella Valley. Not only is it a worthy cause, it’s a way to show your friend or family member that what they care about is important.

Whether you make an annual donation or a one-time gift, it goes to keep animals fed and housed. Even a minimal gift makes a difference. For instance, $5 feeds a snake for a month; $50 provides a week of carrots for the entire collection of animals; $200 purchases one month of meat for a cheetah; and $1,000 takes care of one month of supplies for many of the animals.

If that price tag sounds high, what about a car donation to animals through Cars2Charities? It doesn’t involve scraping up cash, and you get to write it off of your taxes.

Support local firefighters through gifts that keep gifting.

Both fire personnel and victims of wildfires need help. You can donate a vehicle through Cars2charities, and again, it offers disaster relief to those in need and improve your tax situation.

The Monterey Firefighters Charitable Foundation per Community Foundation of Monterey can offer you that benefit to your bottom line. If your car donation to disaster relief is made in the name of a person on your gift list, he/she will be proud to be a part of the cleanup effort.

You can donate your vehicle through Cars2Charities to support these charities and many more.
It’s the gift that keeps gifting, while putting in no cash on your part, and minimal effort. We tow away the car you no longer need and handle the entire process for you.

There aren’t many options in the guide to gift giving that are this easy. And you can choose the charity of your choice!

See the site for video details.

By the time the Camp Fire in California was finally 100% contained, donations for fire victims were pouring in, as millions watched news reports of the more than 150,000 acres burned. There were thousands of grieving victims of the wildfires in Paradise, California, who were living in emergency shelters, campsites and hotels, trying to regroup while suffering the loss of everything.

Because of the scope of recent California fires, there’s a huge need for donations for fire victims.

The deadliest fire in California’s recorded history, the Camp Fire killed nearly 100 individuals, while many remained on a “missing” list. More than 13,500 homes and more than 500 commercial structures were burned. 

Collecting donations for fire victims gives friends and neighbors the chance to provide hope and healing to those who are suffering. While you may feel some relief that your house is still standing, there are many ways to channel empathy for those who have experienced loss and couldn’t save their belongings, heirlooms, photos or anything else.

Even perfect strangers want to find ways to make California fire donations through reliable programs to offer fire relief to those who are suffering. Donations for fire victims take many forms – the hard part is choosing which organization best supports those you choose to benefit.

Charity Navigator is a reliable source of information when you’re determining the integrity of a non-profit organization. It’s the largest evaluator of charities, offering data that lays out the financial documentation of non-profit groups in an objective manner. The site has been working since 2001 to maintain accurate ratings for nearly 10,000 of America’s charities.

When you know the best firefighter charities in the state, or in the city in which you live, your contributions can have a serious impact. You want to know that when you share your money it’s going to a good cause, which means you want reputable non-profits to receive your contribution.

You can donate to firefighters directly.

First responders are often fighting devastating fires while their own homes burn to the ground. According to the Fire Rescue 1 website, in this year’s Butte County blaze there were 53 Paradise firefighters and 17 members of the police force who lost their houses.

The best firefighter charities are non-profits that get the money where it’s needed, and there are many to choose from, including:
• International Association of Fire Fighters Foundation Disaster Relief Fund
The IAFF accepts donations to offer monetary support to firefighters who have personally suffered because of the fires.
• National Volunteer Fire Council’s Volunteer Firefighter Support Fund
This directly contributes to emergency personnel and firefighters who have lost homes in the wildfires.
• Ventura County Community Foundation’s Sudden and Urgent Needs Fund
Also known as SUNF, the foundation provides $5,000 grants to non-profits who help victims of the Camp Fire and Hill Fire.

• California Fire Foundation
Formed in 1987, the California Fire Foundation provides emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters and the communities where they work to protect citizens. Because it’s a 501(c)(3) you can directly donate, or you can work through a program such as donating a car to charity and specifying the Foundation to receive proceeds.

One of the non-profit’s projects is the California Firefighters Memorial, which was designed and built to memorialize fallen firefighters at the Sacramento State Capitol. On an ongoing basis, the CFF supports families of firefighters killed in the line of duty by providing emergency supplies and education assistance to their children.

You can also donate to firefighters through specific, local fire departments.

The area where you live may have a foundation specific to your town or county. Firefighters from the recent devastating California fires have non-profit organizations to serve those who suffered injury on the job.

There’s a foundation benefiting firefighters in Monterey, California, which you can choose to support directly or through a car donation to MFFCF. The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3707 has a non-profit entity called the Monterey Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation.

The organization is dedicated to providing relief to fire victims, as well as taking care of their own members. You can find out more about making donations for fire victims through Monterey Firefighters on the website.

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemen’s Fund takes care of families of firefighters when they have lost their lives or been injured while fighting fires.

To assist the Northern California first responders, the North Valley Community Foundation is able to process donations for fire victims. It helps public safety personnel who are suffering losses from the Camp Fire. Specifically, it includes sheriff deputies, police and fire workers and those in related departments who have lost their homes. Based in Chico, California, the NVCF supports evacuation centers in the area through its resources.

There’s a GoFundMe for ambulance crews of Butte County. A group from the California Ambulance Association created a GoFundMe page for the 25 employees and their families who lost their cars, houses and other possessions due to the Camp Fire. The goal was set at $50,000.

There’s also a GoFundMe page for members of the Paradise Police Departments. Those whose homes burned in the Camp Fire can gain much-needed relief from donations. They include seven police officers, four dispatchers, two community service officers, two animal control officers, one records clerk, one administrative assistant and the police chief. It was created by the Paradise Police Officers Association, who set up a goal of $200,000.

Sometimes cash donations are more useful than donating supplies to fire victims.
It’s not that all kinds of donations aren’t welcome, but a lack of storage space can become a problem when too many supplies come in following a disaster, according to financial website MarketWatch.

Even Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg publicly announced they wanted donations to the Camp Fire to be limited to cash. He said, “Please don’t send supplies, as the evacuation centers say they have been inundated.” 

The Humane Society and the American Red Cross have doubled down on that opinion. What comes in first – and rapidly – are clothing, food and other necessities, but victims need cash. They lack resources to buy what they and their families need.

The Red Cross issued the following statement: “After a disaster hits, the American Red Cross witnesses the incredible generosity of people from across the country who want to help in any way they can with donations of items like clothes, shoes, food and household items, but the reality is, cash donations are best.”

Actress Sandra Bullock donated $100,000 to the Humane Society of Ventura County so the organization could house displaced dogs, cats, donkeys, pigs, horses, chickens, ducks and other pets in the area.

Gift cards are a practical method for contributing to the cause. You can purchase Walmart or Target gift cards, gift cards from gas stations and money for groceries. Some of those companies and stores that are within range for victims of the California wildfires include: Raley’s, Walgreens, Dollar Tree, Big Lots, Rite-Aid, CVS and Food Maxx.

A car donation to fire victims offers much-needed cash funds to those who have lost their homes.

Though it isn’t always the first thing to cross your mind when you see the devastation from wildfires, the thousands of individuals displaced and grieving from the loss of belongings and even family members, you can donate a car to victims of fire.

Donating a car to firefighters and fire victims is possible if you go through a trusted car charity program.

Cars2Charities has created a subcategory for anyone who wishes to donate their vehicle to fire relief or an organization that helps firefighters and/or victims affected by the California Fires. We will send the proceeds to one of our local nonprofits or if you have a specific cause in mind please contact us and we can reach out to them. 

You can donate a car to the Salvation Army through Cars2Charities as a means to impact fire victims. 

Not only has the non-profit been a trusted charity for more than 100 years, the Salvation Army is directly involved, offering supplies to those who need it. There is an amazing story about how a local warehouse was converted into a store for fire victims to browse clothing and provisions, thanks to the Salvation Army. Survivors of the Camp Fire were able to go to the Koret distribution warehouse, located near the Chico Airport, to “shop” for belongings. 

It’s sometimes ironic – that while thousands of individuals have nothing, you may something in excess you no longer need – a car. The high demand in donations for fire victims isn’t easily met, and when you have something sitting in your garage that has value it can be converted into support for the cause.

Getting rid of a car you don’t use seems like a small need by contrast to the toll on California fire victims. The Woolsey Fire destroyed 1,500 structures totaling 97,000 acres. It could even be seen from space, says a CNN report.

That’s why many are grateful for the win-win aspect of solving your problem (disposing of a vehicle) by giving a sizable boost to those in need.

You can offer fire relief even in the aftermath of disaster.

Regardless of the location of the devastation, donations for fire victims are always part of the equation. And it extends beyond the time the blaze is contained. 

It’s easy to assume that residents of Malibu don’t need financial support, and they are a tight-knit community to be sure. But there are apartments in Point Dume where renters have been displaced and others, such as struggling actors, who live in backhouses and bungalows.

Not everyone is a multi-millionaire. Some Malibu residents are retirees, often former tradesmen from the entertainment industry, such as Dick Haverick, who bought a trailer 30 years ago and lives in it on a property in Malibu. 

Even people who didn’t lose their homes were evacuated and couldn’t return due to downed power lines, etc. The recovery process is slow and painful for everyone.

And it wasn’t just Malibu.

The Woolsey Fire started in Simi Valley, California on November 8 during the heavy Santa Ana Winds, then it spread into Malibu and parts of the San Fernando Valley. There were about 1,500 houses and buildings destroyed and damage to hundreds more. Maps show the fire affected two counties because of its spreading.

The Hill Fire scorched approximately 4,500 acres in Ventura County. It was named for the Hill Canyon Trail, which is located in an area of Thousand Oaks called Santa Rosa, and it began on November 8, 2018 around 2 p.m., just before the Woolsey Fire.

Investigators have determined the Hill Fire was caused by human activity and they’re asking anyone with information about the possible cause of the fire to contact Cal Fire's tip line at 800-468-4408. ABC News reported there’s even a reward of $10,000 for information leading to the person responsible for starting the blaze. 

So, it seems you can be part of the solution through more than giving resources; you can aid authorities by giving information.

There are lots of choices – you can donate clothes to fire victims, donate your car to charity, or simply write a check. But none of these communities will recover quickly. The beauty of the human spirit notwithstanding, there’s damage to account for – even people missing. There’s still work to do.

Donations for fire victims will still be needed for months, possibly even years. Whether you dip into savings, carve out part of your paycheck or turn the value of your car into cash. There are many who are grateful for your generosity.