Two Benefits for Idahoans Who Give to Charity

Are there any positives to our fog and gray skies?  I’m told the air quality is poor, but I still walked a portion of the canyon trail this week.  Because it’s not bitterly cold.  One of our gun show hosts, Todd Eccles has been running long distances in the canyon.  He explains that inversion means little wind resistance.  We also don’t slip, slide, or away while driving.  Your furnace appreciates the break!

This is especially a relief for the homeless.  Let me clarify that statement.  I don’t want to live outdoors, in a park, or the canyon any time of year.  But the weather a few weeks ago was brutal!  I remember January of 2017 when we had double digits below zero for many nights.

Our homeless numbers are getting worse.  We used to think of the homeless as addicts, but increasingly it’s the working poor.  They struggle to afford housing in an increasingly expensive community.  I’ve recently donated a canned and dry goods pantry to a food pantry.  To clear some space.  It was a move overdue.

Maybe we don’t do these things because we’re always altruistic, however.  Tax time is approaching.  End-of-the-year charitable donations are twofold.  You help those in need the most, and you can help yourselves when paying taxes.

A financial planner I worked with used to tell me this was his busiest time of year.  It also coincides with a period when we’re most charitable.  We see the kettles and the public service announcements.  Most charities collect more between Thanksgiving and Christmas than during the rest of the year.

Get our free mobile app