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CREATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS

Ways to Help ASJA's Writers Emergency Assistance Fund Besides Writing a Check

Most ASJA members include a $10 donation to the Writers Emergency Assistance Fund in their dues payment. Some people generously add something extra, whether it's $25, $250, $1,000 or more. But writing a check isn't the only way to give a fellow freelancer the gift of a second chance. Here's a look at other options:

• Donate stocks and bonds. Gifts of securities, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares, can have tax advantages if these assets have appreciated since you bought them. By donating shares you've owned for more than a year to WEAF, a registered 501(c) charity, you can avoid paying capital gains tax. You will also get a tax deduction for the current market value of your gift. For more information, send a message through our contact page.
• Explore employer matching programs. Many firms will match charitable donations made by their employees. If you or your spouse work for such an employer, the right moves maximize the impact of your WEAF gift. For example, my husband works for a company that matches 50% of the amount he donates to charity. By having him give $500 to WEAF--instead of doing so myself--makes our donation worth 50% more. WEAF gets $750, thanks to the matching program.
• Leave a legacy. A bequest through your will or a living trust is fully deductible from your estate, and could reduce taxes on the balance of your estate, as well. You can also lower estate taxes by making WEAF the beneficiary of your IRA, life insurance policy, or 401(k) plan.
• Suggest that friends or family give a gift in your name. That's what I did when a relative who usually sent ugly picture frames or frumpy flannel nightgowns asked what I wanted for Christmas. And if you're having trouble deciding what to give a hard-to-please family member, friend who has everything, or a favorite editor, consider making a WEAF donation in that person's name.
• Hold a fundraising event. ASJA member Sally Wiener Grotta generously volunteered to donate part of the proceeds from The Wordsmiths Project, an exhibition of her photographic portraits of people who influence what we read, including editors, publishers, and literary agents, to be in held in Spring, 2007. For more information on the project, visit www.grotta.net. WEAF holds a "Lunch with an editor or agent" raffle each year at ASJA's holiday party, and welcomes other fundraising ideas.
• Help us find more donors--and give more grants. Another way to support our work is by telling us about individuals or organizations that might be interested in funding our work. Please send contact information for potential donors, and we'll do the rest. Your support means a great deal to us--and even more to the needy writers we serve. Thanks for helping us stay strong and compassionate, now and in the future.