With Heifer, donating tax refund is money well spent

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – With the average taxpayer getting a refund of slightly more than $2,300 this year, according to USA Today, the question is: What to do with all that money? Before splurging and spending it on something you could probably do without, remember that your refund could do the world some good.

And the tax deduction you receive for your gift is not the only reward you receive. Your gift of $2,300, or any gift, to Heifer International will give families in need the chance for a better life, the chance to escape the cycle of poverty and hunger that grips more than 1.2 billion worldwide, millions in the United States.

At this time, writing a check to charity may not be topmost in your mind, but it should be. Typically, people are “December” and “disaster givers,” as seen during the holidays and with the generous outpouring of help after the January earthquake in Haiti, but the need exists year-around. There is no holiday for the hungry, no disaster declaration for the destitute that releases a flood of food and help.

It is regular, sustainable giving that provides help and hope to families, and your gift to Heifer will provide the gift of an animal, seeds, trees and/or training that will enable them to pull themselves up out of poverty, to feed themselves and their children, to have some extra animal milk or wool or offspring to sell for income.

And your Heifer gift multiplies—each family pledges to Pass on the Gift of the animal’s first female offspring, seeds or trees, as well as the education and training they received, to another family—so the gift of your tax refund yields even greater dividends.

Even if you feel the urge to splurge, consider dividing your tax refund—spend some and give some to Heifer. That way, everybody wins and you contribute to making a lasting difference in a world where too many struggle daily to feed themselves and to survive.

This year, consider donating your tax refund, or some share of it, with Heifer International. Even small gifts of $5, $10 or $20 of your tax refund can make a lasting difference. Visit www.heifer.org/gifts for helpful ideas and resources. Together we can all make a difference.

Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in 50 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant.

For more information, visit www.heifer.org or call 1-800-696-1918.