Support Articles

You want to give needed items to IPM (Inter Parish Ministry) but …

1) You’re unsure of what IPM needs.
2) You just went to the store & forgot.
3) You bought something and you planned to bring it to church to put in the donations shopping cart in the great hall but you’re going to be out of town, or you’re zooming to HUUC, or you just plain spaced out.

Here’s a solution – it’s quick, easy, and you can do it from home.

Go to:

1. https://www.ipmfoodpantry.org/
2. Click on the big “Ways you can help” button in the top menu ribbon. (If you are using a mobile device, click on the two parallel, horizontal lines at the upper right-hand corner to access the “Ways you can help” button.)
3. Scroll down to the Amazon Wish Lists (there are five: Pantry Needs, Fresh Start Kitchen, Power Packs, Backpack Program, Personal Care Items)

Depending on which program you want to support, click on the corresponding button and it will take you to the Amazon wish list, with suggested items matching the needs of that program. The items you select will be added it to your cart and, upon payment, just select the address for IPM (it will appear as one of your address options)

That’s it, you’re finished! You’ve helped those in need and didn’t even have to get up off the couch! More importantly, the items selected are things IPM needs that match the needs of the neighbors IPM serves.

Image source: https://tinyurl.com/59vt4dsr and IPM logo

Kroger Community Rewards is an easy way you can help support HUUC with no cost and almost no effort. Through this program, every time you scan your Kroger shopper’s card and make a purchase, Kroger will donate a small amount to HUUC at no additional cost to you. Here’s how you can help:

Go to www.kroger.com and click on the “Sign In” button in the top-right corner to open the dropdown menu.
*

• Already have an account? Click “Sign In” from the dropdown menu and enter your email and password to log in.
  • If you don’t remember your password, you can click the “Forgot Password?” link right below the password input field and follow the instructions.
• Don’t have an account yet? Click “Create Account” from the dropdown menu and follow the instructions to create your account. Be sure to have your Kroger card handy so that you can enter the number to link your card to your account.
• Don’t have a Kroger card? Ask for one during your next Kroger visit.

After you are logged in, click the “My Account” link, located in the same “Sign In” dropdown menu you clicked at the beginning.

On the My Account page, scroll down and click the Community Rewards link from the menu on the left-hand side of the page.

Click the blue “Enroll” button

In the search bar under “Find an Organization”, type in “heritage universalist”, then hit enter.  You can also search by or organization number, GM909.

You should see a list of organizations pop up and HUUC will be the first one on the list.  It is listed as:

Click the blue “Enroll” button underneath Heritage. You should now see your status as “enrolled,” and you can confirm that HUUC is listed as the organization name.

You’re done! Please be sure to scan your Kroger card whenever you shop – if you don’t scan your card, your purchases won’t count for the Community Rewards program.

This whole process also can be done through the Kroger app on your smart phone, though the exact directions may differ a bit.

If you have any questions about Kroger Community Rewards or need help, please ask Luke Walczewski at the address below:

I’m happy to assist.

Additional directions, as passed out at the HUUC January 14 worship service are available at the online leaflet at this link: HUUC Kroger Community Rewards Instructions

What do these three things have in common? Through Goodshop.com and its associated Goodsearch.com you can shop on-line, receive coupon discounts, and search the web, all while donating to Heritage at no cost to you. From Goodshop, you can find discounts from thousands of popular retailers while Goodshop donates a percentage of your purchase cost to Heritage. From Goodsearch, you fundraise for Heritage merely by freely searching the internet.

What is Goodshop and How to Use It

Obtain an introduction to Goodshop on their website page: https://www.goodshop.com/about. They describe their organization as follows:

“We like to say that we have the most powerful coupons in the world. Not only do we provide the best shopping deals on the internet, but we also make a donation to the nonprofit or school of your choice for almost every purchase you make. That’s right: when you shop with Goodshop you don’t just save. You also give, at no extra cost.”

You can get the latest coupons and offers for thousands of top retailers, including Amazon, Macy’s, Target, and Best Buy.

To sign up for Goodshop to donate to Heritage because of your purchases, click this link https://www.goodshop.com/nonprofit/heritage-universalist-unitarian-church. It will take you to the Goodshop page for you to sign up to adopt Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church as your cause. Go back at any time to www.goodshop.com to look for more coupons and deals.

What is Goodsearch and How to Use It

When you search the internet using Goodsearch, a Yahoo search engine, you help earn donations for our church. If you select HUUC to receive contributions from your search activity via Goodsearch, we receive credits and eventually dollars from this company.

To activate donations to Heritage from Goodsearch, if you have not already done so, click the link above for Goodshop and sign up to support Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church. Then on that website, click the menu item for Goodsearch. It will take you to a search box where you can search the Internet, just as you would with any other search engine. You can also download a browser extension that will make Goodsearch the default search engine for your browser.

Each search activity contributes one cent to our annual threshold level $20. Once we achieve that level in a one-year period, we will receive a check for all our searches that year.   

Image Source: https://tinyurl.com/33cw99ed, compiled with logos by Barb Barnes

by Rebecca A. Pace, CPA/PFS, HUUC Accounts Receivable Treasurer

I want to be sure you are aware of a tax savings strategy that many members of Heritage are using to support our church: Qualified Charitable Distributions or QCDs.

If you are over 70 ½ you can have a distribution from your IRA sent directly to the church, and not pay any tax on the withdrawal. If you are already taking withdrawals from your IRA and making charitable contributions out of your pocket, this method will reduce your Adjusted Gross Income, and your income tax. It may reduce the taxable portion of your Social Security. It also reduces the income that is taxable to the State of Ohio. A simple charitable deduction cannot do all of these things.

If you are over 72, these distributions count towards your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD).

You will get a tax statement from the church, acknowledging your gift. In most cases the statement will indicate if the donation came from your IRA, but it is your responsibility to verify the exclusion limitations and determine if the contribution qualifies as a QCD.

Remember, IRA means “Individual.” The distribution comes from an Individual’s account, not a joint account, so the income exclusion is for the Individual.

QCDs can be made from inherited IRAs. A QCD can come from a Roth IRA, but it would not give you any tax benefit.

There are a few rules to follow. The distribution must be made directly by the trustee of your IRA to the church or other qualifying charitable organization. Not all charities qualify. The maximum that can qualify for a QCD can be more than your RMD, but cannot exceed $100,000 per person. If you contribute to your IRA in the same year you make the distribution, the full amount of the distribution may not be excluded from income. Also, if your IRA includes non-deductible contributions, only a portion of the distribution qualifies for income exclusion.

A QCD is reported, by the custodian, on the annual 1099-R tax statement, like any other IRA withdrawal. The full distribution is reported on your tax return, along with the offsetting exclusion. You can still report the income and take a deduction for a charitable contribution, but using the QCD strategy will probably give you a more generous tax benefit.

Be sure to consult your tax advisor for advice about your specific situation.

Your support of Heritage can be a win all around, for the church and for your pocketbook.

March, 2022.