Donating to charities a new trend in Christmas gift giving
By Boundary Sentinel
This year in the spirit of giving, make a choice to give differently! Christmas it is the time of year that we share with our friends and neighbours and join with our families to celebrate life. A new trend in giving is to honour our loved ones by donating to causes that they are passionate about. What better way to help support your community, and find a gift for those who have everything! One local option is to donate to the Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities. The foundation has grown since its start in 1997 to house over 53 agency, scholarship, community and memorial funds. Agency endowments help support organizations to become less reliant on outside funding for their annual needs. Memorial funds are usually set up in honour of family and friends who have passed on. Maxine Ruzicka, president of the foundation, set up a family memorial fund recognizing her parents and a nephew who died young. For the past five years, gifts at Christmas from both Maxine and her sister have included a number of contributions to the Short / Ruzicka fund housed at the Phoenix Foundation. “We had long gotten past the point of giving Christmas gifts and feel that the best way to have continued giving is to support a community foundation endowment,” said Ruzicka. “We chose to set up the fund in Grand Forks because we had grown up here. The proceeds go to an organization that supports family and children.” Community funds at the foundation are used to provide grants to many organizations across the Boundary each year. Contributions to the general fund, or the community fund of your choice – Greenwood or Midway – all provide income to support many local causes. This year community grants included funding for renovations at the Greenwood pool, Grand Forks and District Public Library, and the Rock Creek Medical Society among others. “As our client numbers continue to climb it has become even more imperative that we be able to stock pile when large donations come in, as well as being able to stock up when items we purchase are on sale locally at a good price,” said Deb Billwiller, president of the Boundary Community Food Bank Society. The Phoenix Foundation provided a grant to the society this year to help purchase a new freezer. “The addition of this new freezer allows us to continue (stocking up).” Donations can also be directed to a particular interest like the environment, seniors, health, or children and youth. Income from these specific funds results in support for projects in the region that benefit those interests. So when you’re shopping for that perfect gift, consider the gift that gives to your community all year and into the future. Consider a donation to the Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities – building a better Boundary together!
Just drop into the Grand Forks and District Credit Union to pick up your gift card today. Tax receipts will be issued to the recipient of your gift.
