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Apr 9
2013Bo Bice, an Alabama native and American Idol celebrity, recently visited the Jimmie Hale Mission's Shepura Men's Center to share his testimony.
From left to right: Mission Executive Director Tony Cooper, Bo Bice and his
pastor, Donny Acton from New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian.Bice is a singer and musician who came to fame after winning runner-up (first place winner was country singer Carrie Underwood) in the season 4 competition of American Idol. His home church is New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian in Birmingham and it was his pastor, Donny Acton, who introduced Bice to the Jimmie Hale Mission.
With Acton's encouragement, Bice was happy to come talk to the men of our men's center. There, he shared his personal testimony about his struggles with addiction and trouble with the law but that with God's love and strength, he was proud to say he was one of God's "work in progress."
Of course, it wouldn't have been complete with Bo sharing some of his musical talents. Bo sang some songs from his new gospel album, New Soul Revival, which he says is about "family, fellowship and faith."
Thank you Bo and Donny for coming out to the Mission - your testimony and faith was appreciated and very inspirational!
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Feb 12
2013A group of volunteers from Gardendale Mount Vernon United Methodist Church was recently featured in The North Jefferson News for their work at Jimmie Hale Mission. For eight years, the team of men and women has been bringing meals, serving meals and leading worship at our Shepura Men’s Center.
Jim Jeffreys, the leader of the volunteer group, interviews with a reporter from the
"North Jefferson News," while the rest of the volunteers prepare for the meal serviceJim Jeffreys, team leader, said, “I feel like God has blessed me and I want to give back. We’re helping in a small way, but the guys are so grateful.” Such sentiments are often expressed by our volunteers who realize that just taking an hour out of their busy schedule each month brings them immense personal joy and satisfaction.
Volunteers from Gardendale Mount Vernon United Methodist Church serve others with a smileChurch groups, organizations and civic groups are a huge part of our volunteer base and we are grateful to be in partnership with them to provide hope to the many men, women and children who grace our doors in need. If you would like to know how you or your group can get involved in volunteer opportunities at Jimmie Hale Mission ministries, including Jessie's Place and Discovery Clubs, please call us at (205) 323-5878 or visit our volunteer page to learn more.
The Gardendale Mount Vernon church recently experienced a tragic event with their former pastor and his family. To see what the North Jefferson News reported on how this group is healing by serving others, click here to read the article in its entirety.
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Jan 2
2013What does the recent "fiscal cliff" deal mean for your charitable gift deductions?
Add up your charitable gift donations from 2012 - in most
cases,you can deduct these donations on your taxes.The charitable gift deduction is where taxpayers can deduct monetary, and in some cases in-kind, donations to IRS tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.
Prior to Congress reaching their midnight-hour deal on the so-called "fiscal cliff,"
Executive Director Tony Cooper spoke with CBS 42 about what the possible
charitable gift deduction loss could mean to individuals and nonprofits alike.In recent days, this deduction, along with many others, was threatened by the congressional "fiscal cliff" wherein Congress needed to reach a deal involving tax increases and spending cuts. For individuals and nonprofits alike, loss of this deduction would have been a big hit to the wallet. The Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, of which the Jimmie Hale Mission is a part of, lobbied against this change.
Thankfully, Congress reached a deal that saved the charitable gift deduction - to some extent. Several news outlets, including the Chronicle of Philanthropy, are reporting such figures as the cap of the charitable gift deduction has been decreased from 35% to 28%. Whether this applies to all taxpayers or just the ones in the $400k/$450k and up income bracket mentioned in the fiscal cliff deal, we're not sure.
Though tax talk can get confusing, there are three main points you can take away from this:
1. You can still claim the charitable gift deduction. (Check with your tax advisor for any applicable limits).
2. Any gift you give to the charity of your choice, such as the Jimmie Hale Mission, will always be greatly
appreciated.3. Any amount helps. Nonprofits, like the Jimmie Hale Mission, can squeeze a dollar like no one else. Your
donation of any amount will go a long way. For example, your gift of just $1.95 can feed a man, woman
or child at our ministries.If at any time you'd like to make a donation to the Jimmie Hale Mission ministries, you can do so by clicking here. Please note we are reporting on the "fiscal cliff" deal to the best of our abilities. Any tax questions should be directed to your personal tax advisor.
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Dec 26
2012Seven tips for how to make the most of your year-end (or any time!) donation...
Like many charities, many donations that will sustain our operations through the year come as a year-end donation. Not only does it help us serve the men, women and children that desperately need our services, it's a great way to receive a blessing as well, since you can claim your gift as a tax-deductible donation.
With that in mind, we wanted to share some giving tips with you:
1. With any charity you choose to give to (like the Jimmie Hale Mission), be sure you research and know where your donation is going. A good way to do that is to review the fiscal health of the organization. For example, you can review the Mission's 990 tax form, our annual audit and even our 2011 annual report.
2. Ask the charity about its tax-exempt status. A monetary gift (and sometimes in-kind gifts) given to a tax-exempt organization is tax-deductible. The Jimmie Hale Mission is a 501(c)3 organization, meaning your donation now and before the end of the year, will bring you a blessing in 2013 when it comes tax time. You can check the tax-exempt status of any organization by visiting IRS.gov. (Tip courtesy of North Jefferson News).
Give your gift before Dec. 31, 2012, to receive a blessing in April!3. Give without strings attached. Sometimes, donors like to designate their contribute for specific projects, like meals. While this is ideal for special times of the years or projects, an unrestricted can be a great way to allow the charity to do what they really need to do - even if that means your gift may help to keep the lights and heat on. (Tip courtesy of Charity Navigator).
4. Don't forget 'non-Sandy' charities. This year, a significant amount of charitable donations went to Hurricane Sandy relief. As a result, much of the contributions that non-disaster aid charities were depending on have been diverted. This holiday season, don't forget to support these 'non-Sandy' groups so that they are not forced to cut services or programs. (Tip courtesy of Charity Navigator.)
5. Keep records of your donations. To deduct your gift on your taxes, you'll want to be sure you have a record of this gift, no matter what the amount. Any one who gives a donation to the Jimmie Hale Mission will receive a receipt! If you give online, you'll receive an email receipt; if you give over-the-phone or by mail, we will mail you a receipt as quickly as possible. (Tip courtesy of North Jefferson News).
In-kind donations (goods and items) may also be tax-deductible; be sure to check though!6. Look at the results. You want to know how effective the charity is in doing what they do. For example, we love to share the Success Stories about our clients. That way, you can see what change your donation is helping to make in the lives of others. You can also review our 2011 annual report for a broader view on who we've helped (2012 annual report is in the works).
A little bit of research can go a long way. We hope our website makes
finding answers to your questions easy. If you still don't see what you
need, just call us at (205) 323-5878.7. Lastly, how familar are you with the charity? Is the charity a fit for your philanthropic goals? You want to support a charity that matches your intentions. It can take just a few minutes to confirm that the organization offers the programs and services you think it does. For example, our purpose is to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of the men, women and children in our community by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. To see fully how we help each segment of the population, click here for our men's shelter, here for our recovery center, here for our women and children's shelter and here for our Discovery Clubs outreach program.
We hope these tips make your year-end giving easier and more fulfilling! If you'd like to give a year-end gift to the Jimmie Hale Mission, just click here!
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