Donations to Senior Village with Tax Dollars
Senior Village volunteers lower costs. (Photo by Donna Stewart)
Ed Kula
Senior Village at SaddleBrooke, Inc., has maintained its status as a Qualified Charitable Organization (QCO) under Arizona tax law almost since its inception. A QCO designation allows any Arizona taxpayer to donate to a selected organization and take a dollar-for-dollar credit within certain limitations.
After making a donation to a QCO like Senior Village, an Arizona taxpayer can reduce year-end state income tax liability by up to $400 for an individual and up to $800 for a jointly filed return each year. Forms, details, and filing dates can be found at www.azdor.gov.
This is a unique opportunity to support Senior Village and keep tax dollars working for your neighbors right here in our community. Your donations are paid directly to Senior Village, with corresponding credits taken to reduce Arizona state income tax on your annual Arizona tax return. The QCO code for Senior Village at SaddleBrooke is 20990.
QCO donations are an important part of our annual funding and help us meet our motto: Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Our 246 volunteers perform direct services to more than 1,600 members, providing transportation, household forms and documents organization, in-home technology, fire department lockboxes, and assistance with home and yard projects.
Your donations make it possible to operate our nonprofit 501(c)(3) “virtual” Village, paying for essential IT; website services; printing, copying, and mailing publications such as our newsletter; insurance protection for our volunteer corps; background checks for volunteers; staffing expenses; program supplies and materials and more. Channeling your tax dollars to Senior Village through QCO contributes to the quality of life here in SaddleBrooke.
For more information, call us at 520-314-1042. Individuals seeking tax guidance should consult their professional tax advisors. Donations can be sent to Senior Village at SaddleBrooke, P.O. Box 8584, Tucson, AZ 85738.
Information is available on the Senior Village website seniorvillage.org. The website includes a button to donate directly.
What We Wish We Didn’t Have to Think About
Plan legacy giving with a trusted tax advisor. (Photo by George Brown)
Linda Hampton
Recently, I stumbled upon an obituary that was profoundly moving. I did not know the man who had died, but reading the obituary made me sincerely wish that I had. He had written it himself, and it started with these words, “If you are reading this, then you are clearly having a better day than I am.” He went on to talk about the people and things that were important in his life. It was filled with humor and with love. It made me wonder what I would write if I knew I were dying. I quickly decided that I didn’t want to think about it.
The thing about charitable giving is that it makes us feel good. There is value in knowing that others are helped. I believe that when we do good, we feel good. But legacy giving also tells the people of tomorrow what we believe is important. It is a way of making a mark on the future. It is a way to say, “I was here, and I saw that this is important.”
That is what I would like you to think about when you make a gift to Senior Village in your will or with a trust. You care about SaddleBrooke, the people you know here, and the future of this community where you have made your home. Senior Village would like to be here for the vulnerable senior of the future, but we can’t be sure of that without the financial support of people who are here today.
There are many ways to cast your vote into the future. You might consider a charitable gift annuity, a simple mention in your will, or the establishment of an endowment or trust that benefits Senior Village. Whatever you do, it should begin with a conversation with your financial advisor.
You probably know about Senior Village at SaddleBrooke. Maybe you have a friend or neighbor who has been helped. Maybe you received your first COVID vaccine through one of our drive-thru clinics. I don’t know for sure what help the resident of the future will need. I can only hope that Senior Village will be here for them as it is now for the resident who needs us today. To learn more about Senior Village and our 501(c)(3) status, please call 520-314-1042. A helpful volunteer will put you in touch with someone who can answer your questions.
Thank you for thinking about it.
Free Musical Matinees
Dan Bergquist at the piano (photo by Donna Stewart)
Senior Village has been hosting a series of free musical matinees to share the incredible talent of SaddleBrooke musicians with the entire SaddleBrooke community. This year has featured two gifted pianists and a vocal group.
Next year we want to expand and showcase other musicians—vocalists, harpists, flautists, small groups, barbershoppers, brass ensembles, string quartets, you name it.
This free series has been popular with friends and neighbors enjoying an afternoon together. These performances are strictly voluntary on the part of the musicians. If you or someone you know would be interested in performing, please email Susan King at [email protected].
The final matinee of this year will be at MountainView, SaddleBrooke TWO, on Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pianist Dan Bergquist, a SaddleBrooke favorite, will perform that day.
Helping You Cope with the Holiday Blues
Andrea Molberg, PhD
For many of us, the holidays are a special time filled with family, friends, gifts, parties, and lots of wonderful food. However, Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day can be a painful time of year, especially for the lonely and isolated. Seeing others enjoying themselves with partners, siblings, children, and grandchildren can make them miss their own more.
Because of unrealistic expectations, loneliness, and stress, holiday (and even post-holiday) depression is common. According to the American Psychological Association, 38% of people surveyed said their stress increased during the holiday season. Recently, 64% of people with mental illness reported that holidays make their conditions worse—citing lack of time, financial pressure, gift-giving, and family gatherings as reasons.
Holidays can be tense instead of heartwarming. We can feel overwhelmed, burdened by obligations, haunted by past mistakes, and tired. For those who believe they’re supposed to be happy and aren’t, the result is often sadness, illness, self-doubt, and substance abuse. Perhaps Senior Village can help with opportunities to beat the holiday blues.
What beats the blues? What works in one situation or for some individuals will not for others, so pick several useful coping strategies. Some are special Senior Village activities:
* Remind yourself that feelings come and go.
* Keep in place the parts of your life that are working for you—good sleeping, exercise, eating, and work habits.
* Be realistic and prioritize. Focus on what is highly important to you, and then give yourself permission to let go.
* Surround yourself with supportive people, uplifting music, and the beauty of nature. Be inspired by books, sermons, and podcasts. Senior Village is offering a free Music Matinee at SaddleBrooke TWO on Thursday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m. featuring Dan Bergquist.
* Spend time doing what brings you joy, and remember that laughter is good medicine. Senior Village members can enjoy the Senior Village Book Club meeting on Dec. 15 and Game Day on Dec. 20.
* Count your blessings. You’ll find more to be grateful for when you purposefully look for the good stuff. Plan for a table of friends to party at the annual Senior Village Beach Bash on April 1, 2023. Positive plans help.
* Compare your situation to those of others who are less (not more) fortunate.
* Distract yourself by paying attention to others’ needs. Shift your focus away from yourself. Help your more senior neighbors prepare for the Senior Village Recycle event on March 23 or bake a gift for someone.
* Reach out and touch someone—with a hug, a smile, a home visit, or by volunteering to change a lightbulb, assist with technology, or take someone to an appointment. There is so much you can do, so many ways to contribute. Helping them helps you feel better, too.
Senior Village Meal Delivery
When people join Senior Village or volunteer, they often say, “I didn’t know Senior Village did that.” As Senior Village offers the gift of helping neighbors live their best lives on their own, but not alone, new needs are identified. One is short-term meal delivery.
Who is eligible?
* Members returning home after a hospital or rehab stay
* Members with physician-ordered limitations
Arrangements require advance notice.