7 Ways You Can Help

“The cost of our fight to end breast cancer is enormous, but the cost of not fighting is unthinkably higher.”

Susan Love, MD

HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

If you would like to join us in our efforts to fight breast cancer and its effects, you can support us by making donations in several different ways.

1) Cash Donations: Any cash donation is gratefully received. If you would like to make an annual, quarterly or monthly pledge to the organization, just let us know and we’ll take care of the rest by sending you reminder statements or have it automatically deducted from your account. Donation

2) Memorial gift to honor the memory of a loved one. Many people want to celebrate a person’s life by making a donation in their name. We would be honored to be able to accept donations on behalf of a loved one who lost their battle with breast cancer.

3) Celebrate a special occasion of a loved one: Celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary, by making a gift to Breast Friends. We will send them a special card to notify them of your generous gift.

4) In Kind Gifts: You may make a gift of tangibles, such as office supplies or equipment. Please contact us to hear about our current needs.

5) Planned giving to make a gift through your estate plan: Charitable remainder trusts are an effective way make a charitable gift, while continuing to realize income from your investments while you are living and to receive a tax deduction. After your death, your gift becomes the property of Breast Friends. You can also donate stock or real estate.

You can provide for Breast Friends in a variety of ways, including through your estate. Planned or deferred gifts enable Breast Friends to plan for the future because those gifts will be realized at some later date. You can make a planned gift by naming Breast Friends as a beneficiary in your will or by naming Breast Friends as owner and beneficiary of a paid-up life insurance policy. A gift of life insurance entitles you to a tax deduction equal to your cost basis in the policy or its replacement cost, whichever is less.

You can make a planned gift to Breast Friends and receive an income for life through the establishment of a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust that names Breast Friends as a beneficiary. Your attorney can advise you of the various types of charitable trusts and the estate tax benefits of each, and assist you in setting up a planned gift that is tailored to your personal needs. You may also want to talk with your attorney or financial advisor about the tax benefits of naming Breast Friends as a beneficiary of your retirement plan.

One ways to make a gift to Breast Friends is by leaving a bequest to Breast Friends in your will. You can (1) give a specific amount of money to Breast Friends; (2) give a specific item of property to Breast Friends; or (3) give a specified percentage of the residue of your estate to Breast Friends (the residue of your estate is that which is left over after all specific gifts have been made, whether charitable or non-charitable). Since we cannot predict future needs, we recommend that your bequest be for unrestricted purposes.

The following simple language can be used to make your gift:

“I give and devise to Breast Friends., or its successor, the sum of _________ Dollars ($_________) to be used for such charitable purposes as the governing body of Breast Friends deems appropriate; provided, however, that at the time of such gift, Breast Friends, or its successor, must be a charity as described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.”

OR

“I give and devise ________ percent (________%) of my residuary estate to Breast Friends, or its successor, to be used for such charitable purposes as the governing body of Breast Friends deems appropriate; provided, however, that at the time of such gift Breast Friends, or its successor, must be a charity as described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.”

A bequest may be included in the body of a will or as an amendment (codicil). Gifts made through a bequest typically provide an estate tax deduction. Please consult your attorney and/or financial advisor for specific information.

Reduce your taxes with a charitable IRA gift today

Under the Pension Protection Act of 2006, if you are over the age of 70½ you may make contributions from your IRA directly to a tax exempt charity like Breast Friends without including the Qualified Charitable Distribution in your income.

These special gifts are exempt from annual charitable deduction limits and allow you to avoid tax on the entire gift even if you do not itemize. This opportunity is available for gifts up to $100,000 per year in 2006 and 2007.

6) Serve on our Board of Directors: Looking for active members in the community that have the passion to help in the fight against breast cancer. By serving on our Board of Directors, you can help us reach our goals and make a difference in people’s lives.

7) Volunteer: If you live in the Portland Or metro area we are always in need of volunteers to help with events, mailings, or special projects. If you live in the Oregon & SW Washington area we would love to talk to you about our First I Cry/Volunteer Match project to make sure your area is being covered. If you live in another part of our great country, we’d love to talk to you about starting an affiliate
in your community.

Is my contribution deductible? Yes. All contributions to Breast Friends where no goods or services were received are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Is Breast Friends a nonprofit? Breast Friends is an Oregon nonprofit corporation. We are a public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our Federal Employer Tax ID number is 93-1320871.

If I make a donation, how will my money be used? Most of the money donated is used for programs to fulfill our mission, Helping women survive the trauma of breast cancer… one friend at a time.

What do donors receive for their gifts? In addition to knowing that you have joined in the support of women diagnosed with breast cancer, their friends and family members, we are in the process of expanding our message to many other areas so no women needs to go through breast cancer alone.

Make a Donation

Breast Friends relies on private donations to keep our programs going. You can support us by making a tax deductible donation to Breast Friends. Your help is needed to continue bringing words of hope and encouragement to the thousands of women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.