Grain raised by an area farmer amounted to a $200 gift presented to representatives of the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility at their meeting Wednesday night.
“Giving a Gift of Grain” is a program that gives farmers an opportunity to be charitable and have tax advantages on two fronts.
Jeff Cokely, executive director of the Allen County Community Foundation, which is the conduit for the program locally, briefly explained how the giving works.
When a farmer takes his grain to an elevator to be sold he may designate any amount of the proceeds to be donated to charity. He can then use that gift as a deduction from his income taxes and as a charitable donation.
ACARF’s special friend, who wished to remain anonymous, also gifted Iola’s First Presbyterian Church, Friends of the Bowlus and the ACCF Endowment, through the grain program.
In his new role as the community foundation’s director, Cokely said, “I intend to go to bat for you (ACARF) and all the other organizations that are represented in the community foundation.”
Cokely also told the Register about a donation of $1,986 from Emprise Bank and its employees to the Allen County Regional Hospital Equipment Fund. In a ceremony today, he will hand over $990 — $750 given by the bank and $240 from employees — with another $996 anticipated during 2016.
The one-time donations and anticipated payroll deductions came from fundraising among Iola and Moran Emprise banks associates.
Creative gift aids ACARF
