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It’s the eighth day of my 12 Days of Charitable Giving for 2018. Readers have suggested deserving charities over the past few weeks, and I’ll be posting one a day for – well, 12 days (I’m clever that way). Today’s charity is The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA).
Currently, nearly 2,000 children under the age of 18 are on the national transplant waiting list with most over the age of one waiting for a kidney or liver. In 2016, 1,878 children received transplants.
Once a donor has been located, families of sick children may face another hurdle: transplant procedure costs range from $100,000 to more than $800,000. While COTA parents typically have individual (private, Medicaid or Medicare) and family coverage, no insurance plan covers all transplant-related expenses. Transplant costs vary but can cost between $250,000 and $800,000. These costs do not include additional needs for the family like lodging, food and transportation while a child receives treatment. Additionally, post-transplant medications and medical care costs often add up to more than $10,000 per year with lifetime totals often exceeding $1,000,000. In cases where a shortfall exists, COTA helps bridge the financial gap.
COTA does not charge for its services. According to the COTA website, 100% of funds raised in honor of patients are available for transplant-related expenses. Since 1986, COTA has assisted thousands of transplant families, providing more than $100 million in support and guidance.
So how can you help?
To make a one-time donation or monthly donation, click over to the organization’s website.
To make a gift by check, print out a donor form (downloads as a pdf) and mail to Children’s Organ Transplant Association 2501 West COTA Drive Bloomington, Indiana 47403.
For federal income tax purposes, if you plan to claim a deduction for a cash contribution, you’ll want to keep a record of the donation regardless of the amount. Ideally, the organization will provide a written record with the name of the charity, date, and amount of the contribution.
Remember that Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules don’t allow charitable deductions for gifts made to individuals, no matter how deserving; gifts must be made to a qualifying charitable organization. COTA works with families to help pay transplant-related expenses. As a donor, you can find out more about families that are in need of help here.
Do your homework.
As always, you want to make sure that your donation is going to a qualified charitable organization. A search using the IRS’ new Exempt Organizations Select Check reveals that COTA is on the list.
To find out more about the work of the organization, check out their website, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Instagram or Twitter.
I often suggest checking out third-party sites like Charity Navigator for more information about charitable organizations, including evaluations and access to tax forms and other financials. The COTA has a four star rating with Charity Navigator.
The organization earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, an online service that provides information about nonprofit organizations.
Remember: Submissions to the 12 Days of Charitable Giving are made by readers, and in most cases, I can’t personally vouch for the good work that these folks do. So be generous but be smart: Do your homework.
Here are the other organizations on the 12 Days of Charitable Giving list this year:
For more on making charitable donations, click here.
For information about 2018 tax rates – those you’ll use for the 2018 tax year when you file in 2019 – click here.