Give Thanks Through Charity in the Reno Area
November 23, 2009
You can give thanks through charity this week. Here are just a few of the places accepting donations in the Reno area:
- Food Bank Drop-Off – River’s Edge RV Park (1405 S Rock Blvd, Sparks), 8am-5pm. Non-perishable food items only, please.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Clothing Drive – Air National Guard (1776 National Guard Way, Reno), 9am. Gently used clothing and small household items (pots, pans, books, tools, etc). Donations accepted through December 18, 2009.
- Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Drop-Off – Comstock Community Church (465 South C Street, Virginia City), 11am. Please include $7 with each shoebox to cover shipping costs.
- Thanksgiving Pet Food Drive and Pet Adoption Days – Nevada Humane Society (2825 Longley Lane #B, Reno), 11am. Please bring non-perishable and unopened cans of dog and cat food. Continues through November 25, 2009.
- Coat Collection for Boys & Girls Club – Bully’s Sports Bar & Grill No. 6 (5162 Meadowood Mall Circle, Reno), 5pm. Donations of gently used coats, jackets, hats and gloves will be presented to the Boys & Girls Club during its Thanksgiving Eve dinner. Accepting donations through November 25, 2009.
Fo all of the residents in the Reno area, please show your thanks by giving to charity this week. Every little bit helps. Thanks!
Sip and Shop at Reno Riverwalk
November 18, 2009
The monthly Riverwalk Merchants Wine Walk in Reno is all about the Holiday Sip and Shop this Saturday, November 21st from 2-5pm. This popular event takes place along the Truckee River and its neighboring streets in the downtown Reno area. For only $20 per person with a valid ID, you receive an ID bracelet, a wine glass and a map showing you which Riverwalk merchants participate in the Reno Wine Walk. With this bracelet, you can sample any wine you wish at the stores of your choice, providing they participate, of course. Feel free to browse through the cafes, shops and more while enjoying your own private wine tasting. There are drawings for a wide variety of great prizes from local Reno merchants. Participation in this event helps local Reno charities as well. Since this event tends to draw large crowds, you should leave the strollers and pets at home. Parking is available at any one of the public lots shown on the Riverwalk Merchants Wine Walk parking map. For more info, please contact Donna Quante at 775-825-9255 or visit the Reno Riverwalk District’s website. Come out for a fun, safe way to sample some of our local Reno flavor.
Obama Extends Tax Credit to Current and First Time Home Buyers
November 9, 2009
Are you looking to buy a home in the next few months? President Obama has extended the tax credit to current and first time home buyers. Previously, the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit was only available until the end of this month. However, the $8000 tax credit has been extended for all homes purchased between November 6, 2009 and April 30, 2009. Further still, if you have a binding sales contract signed by April 30, 2009, you will qualify for up to an $8000 tax credit as long as your escrow closes before July 1, 2009.
The tax credit is not only available to first time home buyers (those buyers who have not owned a home in the last three years) anymore. Now, current homeowners who have used their home for at least five consecutive years of the last eight years as their primary residence are eligible for up to $6500 in tax credit.
For both first time home buyers and existing home owners, the income limits are the same. If you are single or married and file as head of household, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) cannot exceed $125,000 to eligible for the full amount of the credit ($8000 for first time home buyers and $6500 for current homeowners). For married couples who file jointly, your MAGI has to be less than $225,000. However, if your income is between $125,000 and $145,000 for single or head of household or $225,000 to $245,000 for married couples filing jointly, you are eligible for a portion of the appropriate tax credit. If you make more than that, you are not eligible for any of either tax credit.
Only single-family homes, townhomes or condominiums purchased as used as a primary residence are eligible for a tax credit. Vacation homes or rental properties are not eligible. The home purchase must be less than $800,000 as well. If you purchase and live in the home full-time for three years, you do not have to repay the tax credit you receive. However, if you sell the home before the three years, you will have to pay back the tax credit to the government.
If you are looking to relocate to Reno, please contact me. I can help.
Operation Christmas Child in Nevada
November 3, 2009
I know we just go through handing out candy and carving jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. But, Operation Christmas Child needs volunteers right now. The non-profit group Samaritan’s Purse organizes the Operation Christmas Child program to help get much needed supplies to children in need all over the world. Their goal this year is to fill 8800 shoe boxes and send them to children in war-torn countries, poverty-stricken communities or places affected by natural disaster.
How to Pack Your Own Shoe Box:
- Use an empty shoe box or shoe box size plastic container. Wrapping is optional.
- Decide whether it’s for a boy or girl or a particular age group (2-4, 5-9 or 10-14). Print the appropriate label from the Operation Christmas Child website, mark the pertinent info on the label and tape the label to the top of the box.
- Fill shoe box with small toys, school supplies, hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap, etc), hard candy (double bagged), gum, T-shirts, socks, sunglasses, ball caps, watches, etc. and a personal note with a photo of your family (if you want). You may want to include your address so the child can send you a thank you note.
- Please include a $7 donation in each box to help cover shipping costs as well as other programs Operation Christmas Child helps with. If you include a check, make it out to Samaritan’s Purse with OCC on the memo line. If you use the EZ Give Program, you can make your donation online. The EZ Give program will allow you to print up a receipt that you can include to let Samaritan’s Purse know that you paid online. It also gives you a tracking number that will allow you to see exactly where your shoe box ends up.
- Put a rubber band around each shoe box and drop off at a collection center near you during November 15-23, 2009.
Volunteers are needed to help organize and ship all the shoe boxes that are received in the Reno area. For more information on how you can help, please call 714-432-7030 or visit the Samaritan’s Purse website. Every little bit helps.
