Students from Mammoth/San Manuel Unified School District were bussed to the Walk so they could participate in this annual event.
SaddleBrooke and SaddleBrooke Ranch Residents Walked for Kids
Nancy McCluskey-Moore
The SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) Walk for Kids was held at 9 a.m. on Oct. 26. The walk was preceded by a warm-up session led by Jacqueline Brehm of Vital Moves in the SaddleBrooke HOA One parking lot near the bocce ball courts. Walkers, wearing their Walk for Kids 2024 t-shirts, completed either a long walk around Ridge View Boulevard or a shorter approximately one-mile walk. Tables were set up along both routes to provide water for human and canine walkers. SBCO welcomed students from the Copper Corridor schools of Mammoth/San Manuel High School and Mountain Vista Elementary in Oracle to participate in the walk. The students always bring energy and enthusiasm to this event, even if participating residents of SaddleBrooke communities can’t keep up with them.
After completing their chosen walk, participants picked up drinks and snacks and visited with their friends and neighbors on a warm fall morning. In all, approximately 225 participants registered for the walk, along with nearly 100 local students who were given free admission.
SBCO thanks everyone—volunteers and participants—who helped to make this annual event a success. The Walk for Kids raises funds, but just as importantly it raises community awareness for SBCO’s efforts to provide local kids with opportunities to succeed through programs that offer food, clothing, enrichment, and education.
A Kids’ Closet “shopper” shows off her new red shoes.
You Can Make a Difference
Nancy McCluskey-Moore
For more than 26 years, SaddleBrooke Community Outreach has been providing young people in local communities with opportunities to succeed through programs that provide food, clothing, enrichment grants, and scholarships. We serve youngsters living in the “Copper Corridor”—mining towns stretching across more than 100 miles from Catalina to Globe.
Programs implemented by our all-volunteer organization include:
Food—Our Annual Food Drive collects funds (and donated food) for the Tri-Community Food Bank and we deliver holiday food baskets to families in Oracle, San Manuel, and Mammoth.
Kids’ Closet—Twice a year, children from pre-K to 8th grade receive new shoes, clothing, and toiletries, plus a backpack filled with grade-appropriate school supplies.
Teen Closet—Twice a year, students from 9th through 12th grade receive a $250 shopping budget for clothing and school supplies. Graduating seniors receive an additional shopping trip to prepare for college or work.
Education Enrichment—Grants are given to schools and community organizations to supplement the school curriculum with instructional experiences in science, math, and the arts, as well as summer school, books, and recreational opportunities.
Scholarships—We grant two- and four-year college scholarships to deserving high school seniors. Students in a two-year program receive $1,800 per year and those in a four-year program receive $3,600. Since 2001, we have granted 678 scholarships!
Holiday Adopt—Annually this program collects funds from SaddleBrooke and SaddleBrooke Ranch residents that volunteers then use to purchase, wrap, and deliver gifts (or gift cards) to families in Oracle, San Manuel, and the parents/ guardians of children attending elementary schools in Oracle, San Manuel, Kearny, Winkelman, San Carlos, and Apache Tribal Social Services.
Your financial contribution to SBCO can make a BIG difference in many children’s lives. Since SBCO is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization (Tax ID # 86-0843458), all contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Contributions are also eligible for the Arizona Tax Credit for Contributions to Charities that Provide Assistance to the Working Poor.
Your donation will be acknowledged. If you make a gift on behalf of a friend or family member, in memory of a special person or in honor of an event or person, an acknowledgement also will be sent to the appropriate person or his/her family.
You can make a secure online donation at community-outreach.org using your credit or debit card.
Or a check (made payable to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach or SBCO) can be delivered or mailed to:
SaddleBrooke Community Outreach, Inc.
63675 E. SaddleBrooke Blvd., Suite L
Tucson, AZ 85739
On behalf of many local children, we thank you for your support!
Qualified Charitable Distribution—A Great Way to Support a Good Cause
Greg Jones
Supporting causes you care about is a fulfilling and selfless act that can make a significant impact on the lives of those in need. It can also be a beneficial way to reduce your tax liabilities. One such method of charitable giving is through qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).
Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) were introduced as a way to encourage charitable giving from individuals with IRAs. The distribution must meet certain criteria. To start, it must be made from an IRA, including traditional, rollover, and inherited IRAs, but not from a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) or a Simple IRA. Next, the distribution must be made directly to a qualified charity. Finally, the donor must be at least 70 ½ years old at the time of the distribution.
QCDs are particularly beneficial for donors who have reached the age of 72 and have a traditional IRA. At this age, it is mandatory to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their traditional IRA, creating taxable income. However, QCDs can be used to satisfy the RMDs and provides tax benefits by directing the distribution to a charity.
Communicating with your IRA custodian is important to make certain they understand your intent. There may be additional processing time, so it is important to notify them well in advance. Also, for reporting on your tax return detailed records are needed, including the amount of the distribution, the date it was made, and the charity.
In general, QCDs are a simple and tax-efficient way to support the causes you care about while lessening your tax burden. If you plan on making a charitable contribution and are eligible, consider making a qualified charitable distribution.
Overall, QCDs offer a tax-efficient and straightforward way to support charities while also reducing the tax burden on donors. If you are over the age of 70 ½ and looking for a way to support your favorite charity, consider making a qualified charitable distribution.
All contributions to the SBCO Scholarship Endowment Fund, must be made payable to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA) and designated for SBCO Endowment. (CFSA’s Tax ID is 94-2681765.) The minimum contribution to the fund is $5,000.
Donations should be sent to:
Community Foundation for Southern Arizona
SBCO Scholarship Endowment Fund
5049 E. Broadway, Suite 201
Tucson, AZ 85711