Editor:
I volunteer as a bookkeeper for a local charitable organization. At this time of the year, it is heartwarming to see the overwhelming generosity of everyone on the Sunshine Coast. To all of you –– a big thank you for opening your hearts and purses to support the causes that you love.
Many of you have embraced the technology of e-transfer for your donations –– it is so easy –– no hunting for the chequebook, an envelop and a stamp. A few short keystrokes and it is done!
But there are many donors (and I am sure that other charitable and service organizations have the same experience) who forget to enter their personal information in the memo section of the bank transfer. This makes it impossible for us to send you a tax-donation receipt. Our bank just notifies me that “Mary Smith has deposited $75 in your account” and in the memo section I read “tax receipt please.” This leaves me with no way of contacting you and getting any further information.
PLEASE, if you want to donate to your favourite charity via e-transfer, and need a tax-donation receipt, enter your name and complete mailing address in the memo section. Then it can be fully recorded and the tax donation receipts can be sent without any further fuss.
If you think that you may have missed this all-important information, please contact your charity and let them know. Send them complete details –– check your bank for the actual date and amount that went through. Say something like this: “On x date I sent an e-transfer in the amount of $xx.xx and forgot to give you a mailing address, here it is…” (A vague request just means that somebody has to comb through all the donations for the past year and hope that they can find your donation.
Once again, thank you to all who generously support the many charities and service organizations here on the Coast. Without you, we cannot continue to do the work we do.
Judi Thomas,
Bookkeeper, St. Bart’s Food Bank
