How Can I help?

Financial Donations

Sending donations

If you’d like to give directly, please just make a tax-deductible check out to the Bishop PTO and mail it to:
BPIC
P.O. Box 328
Arlington, MA 02474

You will receive a letter in response acknowledging your tax-deductible donation. For those individuals contributing more than $1000 to the Capital Campaign, you will have the option of having your name listed on a plaque to be installed on the playground.

The IRS doesn't require receipts for cash donations under $250, but you should keep donation information on file. Cash contributions of $250 and over require an acknowledgement that must be sent to the IRS with your tax returns.

The Bishop School PTO is a nonprofit organization that is incorporated and identified by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization. These organizations have been given tax-exempt status and can accept contributions. The Bishop Playground Improvement Committee will send to you an acknowledgement of your donation if it exceeds $250.

Most people think of writing a check when they want to make a charitable gift. However, gifts may be made with many types of property. Often, there is a greater tax advantage to making non-cash gifts. Many donors have found that they achieve substantial savings by giving appreciated securities (stocks or bonds that have grown in value since they were originally purchased). You may deduct the full market value of appreciated securities, and avoid any obligation to pay capital gains taxes.

Company matching gifts and donations

The Matching gift procedure is very simple. The employee obtains a matching gift form from their human resources department. After completing the form, the employee sends it along with their check made out to the Bishop PTO. (You may also send in the form after you have made the gift.) The BPIC certifies on the form that it has received the gift and meets the company’s guidelines for receiving a matching gift. The BPIC then returns the form to the company. The company verifies eligibility of the employee and sends a check made out to the Bishop PTO.

You can contact your company’s community relations department. The Bishop Playground Improvement Committee can provide you with a letter that you can deliver detailing the project and asking your organization to contribute financially, with in-kind donations, take on our project as a team-building opportunity or as a community outreach project.

How Else Can I Contribute?

We welcome non-monetary donations such as construction knowledge, specific crafts which may come into play, or donated equipment (i.e. machinery) and tools to get the job done. We will need food and beverage donations. Or simply, energy, muscle, and moral support! All aspects of community involvement are vital to the success of this project.

Send us a note at info@bishopplayground.org or attend a PTO meeting. One way or another we’ll get you engaged with the team.

© 2007-2008 Bishop Playground Improvement Committee