CFA FAQ
The application deadline has passed, but the Press Christmas for All fundraising engine is only starting to reach fourth gear.
Here are some frequently asked questions from donors, and the answers.
Q: Is Christmas for All really a nonprofit?
A: Yes. The ID number assigned to Christmas for All by the Internal Revenue Service is 82-0497747. If your business or organization needs any further information on the program's tax-exempt status, email mpatrick@cdapress.com.
Q: How do you determine who gets what?
A: Every applicant must fill out a detailed application. They must clearly specify why they're asking for help, and for whom. Once upon a time, Press Christmas for All provided nominal assistance only to people who were already on the welfare rolls at the Department of Health and Welfare. Particularly since the Great Recession, we've found many other people who work hard - some with two minimum-wage jobs - but just have nothing left for a Christmas meal or a present for their children after the basic necessities are purchased. They're now eligible to receive Press Christmas for All assistance.
Q: Do applicants ever lie or cheat?
A: Every once in awhile, someone tries. Thanks to our friends at Kootenai County Fire & Rescue, we've built a substantial database of all applicants over the past five years. We have ways of finding out who's naughty and nice, and if they're naughty, they're banned from the program forever.
Q: How do you recognize donors?
A: First, we publish the name of everyone who gives, no matter whether the gift is 50 cents or $5,000. From the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, we publish a list of donors each day. After the campaign is over, we publish a complete list of all donor names in a big thank-you ad. Of course, those who request anonymity are given it.
The other method of recognition is that we publish a photo of any donor giving $500 or more. That's a way to recognize some of the people, businesses and other organizations who do so much for Press Christmas for All, but we have another motive: Publishing these photos has proven an effective way to encourage others to give. So yes, there's extra incentive there.
Q: We've noticed that someone called Anonymous in Athol has given $10,000 or more most years. Who is this mystery person?
A: That's a question we could answer, but won't. AIA wants all the attention on the program, not on himself. Or herself.
Q: What do you consider success?
A: Each year we set a fundraising goal - this year it's $199,000 - and when the fundraising goal is met or exceeded, that has to be considered a success. But in our view, the greater success is this: When we hear from people who once needed Press Christmas for All's help but now have put themselves in position to give back. These donations have been as little as $5 and as much as hundreds of dollars, but it isn't the amount that matters most; it's that the people who have turned around unfortunate circumstances in their lives are now focused on helping others. That exemplifies the true spirit of the program.