Donating to charity is more important than ever in today’s world. At the heart of charitable gifting is usually a desire to help make the world a better place.
At Wheels for Hope, we believe every individual should have the right to move freely through the world. Charitable donations help us continue to provide the gift of mobility for people with disability in Western Australia.
Looking to reignite your giving spirit in 2024? We’ve rounded up our top five reasons why you should consider donating to charity this year.
1. You can invest in causes you believe in
Donating to charity is a great way to directly fund causes you believe in. Whether you have a personal passion for community support, or that charity helped a family member or friend in past and you’re looking to give back… Every little bit helps when it comes to charitable donations.
Your own personal values may see you focusing on causes for children, animals, social injustices, or the environment. Whatever you are passionate about, the easiest way to channel that passion into something meaningful is to donate to charity.
Maybe you want to get involved in charity and help others but don’t have the time to volunteer – donating allows you to advocate with your dollar for positive change in areas you care about.
2. You can influence others to give generously
Technology has changed the game for awareness and advocacy.
You can find, donate to, and speak out for causes right from your own home. You can also influence your followers, friends and family to do the same by sharing your activity. It’s never been easier to get everyone involved in what you’re passionate about.
It can be as simple as sharing a donation confirmation, re-posting something from a charity’s social media to your own, or starting a conversation with your loved ones about whether they plan to give to charity this year.
3. Giving to others makes you feel happier
Doing good things makes us feel good in return.
Research shows that generous behaviour can increase our happiness. People who give to others have a higher level of happiness across cultures and ages, evoking warm feelings when we help relieve someone else’s burden.
Giving to charity can also make you feel good because it connects you to your community, especially if you are giving to a local cause you can feel ‘close’ to. Feeling part of something bigger than ourselves is very rewarding.
Taking part in fundraisers can also be a great opportunity to meet new people, make connections, and learn more about the cause you are supporting. Wheels For Hope’s 2024 events calendar is already stacked with great networking opportunities, like our Holeseekers Charity Golf Day in November.
It might sound strange that we get something back from being charitable, but it’s just a neat quirk in human nature. People feel happier when we’re being kind… which is pretty cool motivation to keep doing good in the world.
4. It helps vulnerable groups in our communities
The most straightforward benefit of donating? You are helping people in need.
Giving generously to charity benefits underserved groups in our communities. These groups can be the most overlooked, as unfortunately, our society does not benefit or protect everyone in it.
Nonprofits depend on donations to help them run programs and reach goals. Supporting your favourite nonprofit can help ensure much-needed programs are available to vulnerable members of our community.
You don’t have to donate a lot to have an impact. Every dollar counts for organisations depending on support.
5. You can claim a tax deduction
The ATO endorses certain organisations as deductible gift recipients, which means you can claim back a deduction from eligible charities like Wheels for Hope. Keep your tax invoice from any donation over $2 and you can claim on it at tax time. It’s always nice getting a little something back from your tax returns, right?
This is true for both individuals and for businesses gifting to charity. Businesses can use this tax-deductible donation process as an opportunity to give back to their communities, raise awareness within the company, and publicly align their values with worthy causes.
How can I donate to Wheels for Hope?
Direct donations or ongoing payments
We’re grateful for whatever you can give – large or small donations, once-off sums, or ongoing support.
As a guide, here are examples of how different levels of donations can help Wheels for Hope make an impact:
- $15 per month will cover the cost of an annual hoist service
- $50 per month will cover the cost of tyre replacement on a vehicle
- $100 per month would fund servicing / insuring a vehicle for a year
- $500 per month would fund the total running costs to keep one of our vans on the road for a year
Sponsor a Wheels for Hope vehicle
You can also sponsor a vehicle in our fleet. This is perfect for business or community sponsors, such as our proud supporters at the Rotary Club of Ascot.
We are always open to new sponsors. Vehicle sponsors get a dedicated shout-out on our social media, and their logo in a prominent place on their choice of van from the fleet.
Help with our fundraising and events
Sponsoring or taking part in our events is another popular, fun option.
Beyond cash donations, you can also give your time to help run or support our many different fundraising events over the year (such as our annual golf days and charity car celebrations). It’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and get involved with a cause you believe in.
We welcome new hands on deck across our fundraising initiatives. If you’re time-poor, we also appreciate any help spreading the word about our work and upcoming events.
Your support is appreciated!
Our wonderful supporters help us keep the wheels turning. Whatever you can contribute – every little bit adds up.
If this article has inspired you, we hope you’ll consider becoming a supporter so we can continue to provide our wheelchair-accessible transport service to Western Australians with disability.
