Our neighborhood relies on your generosity

CCRA is a volunteer organization. We have no source of income other than our members, sponsors events, and donors. Everything helps. Undoubtedly you don‘t like being asked for money. We don‘t like asking, either. But we have to ask to continue providing the events and services to our community that we've been providing for decades.  We're proud of what we do.  But we need your help.

Donate HERE​ to Support CCRA 

Please support CCRA's efforts to improve our neighborhood through our actions to:

• ensure that our streets are clean and safe, with an abundance of public space for us to enjoy again.  CCRA makes a major contribution to this effort. We have a contract with the Center City District to clean neighborhood sidewalks after weekly trash collection, which is not covered by membership dues. 

• continue tree planting, sidewalk sweeping, public safety and oversight of neighborhood development. The provision of street trees is now routinely considered by the Zoning Committee and when negotiating Community Benefit Agreements with developers.   And we have embarked on a Tree Canopy Initiative to protect our air and waterways as well as to return the neighborhood to its previous glory with vibrant and healthy trees throughout.

• continue our heightened liaison with the police and the many organizations dealing with increased panhandling and homelessness.  We are exploring initiatives to respond to quality-of-life issues through the provision of social services and utilizing police responders as a last resort. Through these continuing efforts, we hope to restore a sense of safety and security in the neighborhood as we welcome businesses, restaurants and visitors back to the neighborhood.
• keep you informed of news, developments, stories of interest in the neighborhood.

​DOING WELL WHILE DOING GOOD!
 
Year end is fast approaching, and our thoughts turn naturally to two things: supporting our favorite charities and saving taxes!
 
You already know that you can deduct your member dues and contributions paid to CCRA, to the extent permitted by law.
 
Gifts of appreciated securities
 
Did you also know that you can contribute appreciated publicly-traded securities (e.g., stocks, ETFs, mutual funds) to CCRA? The benefit of contributing appreciated securities is that not only are you eligible for a fair market value deduction, you can avoid paying tax on the gain you would have incurred had you sold the securities.
 
Required minimum distributions
 
If you have achieved the new middle age, you may be required to take "required minimum distributions" from your IRA. You may be able to avoid paying taxes on these distributions by electing to take them as "qualified charitable distributions" to CCRA.
 
How to take advantage of these tax benefits?
 
Contact your broker or whoever is managing your brokerage or IRA account. You will probably need certain information from CCRA. Just let us know by email or phone and we will provide it. And don't forget to consult with your tax advisor.