My mother has a saying, "I'm putting feet on it." You might think she is putting her feet on an ottoman, or perhaps she's putting new legs on a footstool. No, the translation is I'm really going to get busy on that project (or reaching my goal of...)!! The National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) Foundation trustees have been putting our feet on the development of educational opportunities for NAON members; however, funding is required for continuation or implementation of new initiatives. The Foundation relies on gifts from NAON members, friends of NAON, and corporate supporters to pursue our mission. "The NAON Foundation supports the goals and mission of NAON by providing funding for grants and scholarships to advance orthopaedic nursing practice, education, research and leadership." Since we are a 501(c)(3) organization, as designated by the Internal Revenue Service, all gifts are tax-deductible.
There are numerous ways you can put your feet on giving to the foundation in a manner most convenient for you.
Check or Credit Card Gift Now: Pull out that checkbook or go online to http://www.naonfoundation.org and make a donation now!!
NAON Membership Renewal: When you renew your NAON membership by hard copy (not available with online renewals), you can include a gift to the foundation.
http://www.Goodsearch.com and http://www.Goodshop.com: Everyone using the Internet does a search on the Web from time to time, why not, while doing your search, earn money for the NAON Foundation? Each time you search the Web by using the Yahoo search engine at http://www.Goodsearch.com, about a penny will be provided to the NAON Foundation. Also, every time you shop using http://www.Goodshop.com at 1000+ participating stores, such as Amazon, eBay, Target, Apple, Staples, Expedia, and so forth, a percentage of your purchase will be donated for free!! The amount donated is different for each retailer, but it averages approximately 3% of the total sale and can go up to 20% and beyond. The Web site also has thousands of money-saving coupons!! http://www.Goodsearch.com has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Cable News Network, Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, and more. Start now using these Web sites for your searches and shopping, tell your family and friends as well, and as a result generate contributions to your Foundation by simply entering "NAON Foundation" on their homepage.
Tribute and Memorial Gifts: Tribute gifts are a way to honor the accomplishments of an individual within NAON or our orthopaedic community or perhaps to commemorate a birthday, an anniversary, a graduation, or a promotion. A memorial gift provides family, friends, and colleagues an opportunity to remember and honor a departed loved one. Family members may request that donations to the NAON Foundation be made in lieu of flowers.
Recurring Gifts: An excellent way to incorporate the foundation in your monthly budget is by setting up a recurring gift. That is, you designate an amount to be charged to your credit card monthly, and we do the rest, or if you prefer to make your donation by check, we can send you a monthly reminder.
Employer Matching Gifts: Many employers are willing to match your gift to the foundation, because we are a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service. If your employer does not participate in a matching program, perhaps a family member's employer does.
United Way of America Gifts: This is a method of supporting your employer, undertaking a United Way campaign of 100% employee participation while designating the NAON Foundation for all or a portion of your contribution. You will need to check with your employer to determine their participation in the donor option program, which allows individuals to designate a recipient of a particular nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, such as the foundation.
In-Kind Donations: A gift of a product or service is an excellent method of contributing to the foundation. Examples of in-kind gifts received over the last few years are items for our annual electronics raffle, our Web site host subscription, and water for the Health Walk, to name a few.
Planned Giving: Strategies for creating tax savings and income benefits for you and your family include bequests, life income plans, appreciated stock, life insurance, and other types of gifts. A bequest is the simplest and is made by naming the NAON Foundation as a beneficiary in your will. A general bequest provides for a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate for general purposes and uses of the NAON Foundation while allowing the trustees the flexibility to direct funding to the areas of greatest need. An endowment bequest also provides a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate, where you direct the income for a specific purpose(s). Regardless of the method of planned giving selected, you will provide a lasting legacy by providing funds to the foundation in perpetuity to support our mission.
As you evaluate your method and amount of "putting feet on it," depending on the amount of your gift, you may qualify as a member of our Foundation Club. As a member of the Foundation Club, you will join your colleagues on our Web site in partnering for the foundation's future.
For more information about the NAON Foundation, visit our Web site http://www.naonfoundation.org or contact me directly.
Won't you step forward today and say "I'm putting feet on it" now!! Regardless of the method or amount of putting feet on it, the NAON Foundation trustees appreciate your support and commitment to orthopaedic nursing education and research.
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.
-Booker T. Washington