If we know a family is struggling with tuition, can we give anonymous gift to sponsor their child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a retired HOS, I can tell you that you would be among many who have anonymously aided a student. It's important to note, though, that if you give the money for a specific student you cannot take a tax deduction for the donation. Most donors don't mind that.

Professional fundraiser here - that retired HOS is 100% correct. The school cannot treat it like a gift if you are designating it for a specific student and as a result you can't take a tax deduction. Many schools may quietly help you to work directly with the business office to quietly pay the tuition directly to the business office. So, it can be done, just not via a donation.

I'm the parent with the sick kid, and I think I referred to it as a "gift" above. To be clear, I meant it was a gift to us, not to the school. It was paid through the school office, and I didn't think of it as a gift to the school. I assume that they didn't receive a tax advantage, just like they wouldn't receive a tax advantage if they gave my kid some legos for Christmas. But I don't really know.

To answer the PP who asked for the school, I would rather not name it but it was a parochial school. We were not on financial aid before my child's illness, and it was early in the school year, but we'd already paid some, so it was $10 - $12K for two kids. I have no idea if the person was in the school community. My assumption was that was either someone we know from school, or a family member. But it could also have been a group endeavor of some sort.

They don't want to name the school because other "gimmes" might come forward, which is understandable. Some people take the Robin Hood sentiment to a whole new level. I agree I sound like an ass for speaking up and pointing out that it happened at our school. But the person who had the money and took from people who didn't have much more - that is a very, very very, very special kind of ASS (sic). I don't think our private school community ever forgot that.

Glad PPs think their school members are above that, or maybe they are, you are lucky - maybe even privileged.

I'm the PP who posted it. No, that's not why. I just feel like this person went to efforts to keep what they did for us private so I don't want to go against their wishes and cause people to speculate. Also, I'd be instantly identifiable, although I probably am anyway.

I guess "gimmes" could come forward. I don't think our school is some perfect community where that would never happen. In our case the situation was obvious. We acquired a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. I had to provide some kind of explanation for why I wasn't driving soccer carpools. Neighbors must have realized that kid and I were gone for a couple months, and then when we came back it wasn't . Combine that with prayer requests at church, and people could put two and two together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a retired HOS, I can tell you that you would be among many who have anonymously aided a student. It's important to note, though, that if you give the money for a specific student you cannot take a tax deduction for the donation. Most donors don't mind that.

Professional fundraiser here - that retired HOS is 100% correct. The school cannot treat it like a gift if you are designating it for a specific student and as a result you can't take a tax deduction. Many schools may quietly help you to work directly with the business office to quietly pay the tuition directly to the business office. So, it can be done, just not via a donation.

I'm the parent with the sick kid, and I think I referred to it as a "gift" above. To be clear, I meant it was a gift to us, not to the school. It was paid through the school office, and I didn't think of it as a gift to the school. I assume that they didn't receive a tax advantage, just like they wouldn't receive a tax advantage if they gave my kid some legos for Christmas. But I don't really know.

To answer the PP who asked for the school, I would rather not name it but it was a parochial school. We were not on financial aid before my child's illness, and it was early in the school year, but we'd already paid some, so it was $10 - $12K for two kids. I have no idea if the person was in the school community. My assumption was that was either someone we know from school, or a family member. But it could also have been a group endeavor of some sort.

They don't want to name the school because other "gimmes" might come forward, which is understandable. Some people take the Robin Hood sentiment to a whole new level. I agree I sound like an ass for speaking up and pointing out that it happened at our school. But the person who had the money and took from people who didn't have much more - that is a very, very very, very special kind of ASS (sic). I don't think our private school community ever forgot that.

Glad PPs think their school members are above that, or maybe they are, you are lucky - maybe even privileged.

I'm the PP who posted it. No, that's not why. I just feel like this person went to efforts to keep what they did for us private so I don't want to go against their wishes and cause people to speculate. Also, I'd be instantly identifiable, although I probably am anyway.

I guess "gimmes" could come forward. I don't think our school is some perfect community where that would never happen. In our case the situation was obvious. We acquired a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. I had to provide some kind of explanation for why I wasn't driving soccer carpools. Neighbors must have realized that kid and I were gone for a couple months, and then when we came back it wasn't . Combine that with prayer requests at church, and people could put two and two together.

I hope everything works out for you. I do think that the "gimmes" are the exception, rather than the rule. Some people are awful, with no conscience, think the rules don't apply to them, and when they think the next guy has more, that they are somehow first in line, entitled to a piece of that particular pie - thankfully, not most people. I would not have believed it, had I not seen it myself - mind blowing, truly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

[Anonymous]

What a sour perspective. Many private schools have students who are there because of a particular program or because it's in their hometown. So many reasons a person is at a private institution. It does not automatically mean they are privileged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

You are an ass.

Probably a well-heeled ass that has never done a cent of charity. Except being generous with their opinions. FO.

Let people do what they want too. You do you with your money.

[Anonymous]

Four year old thread folks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

And there are better uses for the $$$ that you probably wasted on BLM and the Harris/Walz campaign, but people are free to use their own money as they see fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After one of my children was diagnosed with a life threatening illness, someone paid his siblings' tuition. The school didn't pretend it was found money. They just told me that the tuition had been paid, and that the donor preferred to remain anonymous.

Wow. That’s wonderful.