HUMANIST NEWS

by Ed Buckner

The following article is from the Secular Humanist Bulletin, Volume 17, Number 2.

Local CSH Groups Now Eligible for Tax-Deductible Support

Thanks mostly to the efforts of Paul Paulin, accountant for the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH) and the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, and of Erika Hedberg, the national coordinator for the Alliance of Secular Humanist Societies, local groups can now become eligible for tax-deductible gifts from supporters. Approval of our application for group eligibility came from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the end of April, after a long process of form filing and answering written questions. Those local groups originally involved in the application are now officially considered 501-c-3 tax-exempt organizations. Other groups who would like to have this status should write to CSH for details.

CSH has long held 501-c-3 status (we want to emphasize that our status is as an educational advocacy organization, not in any way as a religious organization). As we hope our many supporters will attest, financial contributions to CSH are both deductible and greatly appreciated. Contributions will always be acknowledged with a letter that will serve as evidence for your tax preparer and the IRS.

ASHS’s Loss Is Asia’s Gain

Erika Hedberg, the national coordinator for the Alliance of Secular Humanist Societies (ASHS—Erika thinks we need a new acronym; if you have an opinion on that, please let us know) has been awarded a major scholarship to pursue her studies in Japan beginning this fall. She will continue to provide support for local groups into July, but then CSH will need a new field director to help develop new local groups and support the ones already existing.

Erika has been effective as the ASHS coordinator, despite working only part-time. Her scholarship offer demonstrates success in other parts of her life as well. Erika is convinced that providing ASHS with the kind of support and development that is really needed requires a full-time staff member, one who can also support some of the needs of the Campus Freethought Alliance and of African Americans for Humanism. We expect to hire a full-time field coordinator, ideally before Erika leaves, so that the new staffer can benefit from Erika’s knowledge.

If you know of someone who would like to be a part of CSH, is willing to work for an entry-level, nonprofit organization salary, is willing to live in the occasionally cold and snowy Northeast, is dedicated to secular humanism, and is willing to travel, please ask her or him to write Executive Director Ed Buckner, at CSH, P.O. Box 664, or e-mail to ebuckner@centerforinquiry.net. 

We wish Erika well and congratulate her on her success. We hope and expect that our paths will often cross again.