A CITC Donor Highlights Power of the Program

Kathy McGilvray's remarks were originally shared during MACDC's 2017 Lobby Day on May 2nd at the State House.

I was introduced to CITC through MHIC, the non-profit I work for. Though we’re a non-profit, since the CITC is a refundable tax credit, we’ve been active donors, supporting our CDC partners since the beginning of the program. In the 3 years it’s been around, we’ve donated just under $575K to CDC’s throughout the commonwealth. Without CITC we would have given less than ½ that. In fact, in 2013 we gave just over $30,000 to our CDC partners. Many of our partners had never come to us for donations in the past, but CITC has given them a platform upon which to build a donor base.
  
But I’m not here to talk about MHIC. I’m thrilled be Treasurer of the SCC board and happy to talk about my personal experience as a CITC donor, as well as SCC’s achievements under the program. Shout out to staff/Danny.

I grew up in a family of modest means. There was no model for charitable giving because there was no extra money to give. It pretty much ended at school bake sales. At work, I have the pleasure of partnering with lots of amazing non-profits, not just CDC’s but sponsors of our New Markets projects, Girls, Inc., YMCAs, Project Place, Community Servings just to name a few. As my career progressed at MHIC, my charitable contributions over the years were small, $25 here and $50 there. I wasn’t particularly strategic, it was more about the right place at the right time, a silent auction, a friend running the marathon. When I thought about a $1,000 CITC donation for me personally, it seemed, frankly crazy. Then I started thinking that maybe CITC was the model that made sense. I could invest locally, impact my community, get a tax credit, plus a deduction on my federal taxes. Ultimately, I’d be out of pocket for only about a quarter of the money I invested up front. And SCC would have all that money to invest. So, at about 5PM on December 31, 2014, I made my first CITC donation to SCC and have given each year since. I’ve even co-hosted 2 house parties that have raised over $32K for SCC. Just to be clear, without the tax credit, I never would have contemplated a four-figure gift. And definitely wouldn’t have asked friends and neighbors for money.  In the CITC, I have found my model for charitable giving.

Through the CITC program, SCC’s Social Equity Campaign has grown from just over $100,000 in donations from 31 donors in 2014, to over $385,000 from 88 donors in 2016. This has been essential for SCC’s work to ensure that Somerville remains accessible to its diverse and vibrant population. One of the key programs SCC supports with the Social Equity Campaign funds is our First Source Jobs Program. It is a workforce program building a career pathway system for Somerville’s residents and businesses. Launched in 2014, SCC has served close to 400 Somerville residents through employment readiness workshops, one on one coaching, and job placement assistance. We have placed over 40% of First Source participants into jobs. We actually reached out to a number of First Source graduates hoping to bring someone here to talk with you today. Unfortunately, none could come. Fortunately, it’s because they were all working. In my mind, that’s what the CITC is all about. Neighbors helping neighbors succeed.

Thank you.