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    fallingwalls's Avatar
    fallingwalls Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Sep 5, 2008, 01:00 PM
    Can I ask for donations for my family?
    Our family hired a legitimate contractor to build us a full foundation for our home. On the final day he was there, we received notice that he had filed bankruptcy. After four years of our walls cracking, we found that he purposely cut corners and didn't pour our footers below the frost line. Our house in now in jeapordy of collapsing and this man walked away scott free. Can we do "fundraising" events and ask the public for donations to raise up the money we need to fix the basement? Is there anywhere we could research the law on such things for Pennsylvania? Thank you and God bless.
    Teresa51's Avatar
    Teresa51 Posts: 48, Reputation: 3
    Junior Member
     
    #2

    Sep 5, 2008, 08:54 PM
    I am not a lawyer, but asking people to help your family out is not against the law. I suppose it could be if you tried to collect donations by saying it was for a "charity". That might be considered fraud.

    Do you know who much the repair would costs?

    Have you thought of making your story known to the local newspaper as a human interest story? You may find you get some real positive response that way. Or contacting some local community club that does charity work for families in need---if they couldn't help financially, they could possibly know of groups or organizations in your community that would be willing to help you out. How about contacting a church in the area---tell them your story! You could have a yard sale or a community bake sale and advertise that you are trying to save your home from falling down around you!!

    Get your story out there---People can't help you if they know nothing about the situation.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
    Expert
     
    #3

    Sep 5, 2008, 08:56 PM
    You can always ask for people to give you money, but it would not be tax deductable,
    Teresa51's Avatar
    Teresa51 Posts: 48, Reputation: 3
    Junior Member
     
    #4

    Sep 5, 2008, 11:05 PM
    Chuck means it would not be tax deductible to the person giving the donation to your family----and that is because the IRS does not consider your family to meet the definition of "eligible charity" for tax deduction purposes. But that should not be a reason for someone not to help your family out.
    balmatee's Avatar
    balmatee Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #5

    Nov 3, 2011, 07:46 AM
    Can you help me in building a little house for my family we are very poor all I asking is for some help in the material thanks
    samji75's Avatar
    samji75 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #6

    Aug 7, 2012, 05:16 AM
    My dad's house is about to go foreclose and my mom and dad hard time in meetings end and I do not make enough that I can pay my dad's mortgage and Am I debt we are also poor. Help us out with money sir.

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