It's all about Delaware's families at DFRC!

DFRC Executive Director Tony Glenn

While I drove to Newark to conduct the first interview I'd done in nearly a year, I reviewed the questions I'd ask Dr. Anthony "Tony" Glenn. He's the Executive Director of Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens (DFRC). I arrived a few minutes late in a panic (I hate being late) but his staff waved it off, and directed me to Tony's office in the rear of their donated office space.

Anyone who knows Tony knows that he lives and breathes DFRC and its mission to increase the quality of life for children and families of children with intellectual disabilities. Tony firmly believes "that every life has merit," and this same belief runs like an infusion of positivity through DFRC's staff and 200+ volunteers. They help to oversee the massive fundraising programs held throughout the year. The money funds programs and organizations that positively impact the people they serve.

"Come on in!" Tony emerged from his tiny office to give me a great big hug. He offered me coffee and a seat in his office, which is a beautifully organized explosion of Blue-Gold Game history. We sat and exchanged the usual small talk about each other's nonprofits. Once we got settled, I grabbed my list of questions and started gearing up. That's when he stopped me, and his face went stern. "This interview isn't going to be about Tony Glenn."

Gulp. How was I going to write a piece about a person without writing about the person? What a challenge.

Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with Intellectual Disabilities (DFRC) is one of Delaware's oldest home-grown foundations. DFRC was started in 1956 by Bob Carpenter and Jim Williams (father of Pat Williams, General Manager for the Orlando Magic, motivational speaker, and author - click here to see a review of his book "Read for Your Life"). It began with a single fundraiser - the Blue-Gold Game - and although the group has added others (The Hollidazzle, the Blue-Gold Golf Classic), the game remains the foundation's signature event.

Kids & All-Star participants join on the field
(photo credit: C. Dawson)

The original intent for the funds raised by the Blue-Gold Game was to help children who were "mentally retarded" to have a better quality of life (yes, yes, we know this is a dated term and no longer politically correct, but back then, it was the lingo.) Over time, the foundation came to realize that as children grew up, the need for adult programming continued. They've changed their giving practices quite a bit so that they can continue to address these needs throughout the lifespan.

The format of the Blue-Gold Game hasn't changed much since its inception. Kids join Delaware's football players, cheerleaders, band members and high school Ambassadors that are outstanding leaders in their school on the University of Delaware gridiron - an experience that would be unforgettable for anyone - but especially valuable to a kid who's had a rough life. As you might think, the game also provides the opportunity for the players to develop their own understanding of people with disabilities. The kids are matched up with the players, come together in February and stay together until the game in June. DFRC holds a different activity each month for everyone, and high school participants are encouraged to do more with their buddy and the families.

For Tony, it all started with the 1973 Blue-Gold Game. He was invited to play in the game as a high school football player, and to meet a child with a disability. He was nervous. But he smiled as he told me, "...here comes this kid, running out to meet me. He took my helmet and started playing with it." He and another player played with the boy. When it was time for the kids to get on the bus to leave, Tony said, "I realized he still had my helmet!" The boy held his helmet out the window to him, Tony grabbed it, and thought, "Wow, this is no big deal." At 18, Tony joined DFRC as a volunteer, later as a board member, and finally, as its Executive Director. (Tony had a career as a football coach before he decided to take on DFRC full time.)

Okay, enough about Tony. (He would want me to say that.)

DFRC is a great example of a home-grown charity that succeeds because it connects its mission to its fundraising efforts and does it well. I went to my first Blue-Gold Game in June 2012 and was invited as the Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Delaware (BIAD) to walk out on the field with the rest of the nonprofit beneficiaries; it was exciting and fun and it made me feel special, appreciated. They didn't just send a check and ask us to send them a report. They want people to see us, to know us, to understand where their contributions are going. We didn't just get a grant - they invested in our future. Tony said, "When we invest in others, we all increase our worth."

BIAD's "The Blue Individual" and me
at the 2012 Blue-Gold Game
(photo credit: C. Dawson)

At the end of our talk, I finally asked Tony some of my normal "My Ten Bucks" questions. "What would you be able to do with a $10 contribution?" He smiled. "Every dollar counts. I could use that $10 to buy a couple of reams of paper, and we can print our third 5-year Strategic Plan." He thumped the stack of neatly stapled documents in front of him. "We're working on this right now, I'll be reviewing it with the Board as soon as we're done our next event. Or I could pay for a stack of invitations to a fundraiser." When money comes in, DFRC uses it to raise more money... for others.

I write this blog for a reason: I want you to see the goodness within the people and organizations around us, and be encouraged. We have great wealth within our community, in our real leaders (no, I don't mean politicians) and within ourselves.

My Ten Bucks matters, and so does yours.

Make your own donation to DFRC at www.blue-gold.org or mail a check to DFRC, 640 Plaza Drive, Newark DE 19702.

The Magic Number: 501(c)(3)

You may have seen the number 501(c)(3) and wondered, "What does that really mean?"

All of the charities featured on this blog are 501(c) nonprofit agencies, which means that donations to them are tax deductible (you can claim them on your tax return). There are many types of 501(c) nonprofits, ranging from 501(c)(1) (corporations organized under act of congress) to 501(c)(28) (National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust). Most of the charities profiled on this blog are neatly categorized as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

The 501(c)(3) category denotes that the organization is based on religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, to foster national or international amateur sports competition, or prevention of cruelty to children or animals.

501(c)(3) status means that the nonprofit has been incorporated and certified with the IRS as tax-exempt, in other words, the organization does not pay taxes on the contributions it receives from the general public. Furthermore, the 501(c)(3) status also means that the nonprofit has filed a recent 990 or 990-N with the IRS, an annual filing much like your 1040 or 1040-EZ. In 2010, the IRS decided that any organization that didn't file its 990 or 990-N would lose their 501(c)(3) status. (You should have seen how many emails and phone calls I got about this. No worries: BIAD files its 990 annually without fail.) 501(c)(3) status also requires a certain level of compliance with government regulations, including proper acceptance of contributions and documentation thereof. These nonprofits are also limited in their ability to lobby government officials, as well as limiting their support of one political candidate or another. The challenge for nonprofits is to maintain its good standing with the community, its consumers, and the IRS.

For nonprofits, the 501(c)(3) status is a validation for its corporate sponsorships, foundations, and other sources of funding. Effectively, 501(c)(3) status is much like a key that opens many doors. Without this IRS determination, it would be fairly difficult for a nonprofit to conduct business at its fullest capacity. Usually, unless I can prove my charity's nonprofit status, I can't even fill out an application for funding.

More information on charity tax-exemptions can be found at http://www.irs.gov/charities/content/0,,id=125361,00.html.