Author Archives: GreenHouse17 Staff

The Endow Kentucky Tax Credit can support survivors and offers a great tax incentive.

Endow Kentucky Tax Credit season is quickly approaching! Tax credits totaling $1 million will become available on July 1. But these tax credits are often gone in the first week, so now is the time to start planning!  

Individuals and businesses can receive a credit on Kentucky state taxes of up to 20% of a gift to our endowed fund held at Blue Grass Community Foundation. The credit is in addition to your federal and state charitable tax deduction. 

Is there a minimum or maximum gift amount for the tax credit?  

There is no minimum gift size required to receive the tax credit. Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are subtracted from a donor’s tax bill, dollar for dollar. A gift of $5,000 can reduce what you owe in state taxes by $1,000. A gift of $50,000 can reduce your tax bill by $10,000. The maximum gift amount is $50,000.  

Not itemizing your charitable donations this year?  

You can likely still take advantage of the Endow Kentucky Tax Credit. This is a state tax credit, not a deduction. A tax credit reduces your Kentucky state tax liability dollar-for-dollar, regardless of your ability to itemize.   

Are donations of non-cash assets eligible for the tax credit? 

Yes, here is the list of non-cash assets that could be eligible:

• stocks, 
• mutual funds, 
• tangible property, 
• donations of life insurance, and 
• donors 70 ½ and older can make a qualified charitable distribution from qualifying IRAs (QCDs can be made to any endowed funds other than donor advised funds).  

How do I make an endowment gift eligible for the credit? 

1. The first step is to complete the Application for Preliminary Authorization.
2. The completed form should be mailed or emailed to the Kentucky Department of Revenue in Frankfort. Addresses are included in the application, but if you’d rather just drop it off at the Blue Grass Community Foundation office, they’ll mail it for you.
3. Next steps and additional resources, including contacts at the Blue Grass Community Foundation, are linked at the bottom of this page. 

How can I learn more about your endowment? 

Send a note to Corissa Phillips, Certified Fund Raising Executive on staff. She looks forward to sharing more about how our permanent endowment supports the mission in perpetuity–through times of crisis and opportunity. 

We never expected to type these five words on our blog. Let’s talk about septic systems. 

Septic systems aren’t top of mind when you think about our mission. But the disposal of septic waste is critically important to any home or facility, especially an emergency shelter with 42 adult and child residents each night. 

Our large 19,326-square-foot shelter facility requires two septic systems.

Waste from the shelter is pumped into two tanks, each connected to a separate leach bed. These leach beds are formed by hundreds of feet of underground perforated pipe meandering through our front lawn. Liquid waste seeps through holes in the pipes to be naturally filtered by the soil.   

Something’s not right 

The standard lifecycle for a septic system is about 25 to 30 years. Our systems were built during the facility’s original construction 25 years ago.  

During the pandemic response, we noticed slow drainage from shelter sinks, showers, tubs, and toilets. The grass on the property’s front lawn felt a little mushy, even though it hadn’t rained for days. From time to time, when the weather was just right, a faint unpleasant smell would blow across the shelter’s front porch. 

It was time to call in the professionals.  

Inspection of shelter’s septic systems found our tanks in good condition, but an expedited need for replacing the septic system’s aged leach lines was identified. The cost to replace the leach lines was estimated to be more than $60,000.
 

One-time opportunity 

Although our annual operating budget includes funds for emergency repairs at the shelter, we had not anticipated the need for such a large-scale project during the pandemic response. 

Just weeks later, there was a possible solution.  

The City of Lexington announced a call for proposals from the community’s nonprofit organizations for one-time capital investment grants to be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  We began to prepare our application in haste, learning more than we could’ve imagined about septic systems and leach fields.  

It’s more interesting than one might think! Did you know good bacteria in septic tanks feast on solid waste, breaking them down through digestion into gases? 

Award notification 

Following the city’s review of 138 project proposals, we received notification of funding to support the full cost of our leach line replacement project.  

We had to wait a few months for the weather and ground to warm after winter, but the project begins today! Crews are onsite to replace 1600 total feet of leach lines to better dispose of liquid and solid waste generated at our emergency shelter. 

More than 20 social service agencies in Fayette County are making much needed facility renovations, improving accessibility to facilities for those with disabilities, and more with support from the city’s ARPA funds. 

The national LUNAFEST is coming to an end so we’re bringing the event to Lexington one last time!  

To celebrate the past fourteen years of hosting the traveling film festival in Lexington, we’re reflecting on past events. 

LUNAFEST Lexington has raised more than $100,000 to support services for survivors of intimate partner abuse over the years. 

2008 -2009 

LUNAFEST Lexington was held at Talon Winery for the first two years. 

Volunteers Geni Osborn, Pam Holbrook, and staff member Kris Bondarenko, who was an AmeriCorps VISTA at the time, organized the event. 

Kris says, “We still go every year as a family. My son is a film graduate now. I love that the films focus on women’s issues.” 

Judge Lucinda Masterton, then a member of our Board of Directors, purchased the first table of tickets to the event in 2007. 

Helue Shalash, owner of Bak 4 More Salon, began her 10+ years of support for the event. 

2010 – 2012 

The event moved to its longtime home at the Kentucky Theatre, and Dr. Nick Kouns became Marquee Sponsor.  

2013 – 2019 

Raymond James & Associates pledged Marquee Sponsor support for the next several years.  

In addition to the event at Kentucky Theatre, a special second showing was held for students at Transylvania University in 2014. 

Gray Construction hosted a pre-event reception at their downtown office in 2015 for guests to eat and mingle before the show. 

2020 – 2021 

The pandemic required some change during these years. 

As social distancing began to be the norm, we transitioned the event to a virtual approach– LUNAFEST Lexington Safe at Home. Macy’s was our Box Office sponsor. 

After more than a year of social distancing, the world had become weary of virtual events. So, the decision was made to take a break and not hold an event the second year of the pandemic. 

2022 

LUNAFEST Lexington returned in person to the Kentucky Theatre as vaccinations became available and positive cases waned.  

2023 

We received notice from LUNA, the national organizer of the traveling film festival, that the current season would be cut short as the company reconsidered how they could best support women’s issues in the coming years.  

To celebrate our community’s longtime support for the event, we decided to bring the films to Lexington one more time. Although the Kentucky Theatre wasn’t available before the film festival season ends, we are proud to be partnering with the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center for the last LUNAFEST Lexington on Friday, June 2. 

Geni, a volunteer planner of the first events says, “LUNAFEST Lexington is a great opportunity to support the individuals in our community who benefit from a safe, nurturing place to rebuild their souls and find their inner strengths to chart a new, healthier path for their families. This film festival provides an opportunity to experience fun and thought-provoking short films by and about women.” 

This year’s seven short films cover a variety of thought-provoking topics. You’ll laugh, cry, and be inspired. A wonderful night out with friends! 

Films recommended for ages 13+ 

Hope you’ll join us to celebrate the event’s long history of supporting survivors in our community. 

Handmade by Survivors products ship to destinations from coast to coast, but our retail partners in Kentucky help promote local sales and mission awareness.

Wild Birds Unlimited in Lexington brings people and nature together, and the store has sold our products for several years.

“The customers love the products. The fact that they’re all natural and handmade fits right into what we do here,” explains Nic Patton, manager. “It’s easy to order, and they usually deliver really quick, which is nice right now with the long lead time for other products.”

Eve Guilbault with Origin Hotel is proud to support both our flower and handmade product enterprises. The hotel is a Summer Flower CSA pickup location and often features flowers from the farm in their restaurant.

“Now, we carry their handmade soaps, bath salts, and lip balms,” she shares. “That way our guests can take home a little piece of GreenHouse17.”

Although the work to end intimate partner abuse always will be difficult, safer tomorrows are possible in a community that cares about survivors.

We are excited to be participating in the Table Art Contest at DV8 Kitchen on Broadway! Your vote for our table could help us win up to $1500 to support services for survivors.

Eleven central Kentucky nonprofit organizations have partnered with local artists to create art directly on dining room tables at DV8 Kitchen on Broadway in Lexington. Videos from each participating organization are posted on social media, and every “like” on each video counts as a vote for that table.

Kristin Carpenter, an artist on our staff, imagined and painted the beautiful table featuring our mission. She and Reena Martin, our Community Engagement Manager, were interviewed about the meaning behind our table’s design.

Follow this link to the DV8 Facebook Page to like our vido and cast your vote for our table.

While you’re there, be sure to check out other videos featuring the tables and missions of these amazing sobriety organizations in the nonprofit community:

• Hope Center / Anonymous
• NAMI / Julie Joseph
• Chrysalis House / Destinee Austin
• Voices of Hope / Yolanda Kennison
• KORE / Dawna Scripps
• Natalie’s Sisters / Landrie Nickell
• Shepherd’s House / Michael Harper
• OWL / Jennifer Bacon
• Grin Grant / Melody Jackson
• New Vista / Keaton Young

Winners of the contest will be announced during a special event on April 26 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the DV8 Kitchen Broadway location. The restaurant will be open to the public, offering its full menu for dinner and live music. The event is supported by CHI Saint Joseph Health, Truist and LexArts.