IFHE-United States Development Fund

The IFHE-US Development Fund continues to work towards soliciting and managing a corpus of monies that are invested to earn interest. The principal is kept intact and projects are funded from the interest income. All expenses associated with the operation of the fund are donated as in-kind contributions by members of the committee so that all income is invested in the fund. In the U.S. all contributions are tax deductible.

Fund Projects

Fund-Raising Activities
The major source of contributions to the IFHE-US Development Fund is individual donations. An annual appeal is circulated throughout the membership to solicit gifts of cash. Various levels of giving are recognized by a system of sponsorships: Dedicated Generosity ($500 or more), Patron Sponsor ($250 -$499), Sky Sponsor ($101-$249), Star Sponsor ($51-$100), Supporter Sponsor ($26-$50) and the Friend Sponsor ($25 or less). A variety of in-kind contributions are also recognized annually. A special Global Legacy Society is also available to assist donors to contribute within their wills or estate plans.

The IFHE-US Development Fund also sponsors an educational program and fund-raising event each year prior to the AAFCS Annual Meetings. These “Cultural Events” are prime opportunities for members and friends to gather to enjoy each other and to learn about global issues. Usually a speaker or cultural group is invited to present at a venue unique to the meeting site. For instance, in June 2007 in Reno, Nevada the Basque Culture was highlighted. Details of these events are included in the AAFCS tour information, publicized within the IFHE-US organization website <www.ifhe-us.org> and included in the spring issues of Connections, the organizational newsletter.

The 2012 Cultural Evening will focus on an Italian Cultural Evening -- $55.00 per person/ *Student--$25.00
Enjoy a family-style dinner in a dining room that feels like Little Italy in the 1950’s and Dean Martin will serenade you. Our Speaker, Silvana Martini Schuster’s presentation “Italy’s Boot” is filled with history, art, food, and unique opportunities that will intrigue you from the tip of the toe to the top of the boot. Signora Martini Schuster was born in Italy, is an Italian instructor, and currently is Chair of the Cultural Committee of the Italian Heritage Society of Indiana. Don’t miss this event at Buca di Beppo’s which is just a short walk from the M

The 2011 event highlighted the Native American culture. There were 135 in attendance who viewed over 3,000 pieces of Contemporary Western American Art and Contemporary Native American Art at Bashas’ Art Gallery in Chandler, AZ. This was a record attendance for our 13th annual educational fund-raiser. Over $5,000 was raised which is a record amount. Participants felt that this was a wonderful evening.

Registration for in June 2012 in Indianapolis, IN is available. This will be a special evening to spend with family and friends. You won’t want to miss this!

In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family (2004), the IFHE-US Development Fund produced a set of notecards from images of international subjects donated by members. Over 500 sets of 10 notecards each were packaged and sold at various meetings and to individuals, family and friends.

Quilts---quilts---and more quilts. Thanks to the quilting expertise of Carolyn Blount (WA), three different quilts were constructed from 2002-2008 to serve as fund raisers. Squares were donated from IFHE members from throughout the world…some with marvelously unique fabrics and patterns. Then Carolyn would carefully label and construct the quilts. The first quilt was raffled off at the 2004 Congress in Kyoto and a second was raffled off during the 2008 Jubilee Congress in Lucerne, Switzerland. A third quilt, fashioned from remaining squares was donated as a wall-hanging for the IFHE Headquarters office in Bonn, Germany. This tradition of constructing quilts to showcase our membership and raise monies will hopefully be taken-up for our next Congress in 2012 in Melbourne, Australia.