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Escondido Creek Conservancy to receive $500,000 donation

The Escondido Creek Conservancy will receive a $500,000 donation to support its work to protect and restore the Escondido Creek watershed. The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, want to inspire others to take advantage of the CARES Act during the closing days of the 2020 tax year to help hard-working nonprofits like The Escondido Creek Conservancy.

“The donors hope this gift will be transformative to advance the Conservancy’s ambitious mission for North County and Escondido Creek,” said Ann Van Leer, executive director.

The Conservancy will use the donation to incentivize other donors to support the Conservancy’s work to preserve wild lands and provide outdoor education opportunities to young people in North County.

There could not be a better time to give. Provisions of the CARES Act greatly increase the deductibility of donations made during the 2020 calendar year. According to the IRS, qualified charitable contributions can be deducted up to 100 percent of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income. Incentives also are in place for corporations.

“This has been a tough year for all charities, but the CARES Act made substantial changes to the tax treatment of donations,” Van Leer said. “We urge prospective donors to consult their tax professionals to see if the CARES Act will provide them an opportunity to help their favorite nonprofits in this very tough year.”

Founded in 1991, the Conservancy owns or manages nearly 3,000 acres of wildlife preserves located between Lake Wohlford and Olivenhain. Escondido Creek begins above Lake Wohlford and drains into the ocean via the San Elijo Lagoon in Encinitas. The Conservancy’s outdoor education program serves thousands of students annually, including all third graders in the Escondido Union School District. The Conservancy also implements restoration projects designed to keep part of California wild, as nature intended.