we can no longer have chapters in Florida
Due to the state’s practice of taxing non-profits based on their NATIONAL income, we can no longer have chapters in Florida. Our income is binkies. If we have several chapters who make thousands of binkies, Florida requires we pay taxes on THOSE binkies that don’t even go to Florida and were not donated from Florida.
I would like to thank Angela and Dominique Ranieri, and Barbi Parent who have done an AMAZING job representing Binky Patrol in the state of Florida. They always complete their chapter reports, have a lot of success receiving and delivering blankets to children in need of comfort in their state. Their chapters have been with us for years, but we are no longer able to support the tax requirements by the state of Florida and their Agriculture department who manages non-profits.
This is what happens to small, all-volunteer non-profits who don’t have a lot of cash, but accept donations of clothing, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals. This is viewed as INCOME by Florida. When we receive a lot of blankets across the country, Florida thinks they have the right to tax us based on the NATION rather than just what their state receives in donations of binkies.
This is indeed a sad month for Binky Patrol. We’ve had representation in Florida since we started, but the past several years has depleted what little cash flow we have in actual cash for the entire country and over 100 chapters.
We will miss you, Florida, but not your government. We hope our existing chapter leaders will connect with the organizations who receive their binkies directly.