ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Provisions in the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, have the potential to reduce the number of Americans who receive a tax benefit for charitable contributions by 28 million. According to several analyses, including a study by Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the shift could cause donations to charities to drop $12 to $20 billion annually.

Charitable contributions received by The Salvation Army before December 31 will still qualify for a tax benefit under the tax code established in 1986.

"The Salvation Army's ability to serve nearly 25 million people each year is based on the generosity of our fellow Americans – generosity that has been encouraged by the federal tax code for more than a century," said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. "We're concerned that a reduction in charitable giving will impede our efforts to deliver food to the hungry, provide relief for disaster survivors, help those struggling with addiction and make Christmas possible for millions of families."

Lilly Family School of Philanthropy research also indicates that itemizers are more likely to make charitable contributions – 83 percent of itemizers reported making charitable contributions, compared to 44 percent of non-itemizers.

Current incentives motivate millions of Americans to make end-of-year charitable contributions. The Salvation Army raises more money in November and December than all other months combined. In fact, The Salvation Army raises more money in the last two days of the year than in the entire month of November.

With expected budget cuts in 2018 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) and other social safety programs, motivating end-of-year giving is more important than ever for social service providers.

To help The Salvation Army meet need in every ZIP code the country, please visit give.salvationarmy.org. Donations stay in the local community where it was made and more than 82 cents of every dollar donated will be used to provide social services to help everyday Americans.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need without discrimination for more than 135 years in the U.S. More than 25 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster survivors, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. For every dollar donated to The Salvation Army, 82 cents is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to SalvationArmyUSA.org or follow on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS.

SOURCE The Salvation Army