YELL FOUNDATION IS TAX-EXEMPT

It's something to yell about. The newly formed YELL Foundation for youth education, literacy and learning has earned federal tax-exempt status.

That means all donations from businesses and individuals can be written off as charitable contributions on federal tax forms. Not all not-for-profit agencies are tax-exempt. Many don't take the extra step to file as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization formed for public benefit.

Giving money to an organization with tax-exempt status is good for both the benefactor and receiver. Only donations to organizations with this special status can be claimed on federal tax forms.

While YELL street sales occur in the fall, donations can be made year around. They can be sent to: YELL Foundation, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702.

The YELL Foundation is relatively new, but YELL has been around for eight years, bringing newspapers into classrooms in 32 area schools and boosting numerous area literacy programs.

Grants were awarded last week to 23 literacy programs in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City -- an impressive $37,000 in all.

And that's really something to YELL about. There's no better way to improve literacy than through community-based programs where neighbor helps neighbor.