Kære venner,

It is an honor to write to you for the first time as President of the Board of Directors of the Danish American Center. I am grateful for the trust. As the son of a mother from Denmark and a father from Minnesota, I have lived the Danish/American life.

Whether you come for a class, a holiday gathering, or simply good coffee and conversation, you are the heart of this community, and I am grateful to serve it. I look forward to building on the work of those who came before me.

I want to use this first message to talk about something less glamorous than, say, our Julefrokost, but just as important: how we are funded.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the DAC is a public charity. That status makes gifts tax-deductible and exempts us from federal income tax and sales tax. In return, the IRS expects us to show that we are supported broadly by the community, not by a small circle of insiders or by fees alone. Each year we demonstrate this through what is called the “Public Support Test.” It is not a technicality. It is how we protect the status that makes our work possible.

Your membership dues matter enormously. They are our steady foundation. And those count towards satisfying that public support test. Our room and building rentals provide a good and steady stream of income. That income, however, does not count toward that test. Donations, meaning gifts made freely with nothing received in return, help demonstrate the broad support the IRS looks for. They also fund what dues alone cannot: building upkeep, programming, and the preservation of our traditions for the next generation.

So I ask each of you to consider a gift beyond your dues this year. Participation matters more than size. Two hundred households giving $25 each shows a wider base of support than one large check ever could. Gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law, and you will receive an acknowledgment for your records. Many companies also match charitable gifts, which can double your impact. It is worth checking to see if your employers do. You may give online at www.danishamericancenter.org/support-dac/, by check during our Wednesday office hours, or by mail to 3030 West River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55406.

Tusind tak for your generosity, and for being part of this wonderful community.

Med venlig hilsen.

EJ Gurley