reoccurring charitable deduction

[jujak]

For 31 weeks, I prepared 15 bag lunches each week for the homeless.  I have an average weekly cost of preparing the lunches.  How do I enter this on my charitable deductions?

[MinhT1]

Unfortunately, you cannot deduct the cost of the lunch bags as a charitable contribution if you distributed them directly to the homeless.

You can deduct your contributions only if you make them to a qualified organization.

Please read this IRS publication.

[jujak]

I donated the lunches I made (sandwich, chips, water, fruit, cookie) to a not profit that distributed the lunches to various churches throughout the city.  That should be deductible.

[MinhT1]

Then your donation is deductible. Please note that you cannot include the value of your own time in the amount of the donation and you should have a receipt from the organization.

You can enter your donations by following these steps:

1. In TurboTax, open your tax return
2. Click on Federal in the left-hand column, then on Deductions & Credits on top of the screen
3. Scroll down to All Tax breaks, locate the section Charitable Donations and click on Show more
4. Click Start next to Donations to Charity in 2020.