The Benefits of Commodity Gifting

The Gift of Mobility: Luke's Story

By 7017444915 • December 23, 2025
For the entire beginning of his life, Luke lived life on the floor. We met him on our fourth distribution day in Kenya. His arrival at the site was quiet, but his story spoke volumes. Luke, 11, lives with cerebral palsy. Before he was brought to a children’s home for the disabled, he had endured years of neglect. He was tied up, unable to move around, and kept inside his home so his disability would remain hidden. When they found him, he was emaciated, in constant pain, and X-rays revealed a broken hip that had gone untreated for years. His caregiver, Don, brought Luke to our distribution site for the first wheelchair he has ever owned. Fitting his chair took more than two hours, but Luke smiled through every moment of it. He seemed to understand that his world was opening up for the first time. During the fitting, one of our team members stayed by Luke’s side, comforting him. She shared, “I spent a lot of time with him, praying and singing and just stroking the side of his face. And I think that’s one of the things that really got me, I don’t think he’s had much human contact. He would just lean into me, wanting me to keep going, and he grabbed at my hands like he didn’t want to let go.” Every wheelchair you help provide becomes a turning point - a chance for a child to sit upright for the first time, attend school, join their peers, or simply experience life beyond the walls where they were once hidden. For Luke, it meant being seen, supported, and cared for in ways he had never known. This Christmas season, you can give the gift of mobility and change a life forever. Your support ensures that the most vulnerable are not forgotten and brings dignity and hope to children who have endured far too much. Luke is not alone — children like him are waiting across the world. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” — Matthew 25:40 You can change a life today. Every gift brings light into the darkness and gives children like Luke a future filled with possibility. Thank you for giving children like Luke, and so many others, a chance at dignity and hope. If you wish to contribute, please CLICK HERE to donate today. We are deeply grateful for your support and prayers as we continue our mission to serve and uplift those in need.
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Benefit Auction

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March 27, 2026
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As harvest time approaches, we kindly ask you to prayerfully consider a commodity gift from your fields or barns to benefit the people we support through the ministries of Hope Haven. Through abundant generosity, over $10,000  was raised through gifts like corn, soybeans, cattle, hogs, and hay this past year.  This successful program enables those who produce crops, grains, and livestock to better support ministries like Hope Haven directly from their yield.

A farm commodity, presented to Hope Haven as a gift, may present a special opportunity to make a donation and reduce your taxes if you are an
operating, materially participating farmer (this arrangement does not apply to a crop-share land-lord). Grain, hay, and livestock are the most common types of commodity gifts. Since your donation is made prior to recording commodities as income, you can increase your giving to a worthy cause while possibly providing income tax benefits to you and your family.  

How to give a commodity gift:  When you deliver your commodity, inform the livestock buyer or grain elevator that you would like to designate it as a donation to Hope Haven.

How this work?

  • When you decide you want to donate through this program, we ask that you sell the commodity for us, acting as our agent. The check can be addressed to: Hope Haven Foundation 1800 19th Street, P.O. Box 70 Rock Valley, IA 51247
  • Please have the buyer enclose the following item with the checks: a scale ticket, auction receipt, or any other documentation of the transaction (quantity and condition of the commodity, name of the agent who delivered the gift on our behalf, etc.
  • Upon receipt of the proceeds, we will inform you that the transaction was completed.
  • A charitable deduction is not to be claimed for this donation because the reduction in income fully accounts for the gift.
  • The proceeds from your gift will be used to enhance our ministries and services.
  • Your own financial tax advisor should be consulted to determine how this gift applies to your particular circumstances.

How can donating a commodity gift change the lives of people  with disabilities? Through your donation, you participate in our ministries,  offering dignity and hope to people with disabilities locally and around the  world as they strive to reach their God-given potential.

As always, we advise that you consult with  your financial advisor to determine how this program can best benefit you and  your operation. For further questions, please contact Scott Koedam at 712.476.2820 or skoedam@hopehaven.org so that he may  discuss the giving options that will work best for you . We thank you for your support and consideration for our  Commodity Gift Program.

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