Southwest Movers Association

SMA Foundation

The Southwest Movers Association Foundation is a non-profit educational, public relations, research and community service organization that promotes the moving industry throughout the state of Texas and the four contiguous states.

SMA's Scholarship Program funded through the SMA Foundation, offers financial education assistance to SMA member employers, their employees and their dependents. The SMA Foundation awards scholarships each summer to students of all ages pursuing all levels and types of secondary and post-secondary education. Applications are available each spring from the SMA office and SMA Foundation board members.

Once a year the foundation selects up to five deserving students from submitted applications, as recipients of an academic scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship amount is to be used for the academic year in which it is awarded. $500 for the fall and the remaining $500 for the spring, may be applied towards tuition, fees, room and board, and any other general expenses. The recipient must be registered as a full-time student.

The SMA Foundation also assists in the funding and development of other programs designed to educate and inform movers and the general public about moving industry issues. The SMA Foundation is funded through donations of SMA members and through various fundraising events held annually. For more information on how to support the foundation, contact the SMA office at 800-759-2305.

How to Support the Foundation

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Although gifts of cash are most common, there are various and equally important ways to support the Foundation in its educational efforts.

Memorial Gifts

One of the more common ways of supporting the foundation is in the way of gifts in memory of or in honor of an individual. These contributions are recorded in the permanent record of the foundation and are recognized in SMA and foundation publications. Immediate relatives of those memorialized with the gift are notified of all donations.

Gifts of Stock

Your broker can assist you in making a gift of stock via a direct transfer. Giving a gift of publicly traded stock that has increased in value and that you have owned for more than one year may provide greater tax benefits than giving cash. Your charitable income tax deduction is equal to the fair market value of the stock and you avoid paying the capital gains tax on any increase in the current value over the original cost of the stock. You may also save by not incurring brokerage fees because you are transferring ownership rather than selling the stock.

Planned Gifts

Deferred or planned gifts enable the foundation to plan for the future because they will be realized at some later date. You can make a planned gift by naming the Southwest Movers Foundation as a beneficiary of a paid-up life insurance policy. A gift of life insurance entitles you to a tax deduction equal to your cost basis in the policy or its replacement cost, whichever is less.

You can make a planned gift to the foundation and receive an income for life through the establishment of a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust that names the foundation as a beneficiary. Your attorney can advise you of the various types of charitable trusts and the estate tax benefits of each, and assist you in setting up a planned gift that is tailored to your personal needs. You may also want to talk with your attorney or financial advisor about the tax benefits of naming the foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement plan.

Bequests

One of the easiest ways to make a gift to the Southwest Movers Association Foundation is by leaving the foundation a bequest in your will. There are several ways you can do this. You can (1) give a specific amount of money to the foundation; (2) give a specific item of property to the foundation; or 3) give a specific percentage of the residue of your estate to the foundation (the residue of your estate is that which is left over after all specific gifts have been made, whether charitable or non-charitable). Click here to view sample bequest wording.

Workplace Contributions

The Southwest Movers Association Foundation accepts workplace contributions from member companies as well. SMA staff can help you develop a workplace giving campaign, much like a United Way campaign, in your business.

Matching Gifts

Increase your donation with employer matching funds. Many employers will match the personal donations of its employees and associates. The program can be in conjunction with a workplace contribution campaign.

The Southwest Movers Association Foundation greatly appreciates all gifts regardless of size. For more information on how to make a donation to the foundation, or to request a scholarship application, please call us at 800-759-2305.

Scholarship Application

The SMA Scholarship Application is available to download and print here.

SMA Scholarship Application (PDF .19MB)

Past Recipients

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The SMA Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the award of five $1,000 scholarships to SMA member companies' employees or family members for the school year 2006-2007.

Jessica Cooper

Jessica Cooper is the daughter of Jessie and Deborah Cooper of Farmers Branch, TX. Jessie is customer service assistant manager for Armstrong Relocation for United Van Lines. Jessica is a graduate of the Science and Engineering Magnet High School in Dallas and completed one year of college at Rice University in Houston. She transferred to Honors College at Texas Tech University in the fall of 2006 with junior status. Jessica graduated as valedictorian of her high school class and was a student council member and National Honor Society secretary. Photography and dance are her hobbies. She is double majoring in psychology and business and hopes to go to graduate school in psychology to obtain her PhD. Her ultimate career goal is to become a clinical psychologist and start her own practice. During the summer, Jessica works at Best Buy as a cashier and tutors elementary and high school students. Jessica says she applied for this scholarship because she feels she has a responsibility to financially relieve her parents and find a way to finance as much of her education as possible.

John Nienhiser

John Nienhiser is the son of David and Janet Nienhiser of Carrollton, TX, and worked part-time for Senior Moving Company, Carrollton. John is a 2004 graduate of R. L. Turner High School and is beginning his third year at Texas A&M University in College Station. He is in the Corps of Cadets, on the Corps of Cadets Honor Roll and is a Texas A & M football walk-on. John's hobbies are hunting, fishing, working out and "anything outdoors". Both John and his twin sister are enrolled at Texas A & M University, following in the footsteps of an older sister who has already graduated. He says my sisters and I knew that our parents would not be able to pay for sending all four children to a major university. With the help of financial aid we are able to take out loans with our banks to pursue our education. When John was 7, he was said to be dyslexic and therefore would not be successful in school. John fought many battles to prove he was smart enough to attend a major university and maintain an enviable grade average as well as be accepted as a walk-on for the Texas A&M football team. In addition to pursuing a degree in agriculture and life sciences with a minor in business, John works part time and also raises money for the Red Cross, participates in the canned food drives, assists teachers at Mary Immaculate School for field day and collects money for UNICEF.

Stephanie Slemmons

Stephanie Slemmons is the daughter of Edward and Becky Slemmons of Lufkin, TX. Becky is employed as a secretary at Denum Moving & Storage, Lufkin. Stephanie is a 2006 graduate of Lufkin High School where she maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade point average. She is now enrolled at Texas A&M University and was accepted in the Mays Business School for the fall semester. A dedicated student, Stephanie is following the Professional Program Advantages where she can receive her bachelor’s and master's degrees in five years. Her ultimate goal is to be a CPA, and is working to become proficient in Spanish to help overcome the communication gaps she sees as barriers in the business world. Stephanie's hobbies are drill team and piano. She focuses on hard work and long-held goals to accomplish her objectives.

Rubenangel Zamora

Rubenangel Zamora is the son of Ruben and Rosahilda Zamora of Del Rio. Ruben works for Del Rio Moving & Storage, Del Rio, TX. Rubenangel is a 2006 graduate of Del Rio High School where he maintained a 3.6 grade point average and has worked three summers with his father. He is enrolled in Southwest Texas Junior College for the fall semester with plans to transfer to Sul Ross State University to obtain his bachelor's degree. Rubenangel's interests are in a "field having to do with computers." He says college is important to him and his family, and that his parents are behind him all the way to help in any way that they can, but it is important to obtain scholarships to ease the financial burden as much as possible. Rubenangel said "I would like the opportunity to go to college and to make the people providing the SMA Scholarship and my family proud."

Danielle Zucco

Danielle Zucco is the daughter of Anthony Zucco of Richardson, TX. Anthony is employed by Texas Moving Company, Richardson. Danielle is a repeat recipient of a scholarship from the SMA Foundation. She is attending the University of North Texas at Denton, beginning the fall semester with Introduction to Computers in Business, Environmental Science, Business Calculus, and American Government. Danielle reports that going away to college was a great learning experience. She said she struggled to maintain a part-time job (25 hours per week) in Plano, and 15 hours of classes during the fall and spring semesters. She has determined a better balance of 13 hours for the semester and a part-time job within walking distance of where she lives will allow her to devote more time to her studies, "especially math and science." Danielle says "This scholarship will help me to continue taking the number of credit hours I want to take each semester, and not just however many I can afford. It really means a great deal to me."