Giving to those in need is fulfilling for anybody, but it is especially rewarding when you are giving to a cause close to your heart. Tim Klei, President and CEO of Allied Group Sales, knows this firsthand. AGS is a partner of Catholic Education Arizona and directs tax credits to CEA through the Corporate Low Income Tax Credit. On CEA’s podcast, Creating Future Leaders, Klei sat down with CEA’s Colleen McCoy-Cejka to discuss AGS’s contributions and his history with Catholic education.
A Legacy of Faith
According to the Alliance for Catholic Education, about 1 in 10 Catholic teens attend a Catholic school. As a father of three, Tim Klei knows the sacrifices and many benefits that come with sending children to a Catholic school. Having received a Catholic education himself until eighth grade, it was important to him that his children shared that experience.
Klei shares the understanding with many parents that going to a Catholic school not only offers children tools for the future but empowers them in the long term. He explains, ‘Catholic education is going beyond trying to prepare our kids for success in this world. Catholic education is about preparing our kids for eternal life. And for us, that’s the difference.’
It is not just in his personal life that Klei advocates for faith-based education, but in his professional life, as well. He shares, ‘The fact that we support Catholic education sends the message to all of our employees of the values that we have here at Allied Group Sales.’
Setting an Example
By directing tax credits to a Catholic charity, AGS aims to set a standard for other companies in the area in terms of corporate responsibility. Klei explains that donating is easier than some may expect and can provide gratification for all members of a company, saying ‘It does set an example to try to seek out and spend, quite frankly a little bit of energy, to get set up and be able to redirect dollars to go towards what you believe in.’
McCoy-Cejka shares that giving can really be a simple task, explaining how CEA goes the extra mile to make the process easy for companies looking to donate their tax credits. She points out, ‘At CEA, we really try to do a lot of the legwork for a business if they want to engage, but they don’t want it to be a hassle and more paperwork.’
McCoy-Cejka says, ‘People gravitate toward businesses who have an interest in social responsibility.’ To learn how your business can donate corporate tax credits to supporting Catholic education, we encourage you to reach out to our offices today.
