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Donate to the Vern Parish Fund or the James K. Langhammer Fund for Conservation (“LFC”)

Vern Parish Fund ("VPF")

The American Livebearer Association has established an endowment fund known simply as the Vern Parish Fund to support education in the field of livebearing fish. The ALA is actively soliciting and accepting donations to this fund. This fund will be maintained independent from the ALA general treasury. The ALA draws on the interest of this fund and provides cash grants to graduate level research students actively engaged in the study of livebearing fish. The amount and the recipient of these stipends will be determined by the Board of Directors of the ALA. Since 2008 the minimum award has been $1,000

As of January 1, 2008, the American Livebearer Association, Inc. has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable nonprofit entity with 501(c )(3) status.  Contributions to the ALA are deductible under section 170 of the Code. This means that any contribution to the ALA is deductible on your Form 1040 Schedule A. The ALA is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under Section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Code.

All contributions to the ALA will be used by the Vern Parish Fund for scholarships and grants for ichthyological research to further the knowledge of livebearing fishes. All donors will receive a receipt as proof of their contribution for income tax purposes.

If you would like to make a contribution, you can donate via paypal right from this page. Just choose the amount you'd like to donate from the upper right. A receipt for income tax purposes will be sent to you.

You can also send cash, cheque or money orders to:

AMERICAN LIVEBEARER ASSOCIATION, INC.
C/O GARY KUKOWSKI, TREASURER
6523 W SWEETWATER AVE.
GLENDALE, AZ 85304-1027

Remember, all contributions to the ALA are deductible on your Schedule A as a contribution just like any other contributions you may make to your church, the Salvation Army, etc.

Thanking you in advance,
ALA/Vern Parish Fund

James K. Langhammer Fund for Conservation (“LFC”)

The American Livebearer Association (ALA) is pleased to announce the establishment of the American Livebearer Association's James K. Langhammer Fund for Conservation (“LFC”). The purpose of the fund is to financially support the:

1. Restoration and preservation of habitats, and recovery of populations, of livebearing fish species at risk
2. Research and education related to the preservation of livebearing fishes
3. Encourage captive breeding and maintainance of threatened, endangered, or extinct-in-nature livebearing fishes

The Fund is being overseen by a Committee, appointed by and reporting to the ALA Board of Directors, and consisting of ALA Directors Rit Forcier (committee chair) (CT) and Dr. Don Holtgrieve (OR), and Dr. Ted Coletti (NJ). As a registered 501-c-3 non-profit entity, donations to the American Livebearer Association’s LFC are tax-deductible. Initial donations to the fund have already been put to good use, with proceeds going towards the support of HALCP, also known as Fish Ark Mexico, in memory of the late Ivan Dibble.

“Jim is the ALA member who has done more to educate us on the need for conservation efforts for our favorite group of fish than anyone else,” comments ALA Chairman Allen Wood. “ His efforts have convinced us of the need to work to improve habitat wherever livebearing fish are under threat and to maintain for the long term these threatened fish in our aquaria.”

About James K. Langhammer: An ALA Fellow, this retired Curator of the historic Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit has been instrumental in the captive breeding, education, awareness, and distribution of the endangered and extinct fishes over 6 decades, particularly the Goodeid livebearers of Mexico. Most of the goodeids currently in the hobby are believed to have come from Langhammer’s stocks, which he has been freely giving away to hobbyists, universities, and public aquariums around the world for decades. Jim also introduced several other species to the freshwater hobby, and worked closely with ALA Founder Dr. Joanne Norton in the early years of that organization, later serving as Chairman. He is also one of the Founders and First President of American Cichlid Asssociation (ACA), where he is also honored as a Fellow.

“Hammer” as he is known among his friends, continues to be a source of education and assistance to hobbyists and academics of all levels around the world. The ALA honors his generosity and commitment to endangered animals with the establishment of a conservation fund in his name.

If you would like to make a contribution, you can donate via paypal right from this page. Just choose the amount you'd like to donate from the upper right. A receipt for income tax purposes will be sent to you.

You can also send cash, cheque or money orders to:

AMERICAN LIVEBEARER ASSOCIATION, INC.
C/O GARY KUKOWSKI, TREASURER
6523 W SWEETWATER AVE.
GLENDALE, AZ 85304-1027

Remember, all contributions to the ALA are deductible on your Schedule A as a contribution just like any other contributions you may make to your church, the Salvation Army, etc.

Thanking you in advance,
ALA/James K. Langhammer Fund for Conservation (“LFC”)