CCIWI’s Food Pantry, the first ever Wiccan tax deductible charity

In my post box yesterday when I got home was the letter from the tax office granting the Community Church of Inclusive Wicca Inc.’s Food Pantry full tax deductibility status. Basically that means that your donations to the charity can be claimed back on your tax return. What a delight to have this letter in my hand because it’s yet another step toward political/social/taxation equality for Wiccan religious groups in Australia. I’m very proud actually because CCIWI now has exactly the same recognition as other religious based charities which have traditionally been Christian organised. There are some Pagan groups in Australia with this full concessions status but CCIWI is the first Wiccan group ever to have achieved this outcome.

Our next step will be to seek recognition from the Attorney General’s department so that handfastings and weddings conducted within Wiccan ritual can be recognised as legal religious ceremonies rather than simply legal civil ceremonies. That’s next year task.

Smiles and blessings, Amethyst