Laura Prettyman Fund

Laura Prettyman worked as an Adult Basic Education (ABE) teacher and Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Employment Counselor with AEOA for 10 years. She worked tirelessly to assist students in obtaining GEDs, career training, and meaningful employment before her passing in 2013. 

“Laura's compassion for others was a defining trait. It was so genuine that she often found herself consoling people whom she had met minutes before…”, said a fellow Aitkin County Workforce Center employee, “Yet, regardless of the burdens that people shared with her, she would always be available to console them without judgment and find the good in people, even when others couldn't.”

The Laura Prettyman Memorial Fund supports the General Education Development (GED) certificate and employment needs of low-income residents of Northeast Minnesota. Gifts will assist with GED testing fees and other associated costs, as well as employment related needs such as interview clothing, transportation assistance and childcare assistance. Funds will be awarded to eligible recipients based on financial need.

Below is an example of how the Foundation Fund provides a small amount of money but yields significant results for the investment.

One of AEOA's ABE Instructors had a student who didn't have gas money to make it to the GED testing center to take her GED test. The Laura Prettyman Fund was able to provide the student with gas cards to make it to the testing center and the student passed all the tests she has taken. Without help from the Foundation Fund, this student may not have been able to get her GED. 

Gifts to AEOA are tax deductible FIN# 41-6052144

This year the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allows for you to make a Qualified Charitable Contribution on your 2020 taxes. A qualified Charitable Contribution allows you to deduct your nonprofit donations of up to $300* on your 2020 taxes if you don’t itemize your other deductions. For those who do itemize deductions, the new law temporarily lifts the limits on charitable giving for 2020.

*When considering gift planning strategies and year-end gift opportunities, you should always consult with your own legal, tax, or financial advisors.