Donating to LCS helps continue the programs that members of the community have come to rely on. Your support goes towards empowering Delaware families in need. We donate because we have all been in times of need there has been someone there to help. There are many different ways, listed below, to donate to LCS.
Please make your check payable to Lutheran Community Servicesand and mail to:
Lutheran Community Services
2809 Baynard Blvd.
Wilmington, DE 19802
By giving gifts of appreciated stock, you avoid any long-term capital gains tax liability that you would otherwise owe in the future and you provide LCS with the larger appreciated amount.
It is a simple process to donate stock to LCS. You will need to provide your broker with a brief set of instructions listing what stock you wish to donate and how many shares. You’ll also provide our name, our broker and its DTC number, and our account number. to get that LCS information, contact Rob Gurnee at 302-654-8886 x101, or have your broker contact Rob directly.
Recurring gifts matter because we do our planning based on expected revenue. If you wish to make your donation recurring, our online donation form will prompt you for the dollar amount and frequency of your giving (e.g.monthly). Should you wish to make another arrangement for recurring giving, please contact Alex Mazzei at 302-654-8886 x 109.
Pledges enable us to do longer term planning. Our Helping Others Circle is comprised of committed stakeholders that provide one of the following pledge amounts
Gift of Faith $1,000 x 5 years
Gift of Hope $5,000 x 5 years
Gift of Love $10,000 x 5 years
If you are interested in making a Helping Others Circle pledge, or some other type of pledge, please contact Alex Mazzei at 302-654-8886 x 109.
Many businesses will match the cash donations of their employees to their favorite charity, so always check with your company. We have a number of supporters that utilize this option with their employers.
Our pantries are partly stocked by the community! If you would like to run a food drive, you can find more information here
We welcome partnerships with business and organizations! For more information on becoming a corporate sponsor, click here
A planned gift is meant to ensure that LCS will always be a source of support for those most in need in our community. The Legacy Circle has been established to give those who believe in the mission of the LCS a way to secure its strength and vitality for the long-term. A separate organization, the Martin Luther Foundation, has been set up to receive your legacy gifts.
Planned Giving Options:
A planned gift enables you to make a contribution to Lutheran community Services that has significant impact.
Bequests
The simplest approach is making a gift in your will, also called a “bequest.” Making a bequest is easy – you can designate a specific dollar amount, a particular asset, a fixed percentage of your entire estate, or leave your residuary estate after providing for your loved ones.
Sample Bequest Language (to be used in consultation with your attorney):
“I give the sum of $_____ (or _____% of my estate) to Lutheran Community Services (Federal tax identification number of 51-0102403), a nonprofit charitable organization headquartered at 2809 Baynard Blvd., Wilmington, DE 19802, to be used in a manner they determine most critical to their mission to help individuals and families address food, housing, and other essential needs with dignity and respect.
IRA Charitable Rollover
The IRA charitable rollover allows taxpayers to make tax-free charitable gifts directly from their Individual Retirement Accounts to eligible charities like Lutheran Community Services
A charitable remainder trust (CRT)
This is an irrevocable trust that generates a potential income stream for you, as the donor to the CRT, or other beneficiaries, with the remainder of the donated assets going to Lutheran Community Services.
Gifts Made Through Life Insurance
You can gift your policy outright to Lutheran Community Services or name us as beneficiary of your policy. Over time, relatively small insurance premiums build up large cash values. A donor may receive a charitable tax deduction through such gifts.
The Martin Luther Foundation (MLF) was created to provide perpetual financial support to Lutheran Community Services, and operates as the endowment arm of LCS. Significant legacy gifts meant to support LCS are placed with MLF where they are invested and managed by a separate Board with a long-term investment horizon to ensure the lasting impact of the gift. LCS periodically draws funds from the endowment as needed in accordance with conservative best practices. Below is a copy of the MLF Investment Policy Statement.
LCS has access to a Regional Gift Planner for the ELCA who can provide guidance should you have questions. We also recommend you contact your legal and tax planning experts. For more information contact Rob Gurnee at 302-654-8886 x101, or email at rgurnee (at) lcsde (dot) com.
If you choose to include LCS in your estate plans, please let us know so that we may express our gratitude and welcome you to our Legacy Circle.
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