Make a Difference
As we celebrate 67 years in Hawaii providing quality programs and services, Easter Seals Hawai’i remains proud of the more than 500,000 hours of annual direct services to those individuals with disabilities and other special needs on a statewide basis. As we continue to experience an ever-increasing demand for services, now more than ever your support is essential bringing our mission to life to Hawaii families.
The reasons for making a gift to ESH are personal and varied. Perhaps you are grateful for the experience of a loved one and want to give something back. Maybe you would like to leave a legacy to benefit future participants and expand the possibility of new programs. Perhaps you feel passionate about a specific program or service, such as assistive technology or providing social and recreational programs for youth. Or you may wish to take advantage of the tax benefits of making a gift.
Rest assured that when you donate to Easter Seals Hawai’i, you are making a sound investment. All funds raised in Hawaii remain in Hawaii with ninety-two cents of every dollar used to provide direct services for children and adults with disabilities.
Read about Easter Seals Hawaii 2011 Performance Plan Oucome Results for 2011.
Children’s Programs and Services have experienced exponential growth and the demand for additional programs and services continues to increase. Over the past year, we have received on average, 100 referrals a month by families requesting services for their loved one.
In order to meet the demand and needs of our participants, while maintaining the highest-quality services that is part of our mission, it requires expansion of programs and existing services, addition of new program sites, space and personnel.
Support in this area will enable us to hire and retain additional qualified therapists in our Early Intervention programs as well as deliver additional social-recreational opportunities such as: arts and crafts, music, sports, games and computers in a safe and nurturing environment designed to support and encourage self-esteem, independence, and social growth among school-aged youth with developmental disabilities and other special needs. Learn more about Early Intervention.
Camping and Recreation Programs are designed to provide youth and adults alike opportunities for enjoying fun, outdoor experiences, camaraderie, and increased self-confidence. Independence skills are also emphasized. Our goal is to significantly increase the number of camps and recreational services offered. The benefits of a camp experience for a child or adult are far-reaching; we focus on all the things they can do - playing basketball, kayaking, singing, horseback riding and more. Participants enjoy a safe, barrier-free environment to experience all aspects of camp in a fully-accessible setting. Whether it is a weekend sleepovers, I-Rec (Inclusive Recreation) or camping program, in addition to the participant’s benefiting, each program also provides a much needed respite for parents, caregivers and guardians. Learn more about Camping and Recreation programs.
Assistive Technology is a resource for the entire Easter Seals organization, and the goal of the program is to stay on the cutting edge of new technologies that enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. With the growing number of participants, we want to ensure that we are able to provide the augmentative tools and devices to supplement the communication and learning process and opportunities for participants. There are over 20,000 devices available in the marketplace, many of them quite costly, so offering a robust program, enables our participants to test out devices and find the ones that may best suit their needs and budget. Is it important? What value can be placed on a child being able to communicate the words, “I love you.” Priceless. Learn more about Assistive Technology.
When you make a gift to Easter Seals Hawai’i, we provide you with many options for making your gift.
Unrestricted gifts are among the most valuable to Easter Seals Hawai’i, because they allow us to allocate funds wherever the need is greatest, and to take advantage of unique opportunities as they arise. Your unrestricted contribution may be used to support costs associated with starting up new programs, sustaining existing programs, equipment, facilities, program and administrative support staffing and much more.
Directed gifts allow you to designate your gift to a specific program, island or priority area at ESH. When you make a directed gift to ESH, you enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting a program or island that is personally meaningful to you.
Gifts will go towards either current use or for endowment. Current-use gifts provide funds and flexibility over the short term, whereas endowment gifts provide security over the long term by expanding Easter Seals Hawaii’s permanent financial base and creating a predictable source of future income for such things as program and facility expansion, participant scholarships, or even entire programs. Gifts received through bequests will go towards building our endowment fund, ensuring that your gift will continue giving indefinitely.
Outright Gifts - When you make an outright gift to Easter Seals Hawai’i (ESH), your contribution can be put to work immediately — either providing funding for current programs or creating a reliable source of future income by expanding ESH’s endowment. An outright gift may be composed of almost any asset of value
Cash gifts- the simplest and easiest gifts you can make - can be made through credit/debit card transactions, outright cash, or personal checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders made payable to Easter Seals Hawai’i.
Gifts of appreciated securities, stocks, bonds and mutual funds- When you give long-term appreciated securities, not only do you receive an income tax deduction equal to the cost basis of those securities, but you also avoid capital gains taxes on the transfer.
If you wish to transfer stocks (including mutual funds) from a brokerage account:
- ESH has accounts with a major brokerage firm. Have your broker call our Planned Giving Department for further details and information.
- If stocks are to be delivered by DTC, contact our Planned Giving Department to have delivery instructions faxed or e-mailed to your broker or financial advisor.
If you wish to make a gift of physical securities on hand:
- We will make arrangements to pick up the certificates from you, facilitating the process for a smooth and easy transfer.
- Contact Information: ESH, Development Department, (808) 536-1015, those calling from neighbor islands may call collect.
Gifts of Real Estate and Personal Property- A residence or other real property may be given as an outright gift, or you may prefer to give your residence, investment property or vacation home and retain the right to occupy it for life. Personal property such as paintings, rare books and musical instruments also make excellent gifts.
Tributes and Memorials - Your gift can honor someone special in your life -- all you need to do is check the box on our donation form (click here) link to Make a Gift Now. Each honoree is notified that a gift has been made in their name to help support the services that Easter Seals Hawai’i provides. You may also pay tribute through a bequest (link to bequest under planned giving section)
Matching-Gift Programs
An easy way to double or even triple your donation to ESH is to find out if your company has a matching-gift program. Such programs typically match all or a percentage of employee contributions to charitable organizations, making the employer a partner in the employees’ personal philanthropy. If they do, fill in your portion, send it to us at 710 Green Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, and we’ll do the rest. Please keep in mind that many employers also match the gifts of retirees and spouses. Ask your employer today!
Gift Pledges
ESH welcomes your gift through a pledge — a formal statement of intention to make a gift to Easter Seals Hawai’i. With a pledge, you may complete your gift by making regular payments over time, allowing you to give more generously than you originally may have considered. What’s more, each payment on your pledge is eligible for an income-tax charitable deduction. Easy ways to make a gift pledge include:
Aloha United Way (AUW)- If you contribute to the AUW campaign each year, did you know that you can direct where your contribution goes? Although Easter Seals Hawai’i is not an AUW agency, each year we do receive critical funds from donors who select us as their charity of choice. All you need to do is request an AUW Donor Option Choice Form from your on-site AUW coordinator and designate Easter Seals Hawai’i as the recipient of your AUW contribution. The minimum donation allowed by AUW is $48 the payment can be made via check, credit card or payroll deduction for as little as $4/month. Help us spread the word!
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)- If you are a Federal civilian, postal or military employee, you are eligible to participate in the annual CFC Campaign. When you make your contribution, you are encouraged and empowered to direct where you would like your funds designation goes. Help us spread the word!
Monthly Giving - Provide supportthroughout the yearby pledging a specific monthly contribution. Your repeated gifts will provide sustainability for much-needed services and programs -- and you only have to sign up once!
Ways to Give to Easter Seals Hawai’i
Many ESH supporters want to ensure their commitment to Easter Seals carries on after they are gone, so we can continue to offer vital programs for people in Hawai’i with disabilities and their families. Often, financial arrangements that assist Easter Seals in helping those in need include direct benefits to the donor, such as charitable tax deductions and stable income sources. In fact, well-planned charitable giving vehicles can significantly enhance your ability to meet financial and estate objectives for your family. Some key tax considerations which may help you increase the amount of your gifts are described below.
- Bequests and Retirement Plans
- Charitable Remainder Trust
- Charitable Lead Trust
- Life Insurance
- Charitable Gift Annuity
Bequests and Retirement Plans - Leave your legacy by making a gift in your will to ESH. A bequest is one of the simplest ways to remember those you care about most. A provision allows you to make a substantial contribution without diminishing the assets available to you during your life. Since bequests are deductible from your taxable estate, significant estate tax savings are possible. Naming ESH as a beneficiary of your retirement plan also avoids income tax when we receive the distribution from the plan.
Let Us Know
We hope you'll tell us when you have named Easter Seals Hawai’i in your will. We would very much like the opportunity to thank you for your generosity.
If you prefer to remain anonymous, your gift will be kept completely confidential. But at the same time, recognition of your gift can encourage others to do the same. Whatever the case, we will honor your wishes, because we appreciate your support immensely. And, if you have any other specific requests for a bequest, please contact our Development Department at (808) 536-1015 for assistance.
Our Federal Tax I.D. number is: 99-0075235
Sample Bequest Language
The official bequest language for Easter Seals Hawai’i is: "I hereby give to Easter Seals Hawai’I, a Hawaii nonprofit corporation with its principal place of business at Honolulu, Hawaii: The sum of $________ OR The following described property ________ OR _____ percent of my estate."
The following items are special considerations when you plan a charitable bequest to help support the mission of Easter Seals Hawai’i.
- Unrestricted bequest - This is a gift for our general purposes, to be used at the discretion of our governing board. A gift like this—without conditions attached—is frequently the most useful, as it allows us to determine the wisest and most pressing need for the funds at the time of receipt.
- Restricted bequest - This type of gift allows you to specify how the funds are to be used. Perhaps you have a special purpose or project in mind. If so, it's best to consult us when you make your will to be certain your intent can be carried out.
- Tribute or memorial bequest - This is a gift given "in honor of" or "in memory of" someone. We would be pleased to honor your request and grant appropriate recognition.
Charitable Remainder Trusts- You can use an irrevocable trust to provide yourself and/or a loved one with a fixed annual income or an income which varies with the value of the trust. Part of your gift qualifies for an income tax deduction, as calculated with IRS tables. At the death of the last income beneficiary, the remaining principal in the trust is distributed to Easter Seals Hawai'i.
Charitable Lead Trust- If your goal is to provide an inheritance for your children, but you would also like to make a significant charitable gift through your estate, you can support our organization for a term of years or for the life of an individual by creating a charitable lead trust. Income will be paid to Easter Seals Hawai’i during the term of the trust. When the trust terminates, the assets in the trust revert to you or to individuals you wish to benefit.
Life Insurance - Perhaps you would like to make a sizable contribution to us now to help meet our current needs, but you don't want to reduce the estate you will pass to your family. Consider purchasing life insurance.When you give a life insurance policy to us by naming Easter Seals Hawai’i as the owner and beneficiary, the annual premiums paid would be a charitable income tax deduction and would determine the annual giving level recognition. Donors may also consider transferring ownership of existing policies to Easter Seals Hawai’i. Depending on your age, health and tax bracket, the income tax savings from your charitable gift may be enough to cover the premium cost.
Charitable Gift Annuity - If you would like to support ESH but current income is a consideration, through a charitable gift annuity, you can contract for a fixed payment for the rest of your life and make a gift to ESH. A gift annuity is a simple, contractual agreement between an individual donor and ESH in which the donor transfer assets to us in exchange for our promise to pay one or two annuitants payments for life. A gift annuity may be funded by: a gift of cash, Certificate of Deposit (CD), or securities. A portion of this income is not taxed, and you also receive a charitable deduction for part of your gift as calculated with IRS tables.