Charity is not limited to your lifetime...Many of us have our personal reasons for giving while we are living, but statistics show that only a few of us have thought about making a charitable gift that will leave a legacy of caring long after we are gone.

Middlesex United Way is an active participant in a nationwide Leave A Legacy campaign to educate donors about the importance of leaving something in their wills to charities they care about. By providing for the future through planned giving, you make it possible for Middlesex United Way to advance the common good for us all - for generations to come. When you do contribute or plan to contribute to the Endowment Fund, you will be recognized as a member of the Red Feather Society.

Benefits of Planned Giving

• Reduction or elimination of your capital gains tax on appreciated assets such as securities
• Increased income for you or a person you designate as a beneficiary
• Reduction of your income tax through the charitable income tax deduction
• Decreased tax liability associated with the transfer of assets to your beneficiaries at your death
• Membership in Middlesex United Way's Red Feather Society, joining a group of generous and faithful contributors who make a difference for today and tomorrow

Options for Giving
Donors can make provisions in their will and/or a gift directly to Middlesex United Way's Endowment Fund at the Middlesex County Community Foundation. Contributions can be mailed to the Middlesex County Community Foundation, 211 South Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457. Please note in the memo field that the donation is directed to United Way's Endowment Fund.

There are several ways to give including:

• Cash Contribution or Appreciated Stock 
• A Gift of Retirement Assets
• A Bequest in a Will
• Donation of Life Insurance Policy 
• Charitable Gift Annuity
• Charitable Remainder Trust
• Charitable Lead Trust

You might also consider making a gift to Middlesex United Way in memory of a loved one in any of these forms. Even at the most sorrowful times, you can choose to make a lasting tribute to your family member or friend.

Perpetuating Your Leadership Gift
Your ongoing leadership contribution will create better lives for generations to come by advancing the common good and funding the building blocks for a good life - education, income, health and housing.

To perpetuate or "endow" your annual United Way contribution, you would make a gift of 20 times your annual gift. If this is a current gift, the principal of the gift would be held in United Way's Endowment Fund at the Middlesex County Community Foundation. The income generated each year from this gift would perpetuate your annual contribution.

Red Feather Society
Members of the Red Feather Society are supporting Middlesex United Way's Endowment Fund which supplements program funding in difficult times and provides stability in a rapidly changing environment. You can support the Endowment Fund by making a gift in your will or trust or naming a charity as the beneficiary of an IRA, pension plan or life insurance policy.

Contact Us
Please remember Middlesex United Way in your will and let us know about it when you do so that we may recognize you as a member of the Red Feather Society.

If you are interested in any of our planned giving options, we will be pleased to work with you and your advisors to develop a planned gift that best suits your particular needs. Kevin Wilhelm at United Way, 860-346-8695, or email kevin.wilhelm@middlesexunitedway.org.

For more about planning giving, go to http://www.leavealegacyct.org/.

Download a Red Feather Society brochure