• Year-End Giving
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Dear Rainbow Village Friend:

During this time of the year, our thoughts often turn to giving back. But giving back what? And to whom?

Many of us are passionate about a cause, moved by an organization’s accomplishments or touched by a story. At Rainbow Village, we hope you have experienced each of these. If your passion runs to helping the homeless, children in need of role models and encouragement, women who have suffered domestic violence, or keeping families together, then Rainbow Village understands your passion. We work with people in these situations every day.

If you want to see a model of a non-profit managing finances to put the utmost into the people it serves, then look no further than Rainbow Village. During the past year, we successfully helped 10 families transition from our program to lives of self-sufficiency. We remained debt free during this economy and pride ourselves on keeping operating costs down by putting $.80 of every dollar towards our families and family programs.

We celebrated our 20th anniversary this year. We saw our plans for a new “Village” come to fruition as Phase 1 of our construction for a new Family Service Center and two 6-unit apartment buildings began. We reunited with one of our former resident children and listened with pride in our hearts as he spoke to the guests in attendance at our Gala. We watched two of our Rainbow Village children enter the gifted program, and many more excel at local schools. We watched as several of our children made the Principal’s Honor Roll and received Citizenship Awards. We saw one of our residents achieve her Certified Nursing Assistant’s license, and another earn her Georgia Work Ready Certificate.

We frequently talk about how much effort we put into helping our families succeed. We do realize, however, that our children are our greatest source for change. One of our Rainbow Village teenagers summed this up best when she said, “you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Going to college has been set in my mind for as long as I can remember.”

As you open your hearts to giving during this holiday season, we ask you to consider giving to Rainbow Village. Our families and future families rely on your generosity. Here are some ways you can give:

  • Matching Gifts: Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to contribute to charitable organizations. Some provide matching funds to support employee volunteer hours. Most of these programs match contributions dollar for dollar, and some will even double or triple the amount you give.
  • Recurring Giving: Become a Rainbow Village Angel and contribute a monthly financial gift. Or, if you are currently a Rainbow Village Angel, then consider an Extra Month of Angel Pledge before year end.
  • Give a gift of stock: The gift of appreciated stock to Rainbow Village before December 31, 2011, offers you several benefits:
    1. You avoid capital gains tax on the appreciated value.
    2. The amount of charitable income tax deduction is equal to the full fair-market value of the stock upon transfer.
    3. It is easy to do-simply provide your broker or financial advisor with the following wiring instructions. (call 770-497-1888 for instructions)
  • Give an insurance policy you no longer need to Rainbow Village: The needs for life insurance usually change over time, and some individuals find they no longer need a particular policy. You can give a paid-up policy or even a policy on which you are still paying premiums by irrevocably designating Rainbow Village as owner and beneficiary. You may then be entitled to a generous charitable income tax deduction. To make the change, simply call or write your insurance company and request that the appropriate form be mailed to you. The policy can then be changed to reflect the owner and beneficiary as Rainbow Village.
  • Check or credit card donations are always a great gift. See below.
  • Gift of Appreciated Assets
  • Prepay your 2012 giving and get the tax benefit now
  • Give in memory or honor of another – an acknowledgement of your gift will be sent to honoree.
  • Gift of an IRA: A recent tax deal passed by Congress makes it even easier to give to charity. The law extends incentives for those 70½ years of age and older to make charitable gifts from what may otherwise be heavily taxed Individual Retirement Account (IRA) funds. To qualify, charitable gifts must be made directly from a traditional or Roth IRA. People 70½ and older can channel up to $100,000 a year from IRAs tax-free to charities in 2011. Not only would such donations be tax-free for any gift made in 2011, but donors would also be allowed to make retirement account gifts through the end of January 2012 and still count them in their 2011 taxes. Check with your financial advisor about the best way to take advantage of this opportunity.
  • Special Designated Gifts: If you choose, you can give specifically to the “Building Strong Communities… One Family at a Time” Capital Campaign.
  • Bequests
  • Gifts by phone: You may call in a credit card payment – speak to Sandra Cathy, 770-497-1888 x13… or
  • If you would like to make a gift by credit card, please make your donation online at www.rainbowvillage.org.

If you would like to send a gift by check, please mail to:

Rainbow Village
Attn: End of Year Giving
3160 Main Street, Suite 100
Duluth, GA 30096

For specific questions about any of these giving opportunities, please call Sandra Cathy at 770-497-1888 x13.

Thank you!