JOIN THE STRONGER UNITED MOVEMENT
We are on a mission to build a stronger Itasca area — where all children have the opportunity to learn and thrive, where families are financially stable, and where people live healthy lives — today and for generations to come.
Help your neighbors thrive year-round
A gift to United Way remains the most effective way to help the entire community year-round. With your monthly donation, you’ll receive updates about the positive change your gift helps support and invitations to exclusive events.
Donate your Spare Change
Roundups allow your spare change to add up to BIG change for the greater Itasca community. As a Round-Up Member, every purchase you make will round up to the nearest dollar, donating your spare change to United Way of 1000 Lakes.
JOIN A GIVING COMMUNITY
Leadership givers have a deep commitment to helping people. More than 200 members make investments of $500 or more into our community through United Way. The energy, excitement, and enthusiasm of these generous donors inspires others and infuses hope into those who need it most.
COMMUNITY BUILDER recognizes philanthropists who contribute an annual gift of $2,500 or more
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE recognizes leaders who contribute an annual gift of $500 or more
EMERGING LEADERS recognizes donors age 40 or under who make an annual gift of $365 or more
Other Ways to Give
Give to United Way's Endowment
Created in 2015, the endowment works in tandem with United Way's annual campaign to build capacity in meeting both current and future needs, and provides long-term financial security. The endowment helps stabilize funding in challenging economic times when human service needs are heightened and adds capacity for emergency response programs. Giving to our endowment fund is a powerful way to give United Way and the programs we support a stable and secure future.
Make an Honor or Memorial Gift
Make a memorial donation to honor someone you love with a gift that helps others and strengthen the community.
HOW TO: When you make your gift online, check the box “I'd like to give in honor/memory.” Gifts can also be sent via mail, include in-memory details in a letter or on the memo line. Send to United Way of 1000 Lakes, 350 NW 1st Ave., Suite A, Grand Rapids, MN 55744.
Make a charitable rollover gift
If you are 70½ years old or older, you can take advantage of a simple way to benefit United Way and receive tax benefits in return. You can give up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as ours without having to pay income taxes on the money.
If you are contemplating a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA to United Way, simply use the sample letters below for each separate transaction.
First: Download an Administrators/Trustees sample letter and fill the required information in the bold bracket fields. Mail or fax to your IRA Administrator or Trustee. Your IRA Administrator or Trustee may ask you to complete its own charitable IRA rollover authorization form before processing your request. If so, promptly complete and return it, especially if year-end is approaching.
Second: Download a notification sample letter and fill the required information in the bold bracket fields. Call or mail United Way of 1000 Lakes your gift intention so we may be on the lookout for it and can promptly acknowledge the gift in writing.
Second: Download a notification sample letter and fill in the required information in the bold bracket fields. Call or mail United Way of 1000 Lakes your gift intention so we may be on the lookout for it and can promptly acknowledge the gift in writing.
Make a planned gift
For many people, philanthropic giving is a lifelong commitment that provides both personal satisfaction and financial benefits. In addition to planting a seed that will continue to grow for generations to come, there are financial incentives that may apply to planned giving.
A charitable planned gift is the result of careful and thoughtful structuring of one’s estate to benefit one or more charitable organizations. A planned gift can be given in many ways, including cash, charitable trusts, life insurance, retirement plans, bequests, appreciated property, charitable gift annuities, and donor-advised funds.
The legal name to use in gift-planning transactions is United Way of 1000 Lakes. Our Federal Tax ID number is 41-6042589.
Contact United Way at 218-999-7570 or email us letting know you made a planned gift.
United Way has teamed up with FreeWill to make creating a will easy and accessible. Members of our community can use this free tool to create a will and make bequests to United Way and other worthy causes.
Thrivent Members
Are you are a member of Thrivent Financial? If so, you can direct Choice Dollars or designate Seed Grant Money to United Way – at no extra cost to you – through “Thrivent Choice" or Thrivent's Action Volunteer Program. This program allocates financial impact dollars to help kick start activities like our Day of Action or Lumberjack Mile/5K.
Make a gift of stock
Donating stock is an effective and efficient method of supporting United Way. Stock donations may enable you to increase your gift to United Way while realizing additional tax benefits for yourself. Check with your broker or tax advisor to determine if a stock donation makes sense for you.
When donating stock, most people simply transfer the stock directly to United Way rather than selling it. This allows you to claim a charitable contribution in the amount of the average of the high and low stock price on the day of the transfer to United Way. United Way is responsible for any fees related to the sale of the stock.
For information contact United Way at 218-999-7570 or email kimberly@uwlakes.org.
AmazonSmile
Did you know that you can shop and donate to the United Way at the same time on Amazon.com? The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.
Round-Up App
When you link your credit or debit card to our Round-Up program, each time you make a purchase, your total is rounded up to the nearest dollar, with your spare change going to United Way. Joining the Round-Up program is a great way to make a difference, a little bit at a time.
Get Involved
Get to know United Way and the passionate do-gooders who make our work possible. From networking socials to festive fundraisers you'll connect with other socially engaged community members.