When you support Civitan Services with your gifts, you help to provide the services and opportunities our clients need to make their dreams of a successful life come true.
We have many ways you can donate. You can make a secure donation today through our Square Account or you can download this PDF form and mail in your check. You can also donate your gently used household or office items toward The Civitan Shoppe resale store. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and as such all donations are tax-deductable.
Other Ways To Donate
While monetary donations are always welcome, they are not the only way to you can help to make a difference. You can give your time and talents by volunteering, participate in one of our fundraising events, set up a future planned gift or you can donate supplies.
However you choose to help, we promise to be good stewards of your donations. We feel blessed to work with these amazing clients in our tremendously supportive community and we strive to be worthy of everyone's trust.
Below are our Wish List of needed supplies for our programs (by no means all inclusive!):
- Art Supplies (canvas, paint, beads, brushes, clay, yarn, tablets, construction paper, etc)
- Kleenex, tissues, paper towels
- Antibacterial gel, liquid soap, laundry detergent, clean wipes
- Office Supplies (pens, copy paper, 3-ring binders, paper shredders, etc.)
- Diapers and wet wipes
Volunteer
Civitan Services has an active and diverse volunteer program that benefits all of our programs. Volunteering is a great way to see our mission in action and a way for people to learn more about those with developmental disabilities. We seek to make the volunteer program meaningful for both the volunteers as well as the staff and clients they assist.
All our volunteers go through an orientation tailored to the area(s) they are interested in serving. Our staff give tours and instruction where needed to make sure any volunteer projects are a good fit. All volunteers must fill out an application and undergo background checks to protect our clients prior to beginning their service. We also teach volunteers how to interact with those with developmental disabilities to optimize comfort for all involved.
Our volunteers have done countless different projects over the years both as individuals and as groups. Some of these projects have included: landscaping, teaching art to clients, sorting donations for The Civitan Shoppe, filing, decorating for the holidays, painting rooms, reading to children, building a playground, doing displays for The Civitan Shoppe, putting on a dance for clients, shopping for Christmas presents, and many, many more.
Contact us today to set up a visit or for more information.
Youth Volunteers
We welcome teens and youth groups to volunteer. We track every service hour and keep records on all volunteers so we are able to give composite volunteer numbers over a long period of time. We are more than happy to validate community service for any of our youth participants. Often we provide recommendation letters for youth applying for college scholarships.
Planned Giving
Legacy Gift
Your planned legacy gift can help us to continue to provide services for many years to come regardless of any future Medicaid funding cuts. Planned Gifts can also benefit you and your family as well as a charity such as your church or Civitan Services. You can actually better plan for your financial security while helping make a significant contribution to Civitan Services. By taking advantage of the IRS incentives, you can create a giving plan that protects your family and avoids unnecessary taxation on your estate.
You do NOT have to be rich to benefit from an estate plan. A current will is the only way to choose a legal guardian for your family members or to make sure your legacy benefits those of your choosing.
For those with developmentally delayed family members, estate planning is crucial. A Special Needs Trust is often the only way to guarantee continuation of medical benefits regardless of any inheritance.
You can make a gift of stock, bonds, life insurance, retirement plans, real estate, etc. Please contact our office today to learn more about Planned Giving. We will be happy to meet with you, provide literature or introduce you to our financial planning consultants atPear Tree Wealth Management, LLC.
Special Needs Trust
Insuring financial security for a dependent family member with a developmental disability is often a struggle for our families. In most cases, a Special Needs Trust is the answer to protecting both SSI and Medicaid benefits while providing a comfortable life.
A Special Needs Trust is established for the benefit of a person with a disability. The Trust can be created during the donor's lifetime (A Living Trust) or it may be created through the donor's will (A Testamentary Trust).
A trust is simply a legal arrangement where property is held by a trustee (one person, a group or a company like a bank) for the benefit of another. The trustee's job is to manage this account on behalf of the beneficiary.
The Social Security Administration has set guidelines that say these Special Needs Trusts cannot be considered a resource when determining eligibility for SSI or Medicaid benefits. The funds within a Special Needs Trust can be used for medical or personal needs not covered by benefits.
Parents or other family members can then leave inheritance directly to the trust instead of the beneficiary to avoid losing any benefits. Assets (cash, real estate, stocks, bond, life insurance, vehicles, etc) can be transferred to the trust at any time. The funds are immediately available for use after the trust is created.
Always seek the advice of legal council when creating either a Living or Testamentary Trust as there are very specific steps that must be completed to make a trust official.
Legal Registry
Civitan Services has a Legal Registry available to our donors upon request of professionals in the Saline County area that have certified that:
- At least 25% of their practice is related to wills and estate planning
- They are knowledgeable of the use of charitable giving tools in estate planning
- They are willing to accommodate the client's desire for a reasonable turnaround time in the preparation of documents
- They are willing to share a basic schedule of fees a client might anticipate paying for my services, and
- Carry professional liability insurance in a minimum amount of $100,000, per occurrence, and $300,000, in the aggregate
- They have worked with a Special Needs Trust in the last year
Obtain a copy of our Legal Registry by contacting our office.
Donation FAQs
How do I make a donation in honor/memory of someone?
Simply write "In Honor of (Person's Name)" or "In Memory of (Person's Name)" on the memo line of your check. Our office is happy to send a letter of acknowledgement to the person or their family members if you provide us address information. We do not always have a current address on file for memorial gifts. If the family has designated a particular program for your gifts we will make sure your funds are applied per their request.
How do I get a tax receipt for my donation?
We mail letters to all of our donors (both cash and items for resale) soon after the donation is received that included our tax ID#. You should keep this letter for your files. In January we mail a letter to all cash donors with a listing of every cash donation they made in the previous year that they can take to their tax professional. If you lose your receipt letter(s) call our office and we will be happy to help you. 501.776.0691.
Is my gift tax-deductable?
Yes. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization your donations are tax-deductable to the full extent of the law. You should always consult your tax professional about any claim you make. Please keep the donation receipt letters that we mail.
What items will the Civitan Truck pick up?
Does Civitan Recycle?
Yes. We have a metal recycling bin at the Civitan Donation Center. We also partner with Charity Shoes out of Dallas, Texas to recycle clothing, cloth and shoes that we cannot sell at The Civitan Shoppe. We also help our environment by taking items and selling them at The Civitan Shoppe others can often find treasures in items you no longer need or use.
Where do I take items on your wish list?
If you are donating program supplies, please clearly mark them and bring them to the Donation Center at 403 S Reynolds Rd, Bryant, AR 72022.
