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Ways to Give to H.O.M.E.

H.O.M.E. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization so your gift is tax deductible.

Please help us improve the quality of life for Chicago's low-income elderly.  We depend on the continued support of friends like you and appreciate your generosity. 

You can make a gift on-line today by clicking here.

Even modest amounts make a difference:

  • $65 provides transportation for 10 to 15 seniors to go grocery shopping
  • $100 allows H.O.M.E. to paint 3 or 4 rooms in the home of a low-income elderly homeowner
  • $250 can purchase all the food needed for meals for the 12 residents at Pat Crowley House for one week
  • $500 provides heat and light for one month at Pat Crowley House
  • $1,000 provides the services of a handyman to complete numerous urgent repairs in two homes

There are a variety of tax-deductible ways to donate to H.O.M.E.

Gift in Memory: You can make a donation to honor the memory of someone you love.

Matching Donations: Companies often match employee donations of cash or securities to charitable organizations—doubling or even tripling an individual donation.  Make your donation go farther by contacting your company's Human Resource Department to see if matching donations are available. 

Double the impact of your employees' charitable contributions with a matching gifts program.

IRA Donations: Congress recently passed a law allowing individuals age 70 and 1/2 or older to make tax-free donations from IRA accounts.  Rather than take the distribution and pay taxes, you can donate it to H.O.M.E.

Commemorative Donations: Celebrate an event or memorialize the loss of a friend or family member by making a donation in their honor.

Stock Donations: Shares of stock can be donated.  H.O.M.E. makes it easy—just provide the specific stock information and the organization will complete the transaction through its broker.

Cash Donations:  Donations can be made in the form of cash or a check, mailed to the H.O.M.E. administrative office at 1419 West Carroll Avenue, FL2, Chicago, IL  60607.

Or use your credit card to donate in a simple and secure way.  Just fill out the form and submit—it's easy and safe!  We employ leading security technology to ensure that only authorized personnel receive your submission.

Upon receipt of your donation, H.O.M.E. will immediately provide a tax-exempt letter for your records.

Alternative Donation Methods and Estate Planning

Planned Gifts
A number of H.O.M.E.’s most committed volunteers and supporters have chosen to include us in their estate plans. These planned gifts help ensure that H.O.M.E. will always have the support it needs to help seniors remain independent and part of their community by offering opportunities for intergenerational living and by providing a variety of citywide support services. In addition to furthering the mission of H.O.M.E., in certain cases, a planned gift can be a useful tool for minimizing estate taxes.

Bequests
One of the simplest ways to make a planned gift to H.O.M.E. is through a bequest in your will or revocable living trust; for many people, this is also the most realistic way to make a significant financial contribution. A bequest can provide cash, securities, and other types of property. Bequests can be a specific amount, a specific piece of property, a specific percentage of the adjusted gross estate, or a percentage of the residue of the estate.

By hiring an attorney to help you with your estate plan, you can ensure that your wishes are carried out with the minimum of expense and time. Most people discuss their estate planning goals with financial advisor's, an attorney, and family members. And do not forget, you should update your will following life changes like births, deaths and marriage. Alterations in the nature of your estate and the ever-changing tax landscape may also be cause to update your will or trust.

It's an easy process to make a gift to H.O.M.E. though your existing Will. Your attorney can simply add a codicil to your current will, using simple bequest language that allocates a fixed amount, a percentage of your estate or the remainder of your estate to H.O.M.E. 

Suggested bequest wording is, "I give, devise and bequeath to H.O.M.E., a nonprofit corporation in the state of Illinois, the sum of $___ (or ___ percent of my estate.)"

Gifts of Securities
A straightforward way to leave a legacy to help Chicago’s low-income seniors is to make H.O.M.E. the beneficiary of a brokerage or retirement account. Such a gift removes the asset from the taxable estate and helps H.O.M.E. carry out its mission. To name H.O.M.E. as a beneficiary, contact your broker or agent. Generally, you will need to fill out a single form to effect such a gift.

Gifts of Retirement Assets
When included in an estate, qualified retirement plan assets may be subject to both deferred income tax and estate tax. By designating H.O.M.E. as beneficiary of the remainder of an IRA, Keogh, tax-sheltered annuity, qualified pension or profit-sharing plan, the assets are passed on tax-free.

Gifts of Life Insurance
You can designate H.O.M.E. as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, too. Such an option may be appealing to people holding mature policies and whose beneficiaries no longer need the income the policy would provide. Premium payments may even qualify as charitable deduction if you name H.O.M.E. both owner and beneficiary of the policy.