Live United T-Shirts for the Next Generation

Last week I was visiting my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.  Stefanie worked for United Way of Greater Houston prior to the birth of Lydia.  As devoted grandparents, we came bearing gifts including Birmingham-Southern College shirts for Stefanie, who graduated from BSC in 2006, and Lydia, as the next generation of BSC Panthers.  They had 2 shirts in Lydia's size in the BSC bookstore and of course I bought them both.

An idea struck me on the flight back to Birmingham yesterday.  Why not send an infant or toddler Live United t-shirt to the next generation of United Way donors and then a note to their grandparents encouraging an endowment gift to continue their generosity for the benefit of their grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc?  Of course it means keeping up with children and births, but then again that is where volunteers serve as the best sources of information. 

In case you were wondering, we didn't forget our son-in-law.  He is an Auburn graduate!  War Eagle! (which takes some effort to say since we are Alabama fans!).

UW Life Marketing from the Central Carolinas, Mile High, and Greater Milwaukee UWs

Bill Hamelau, Director of Legacy Giving at United Way of Central Carolinas in Charlotte, NC, sent me his new marketing piece for United Way Life.  It is still a work in progress, but definitely a wealth of ideas to beg, borrow, and steal.  You can access his document by clicking HERE.  Bill and I talk regularly and he is an excellent resource for good ideas. 

I would also recommend looking at their Legacy Gifts website.  You will find it at www.legacy.vg/uwcentralcarolinas/giving/1.html.  This website is designed by VirtualGiving.com and this was my first time to look at one of their sites.  I am impressed.  Bill's contact info is on the website for more information both on United Way Life and VirtualGiving.

I also ran across the UW Life Guidelines from Mile High United Way in Denver.  You will find them HERE.  They have an excellent website as well at www.unitedwaydenver.org.

Finally, United Way of Greater Milwaukee has a great website as well for United Way Life at www.unitedwaymilwaukee.org/LegacySociety/UnitedWayLife.

I am certain there are other United Way Life websites and guidelines out there.  Let me know and I will upload the info so others can benefit from all the good ideas.

Some Great UWW Resources

Obviously if we are going to talk about planned giving resources for local United Way's, we have to list UW Online - not just because they are the mother ship, but because you are going to find some great tools and ideas there. 

They have greatly improved United Way Online in recent months and the site is much easier to navigate.  Go to "Resource and Tools", "Give", and then click on "Endowment and Gift Planning Service Center."  It's well worth the time you can spend exploring the different topics and resources.

I was looking at other planned giving websites the other day and came across The University of Texas and their planned giving website at www.gftpln.org/Home.do?orgId=450.  Their planned giving website is by Crescendo (who I will talk about tomorrow), but what caught my eye was the Resources section on the right side.  Take a look at their Sample Language and Forms, Estate Intention Letter, and Gift Planning Guide.  These are definitely ideas worth borrowing.

More tomorrow.