Sustaining Members

People that make monthly contributions of $25 or more through electronic fund transfers or credit card are considered to be Sustaining Members. This provides a steady stream of predictable income.

We hope that this project will sustain the programs and assistance to those whose hearts are aching with grief and who need the knowledgeable support that family and friends are not trained to provide.

May you continue to have success and grow in your efforts to help.”

Memorials and Tributes

Gifts of cash in loving memory or in honor of someone are acknowledged to the appropriate party without mention of the amount of the gift.

In-Kind Gifts

In-kind gifts may be used for silent auctions for fundraising, or items that we need for the operation of New Hope services. Possibilities for silent auctions include tickets for airline travel, concerts or sporting events; travel packages for lodging and meals for two or more; adventure opportunities such as snow mobiling, skiing, horseback riding, ballooning, golf, spas. Items for operation of New Hope include services such as printing or graphic design, beverages such as soft drinks or bottled water. Just about anything used in an office is also welcomed - copy paper, toner, ink pens, file folders, name tags, postage, labels, etc.

Grants

Can you help us? Donations and fund raising activities, primarily the kindness and generosity of others, fund New Hope. There is another source of income we would like to explore more seriously, the area of grant money. Many companies, both retail and commercial, offer small grant monies that are fairly easy to apply for. The key is to know where to apply, in other words, who is offering this money? This is where you can help. If you know of any company that we could apply to, with criteria we can meet, please let us know. We will be glad to follow up. Or if you are interested in approaching your company, that would be greatly appreciated. Please call Arlene at New Hope Center with any information or questions that you have regarding this.

United Way Giving

October is the time that many companies ask employees to make a contribution to the United Way. Many people don't know that they can designate a local charity to be the recipient of their United Way contribution. If you'd like New Hope Center for Grief Support to receive your donation, check with your Human Resource Department to see what you need to do, then let us know so that we can add you to our list of United Way contributors. Another way that some of you can double your contribution to New Hope is to request that your employer match your tax-deductible gift to us. Many employers have matching gift programs, but few employees actually take advantage of this opportunity.

Thanks in advance!

Newsletter Sponsorship

Please help us continue to get information out by either personally sponsoring a newsletter in memory of your loved one, or by being a corporate sponsor. In-kind donations of printing and postage would also be very helpful. You could also ask a business you frequent to sponsor or provide in-kind services for the newsletter. Your name, the name of your loved one or the name of your company will be mentioned with our thanks.

Donate Items from our Wish List

Please see the News & Events area of this website for our current wish list.

Church Support

You can help New Hope by talking to your church leaders and encouraging them to support New Hope by providing monthly or yearly funding to support our programs. Churches can also sponsor services of New Hope such as grief seminars, training and other services which will help support the bereaved within their congregation and community.

Your Will

Your Will is the perfect place to remember New Hope Center for Grief Support. After you have taken care of your final expenses and your family, you may want to designate that a specific amount or a percentage of your estate go to New Hope. This will enable us to continue providing grief support services to families like yours who are grieving.

Why Donate to New Hope Center?

Donating to New Hope Center for Grief support helps others as they have helped you. This time of year people are thinking of summer vacations and ways to enjoy life. All year long, people like you need support from their local communities. That support comes with a cost. We need your help. Your donations, especially this time of year, help us help many.

Possible Tax Strategy:

Your donation can be cash, which is always acceptable. However, a possible tax advantage to you and to us would be donations of your appreciated stock. In other words, stock that has gone up in value is a great way for you to make a donation.

Example:

You bought some stock for $1,000 several years ago. Today it is worth $5,000. Instead of selling your stock for $5,000, paying the capital gains tax on the proceeds, you could donate the stock directly to New Hope. By doing this, you would get a tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock of $5,000, not what you paid for the stock. You would not pay any income tax and you would get a $5,000 income tax deduction. Therefore, if you were in a 35% tax bracket, you would net $1,750.

NOTE: This explanation is intended for explanation purposes only. Actual tax savings may vary depending on income level and tax bracket. Always consult you tax advisor.

Submitted by: Gerald Hoffman E.A.

Securities

New Hope has a brokerage account to accept stock donations. By donating stock, a donor can usually deduct the fair market value of the stock from their personal taxes.

Online Shopping

Your shopping can help New Hope!

Do you like to Shop?? Or are there things you need, but you hate going to the mall or don't have time? Did you know that you can shop from home and help New Hope Center for Grief Support at the same time? Click on to www.igive.com/newhope and register your name with igive.com. Follow the directions and, each time you shop, go to igive.com and check out the 400+ stores that participate by contributing a percentage of their sales to New Hope through igive.com.

It costs you no additional money and New Hope gets a percentage of the purchase price! Some of the stores that participate include: Marshall Field's, the Gap, Lands' End, JCPenney, Best Buy, and one of my favorites – Coldwater Creek! I recently ordered my replacement contacts through a discount contact lens company and booked a flight through Expedia.com (I got a great rate!) – each of these purchases benefited New Hope. If you register soon and make a purchase within 45 days, New Hope will get an additional $5.00! See how great it is to receive your items right at home, so you can try them on, test them out and enjoy them without having to leave your home! P.S. Christmas shopping is so easy through igive.com!!

Please contact our office to get more details on how to help at 248-348-0115.

Buying or Selling Your Home Could Benefit NEW HOPE
Mary McLeod of REMAX Alliance has been very generous to New Hope. Mary is a widow who has found friends and comfort through our groups. Because of this, she has decided to give back to us in a wonderful way.

From any sales she makes as a result of a referral from New Hope, she will donate 20% of her commission to New Hope! She has already done this several times and for that we are truly grateful.

If you are looking for a good realtor and want to help New Hope, Mary's information is as follows:
                                    Mary E. McLeod - Full Time Realtor
                                GRI, CRS, ABR, BBA, Associate Broker
                                                    REMAX Alliance
Direct Line: 248-477-2006
Pager:          313-990-7649
Fax:              248-477-8139 or 1-800-508-9119
E-Mail:          Mary@MaryMcLeod.com
Website:       www.marymcleod.com

Banking and Newsletter Sponsor

Tracey Shipley (Loan Officer), Main Street Bank, 201 E. Main, Northville, MI, 48167 Phone: 248-449-3700,
Fax: 248-735-8575

Tracey donates 20% of her commisions to New Hope from any sale she makes due to referrals from New Hope

Charity Motors

Ready to get rid of that old car? Donate your used car to Charity Motors and select New Hope Center for Grief Support to receive 70% of the proceeds from the sale. To date we have received nearly $15,000 from the donation of vehicles. Let your friends and family know about this opportunity to support us in such a valuable way.

Thank you to Steven Brown and Tom & Julie Netter for donating their cars to benefit New Hope Center.

Vehicles need not run … Free timely pick-up … IRS forms provided … 100% tax deductible.

Call Charity Motors at 313-255-1000 and designate New Hope Center for Grief Support as your charity.

YOU MUST notify New Hope Center with the date donated, make, model, year of vehicle and Charity Motors ID number so we can keep track of your donation.

Innovative Ways to Help New Hope!

If you notice a new restaurant, ice cream or coffee shop – let us know so that we can ask them if they would consider having a “Grand Opening” celebration to benefit New Hope.
Check with your company to see if they have a “Matching Gifts” program. Many businesses will match their employee’s donations to a charitable organization which will double the benefit to New Hope!
Check with your company to see if they will do a “Charity Jeans Day”. On a specific Friday, staff members who wish to participate can wear jeans to work. For this privilege, they will donate $5 to a charitable organization such as New Hope. A variation of this idea would be to allow employees to wear their Michigan or Michigan State colors on the Friday before the big game!

You Can Be A FUNDraiser too!

Assisting with New Hope Center’s fundraising activitiesis a tremendous assistance to our organization. Whether raising $100 or $25,000, every penny is precious in the mission of New Hope to reach out to all who grieve.

Would you, your business, your neighborhood, your friends and family like to host a fundraiser for New Hope? An example to share…Lisa Rew from Circles of Hope who is donating proceeds, this year, to New Hope from a golf outing she organizes each year in honor of her late husband, Jon. Thank you so much Lisa! Please call Patti here at the office to share your good news like Lisa just did today…and so we can let others know about your efforts!

A New Home for New Hope Submitted by Karen Jinnett

Grief is intimate. Grief healing involves intimate relationships. For several years I have dreamed of a new home for New Hope, one that is intimate in ambience, and spacious enough for our vibrant office volunteers and the myriad of projects that they nurture.

The bereaved that seek New Hope’s services would approach a welcoming front porch, comfortable small conversation rooms and a large space for moderate sized support group meetings. We might even have a basement which could be transformed into cheerful areas for our New Hope for KIDZ groups. This room would also accommodate board meetings and large project work areas. Currently our board meetings and newsletter mailings are held offsite due to lack of space.

Please know that we are very grateful for the space we currently have. Our three small offices are truly a “gift” to us, provided at a much-reduced monthly rental fee by Sharon Simkins. Sharon’s husband Nick was our landlord since we opened in May, 2000. Nick died unexpectedly in 2003 and we are thankful to Sharon for continuing to provide this space to us.

With our growth, we are “busting at the seams” and need to start looking ahead to a bigger office. A house would be wonderful and is a dream, but we will move wherever God leads us. It has been 15 years since my husband, David Opple, died and left me in the good hands of Cathy Clough and the healing power of grief support groups. In that time I learned that if you want something badly enough you need to ask for it. Along with the prayers I’ve been praying, I’m now asking all of you to help find New Hope a new home. So – maybe you know someone who would be willing to rent us a larger space at a reduced rate much as Sharon & Nick Simkins have, or you or someone you know is in a position to help us make this dream possible. What you all can do for us is pray that God will provide us the space we need as we grow and serve more grieving people throughout southeastern Michigan. Thank you and God bless you all!

Cathy’s note: This article was originally included in a 2003 newsletter. Since that time, our need for increased space has become even more imperative. Please prayerfully consider how you might help us fulfill our dream, so that we can offer more services to those who are grieving.