Who benefits from Love, Inc.?

Anyone who comes in contact with Love, Inc.:

• A client seeking assistance from one of our programs.
• Someone donating to our organization through one of our fundraisers or items for our Food Pantry or Donation Center.
• Volunteers giving of their time whether for fun, community service, or as a board member or committee member.
• A customer purchasing merchandise from one of our four thrift stores.
• One of the many members of our collaborating agencies.

How can I get involved?

There are a number of ways to get involved.

Short Term Projects:
We frequently have short term projects that might be completed in hours or a couple of days. Projects might include stuffing flyers, sorting clothes, picking up food, clothing or furniture, furniture repairs, driving someone to a meeting, stocking shelves, assembling food baskets, mentoring, tutoring, counseling, bell ringing, website maintenance, or shopping for merchandise. There is an endless need for people willing to offer their expertise. To find out more about our volunteer opportunities, please call or email Patty, our Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteers@love-inc.net. She can match your skills with just the right project and arrange it to fit your schedule. Lend us your time and talents and we will pay you back in fun and the fulfillment of a lifetime!

Committees:
We have a number of committees that make things happen. These committees organize marketing, communications, newsletters, website management, fund development, and emergency preparedness. These committees oversee all of our programs, building and grounds, and the thrift stores. Committees are typically chaired by a board member and have 5 to 15 volunteer committee members. We invite you to sit in on some committee meetings to see if it’s what interests you. No one is asked to do things they can’t do. We do insist everyone has fun. To find out more about our committees, call or email Bill, our Executive Director, at director@love-inc.net.

Board Membership:
Our Board of Directors is made up of 19 community members representing a wide range of backgrounds. It includes attorneys, doctors, bankers, business people, educators, clergy and lay people. Directors are elected to three year terms. Directors are typically chosen from committee members or individuals who have made a significant contribution of time or talent. Call or email Bill, our Executive Director, at director@love-inc.net to express your interest in becoming a board member.

Donate Merchandise:
Our thrift stores are our biggest fund raisers. The donations of clothing for men, women, children and young adults, sporting goods, books, art work, household goods, antiques, furniture and appliances are the currency that makes everything we do possible. Please keep the donations coming!

Cash Contributions:
We are now helping over 30,000 people each year and the number is constantly increasing. As those numbers increase, so does the need for funding. Your time and talents are a tremendous help; your cash contributions are an absolute necessity. Every dollar donated is used locally to help someone with a need. No cash donation is too small.

Consider making a bequest to Love, Inc. through your will. A memorial can be established to perpetuate your name. Using a Charitable Remainder Trust, a gift of publicly traded stock, real estate, or a life insurance benefit can create a tax deduction while you retain full use of your asset.

How do you raise the funds to run your programs?

Over 60% of our annual budget is generated in our thrift and furniture stores. Our fund development committee organizes several fund raisers each year such as the Friday Night Lights Auction and Tree Sales. Some wonderful folks from the Tri County Motorcycle Club have made sizable cash and toy donations to our Adopt a Family program for a number of years. A number of businesses have designed their own fund raisers for us and several are now creating payroll deduction plans to assist their employees in making significant contributions. Some employers are matching the employee’s contributions. The Chambers of Commerce and the service clubs have helped in so many ways. We have been quite successful in obtaining grants.

First Banking Center has donated a total over $100,000 since 2003 and challenged the community to match their contribution. The community did so every year. We greatly appreciate all the individuals who made cash contributions throughout the year. It’s those contributions of $5, $10, $25 and $100 that are the foundation of funding!

Our Planned Giving Committee has been calling on attorneys and accountants suggesting they consider recommending that their customers consider making bequests to Love, Inc. in their wills. Gifts of a small portion of an estate or a life insurance benefit can have a huge impact on our long term survivability. Gifts of this nature can have significant tax benefits.

Fund Raising is a never ending project. In 2009, we touched the lives of 30,000 people with our services. As the need continues to grow, so does our budget. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.

How is my cash contribution used?

All contributions are used to assist Western Racine County residents.

How contributions are used depends on how they are given. If your contribution comes with a note asking us to use it in a specific way, your contribution is restricted and must be used for only that purpose. If your contribution comes without restriction we use it in our general fund. Maintaining our building is our biggest program. The building makes everything possible.

What will Love, Inc. pick up?

Most big furniture items and appliances that are in salable condition; meaning they are not damaged or needing repair.

Although it is hard to say “No” to a valued supporter, some items we often receive are considered “Not Salable” in our stores. Having these items removed from our properties costs Love, Inc. over $20,000.00 each year reducing the funding for our much needed services to the communities we serve.

Because Love, Inc. can only accept usable materials, we reserve the right to refuse any donation for any reason. Every effort will be made to communicate acceptance guidelines over the phone, but our pick up personnel will have the ultimate responsibility for accepting only usable materials. Call or email Tammi if you would like to schedule a furniture pick up.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding regarding our donation standards. The funds generated through the sale of donated items support Love, Inc.’s mission to identify, assess and provide for the needs of families and individuals – and direct them to the appropriate resources. Our goal is to help families and individuals to help themselves. Thank you for your support and choosing to donate to Love, Inc.

Is the thrift store just for needy people?

Absolutely not! While we keep the prices extremely low so even those in need can shop at our thrift store, it’s for everyone. The thrift store is our biggest fund raiser. It generates 60% of our annual budget, so we encourage everyone to patronize the Burlington thrift store, furniture store, book store, and kids store and our Waterford thrift store. It’s the engine that drives everything we do. Do stop and shop!

Who prepares the meals for your meal site?

The meals are home cooked and prepared off site by church members and delivered piping hot at 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. More than 30 area churches take their turn to prepare meals. Contact your pastor to volunteer.

Must I have special qualifications to volunteer as a tutor?

No.  Since this is a volunteer tutoring program, no licensing is required. The Tutoring Coordinator will match your skills with a child in need of your expertise. There are never enough tutors. If you would like to learn more, please call or email us at office@love-inc.net. The rewards are enormous.