“When I came to Howard School and was taught, I felt brave.”
Teachers at LUMCFS are committed to brightening futures, but they can’t do it alone!
Our boys and girls are enjoying plenty of summer fun! While they continue to play, we’re planning for their return to classes in the Fall. We’re collecting school supplies across the state to ensure our students and teachers have the tools to succeed this year.
We have three residential facilities, each equipped with classrooms. These facilities provide excellent educational opportunities to the children in our care. In our three Children’s Homes, our teachers are exceptional educators who invest themselves in children who need confidence and encouragement. They shape children’s futures by meeting them where they are, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed both inside the classroom and beyond our services.
You can support our children and teachers by visiting our Amazon Back to School Wishlist, donating today, offering at your church, organizing fundraisers by downloading our Back to School Wishlist, and sharing our needs this school year. These bright young minds are capable of accomplishing BIG things. Help them get equipped for the academic year ahead.
For any questions, please contact Holly Brown at holly.brown@LMCH.org or (318) 242-4638. Your donation of supplies is an investment into our kids’ education—AND their futures beyond the classroom.
HONOR CARD CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The Holiday Card That Gives Back!
This holiday season, you can support our mission and give your loved ones a meaningful holiday gift through our Holiday Honor Card program. We will send personalized holiday cards designed by youth in our care to each loved one on your list.
Haven’t received any info about Christmas Honor Cards? Don’t worry; there’s still time to participate! Click 2023 HONOR CARD CATALOG to see this year’s new Honor Card design and other Honor Card options.
Once you know what card you would like, or for any questions, please contact Holly Brown at holly.brown@LMCH.org or (318) 242-4638. Your donation through this program benefits the children and families in our care. Send joy this holiday season. Send an Honor Card!
There are many ways you can help support our mission throughout the state, including:
- Pray for our staff and for the children and families for whom we care
- Make an Online Donation
- Monetary contributions for operating funds – Use our Online Donation Form
- Gifts in memory or in honor of a loved one/friend
- In-kind gifts of clothing, furniture, food, household items, etc.
- Securities, stocks and bonds
- Real estate (residential and/or commercial)
- Personal property (vehicle such as a car, van, truck or boat)
- Deferred gifts through estate planning
If you are a member of a Sunday school class, church organization, community organization, a group of co-workers or simply have a desire to help our children, please consider a commitment to organize a fund raiser for the Children’s Home. We try to enlist the help of our Local Church Representatives to organize fund raisers such as car washes, golf tournaments, walk/run races, garage sales, barbecues or tennis tournaments. We encourage using your imagination!
A planned gift to the Children’s Home is a wonderful way to help ensure the future vitality and strength of one of the finest children’s homes in the US. Planned gifts are popular because they can provide valuable tax benefits and/or income for life. Planned gifts are charitable gifts that require some “planning” before they are made. Why not consider putting in place one or more of the options below which will allow you to remember Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home in your estate plan at little or no cost to you?
1. At your job, amend your group life insurance policy or retirement plan to add Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home as a beneficiary.
2. If you have a sizable estate, create a trust which will pay an annual income to Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home for a period of years prior to distributing the principal to your family. The income LMCH receives will create a charitable estate tax deduction, thereby allowing you to make a substantial gift at a low fee and avoid taxes.
3. Change an existing insurance policy to add Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home as a beneficiary or contribute an old policy you no longer need.
4. Leave financial accounts – you can indicate that savings, CD’s or other financial accounts – including IRAs – will be payable to Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home upon your death. Ask your account custodian for details. Bequests of IRAs usually save significant taxes.
5. Gifts of stocks and securities may be an effective way to provide a meaningful gift to Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home while receiving valuable tax benefits. For stocks that have increased in value, the donor receives a charitable deduction for the full value of the stock donated and avoids capital gains tax. Individuals who make annual cash gifts to the Home should consider the benefit of making future annual gifts with stock instead of cash. The donor can make their gift with stock and then use the cash they would have otherwise used to make the gift to purchase shares in the same company, thus establishing a higher cost basis in those shares. Please consult your tax advisor for information about your particular situation.
Donors interested in giving stock should contact Jason Brown, CPA, our Chief Financial Officer, at 318-242-4623 for account and transfer information. Per policy, our CFO must verify the exact stock(s) to be transferred because the investments of the Children’s Home, including stocks received as donations, must be consistent with the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church as described in The Book of Discipline and the Statement of Investment Guidelinespublished by the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church.
6. Give real estate such as a home, vacation home, commercial property or a farm. If these pieces of property are owned for several years, that real estate can be a tax advantage. The property may have appreciated in value over the years. Its sale would result in a sizable capital gains tax. You may also wish to consider a gift of your personal residence or farm, reserving the right to continue to live in the house or farm property for life (and if applicable, the lifetime of your surviving spouse). *An environmental study is required before finalizing a gift of real estate.
7. Leave written instructions for your surviving spouse to remember Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home when he or she redraws a new will (after your death).
8. Alternatively, you might consider making a “planned” gift. Please contact us at (318) 242-4638 for more information about planned giving. Planned gifts can provide you with lifetime income and improve your tax situation. A planned gift can be defined as a “voluntary gift of any kind, in any amount, given for any purpose … operations, capital expansions, or endowments … either current or deferred (later) when the assistance of a qualified professional is needed to complete the gift.” Planned giving connotes thoughtful preparation and planning.
If you would like more information about making a donation, helping with a fund raiser, or planning for the future, please contact a member of our Development Staff at (318) 242-4638.