UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA BLOG

Employees from 35 central Iowa organizations, along with many individual contributors from the community, donated more than 30,000 children’s books to United Way of Central Iowa’s Stuff the Bus book drive. The results were announced at the annual community-wide book collection at Athene in West Des Moines on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

Every book donated will be distributed to more than 100 childcare or child-serving programs in Dallas, Polk and Warren Counties.

At this year's LIVE UNITED celebration luncheon, United Way of Central Iowa unveiled its 2024 Community Report and recognized five organizations and three individuals with its annual LIVE UNITED Awards. Athene was awarded the 2024 Spirit of Central Iowa Award for the fourth consecutive year and sixth time overall. 

During the event, the organization’s president, Mary Sellers, called attention to the critical issues our community is currently experiencing, and reminded attendees of how, in partnership with many in the community, United Way is navigating these issues.

"We focus on the Five Elements of a Thriving Community with equity at the core, recognizing the interconnectedness of each piece, much like a puzzle,” said Sellers. “Addressing critical community issues requires a holistic approach as they impact every aspect of peoples’ lives. By providing access to quality, affordable childcare, we give working parents the opportunity to remain in the workforce, leading to better access to healthcare, housing, and improved educational outcomes for their children. Together, in a UNITED WAY, we achieve real, lasting impact across central Iowa."

At this year's LIVE UNITED celebration luncheon, United Way of Central Iowa unveiled its 2023 Community Report and recognized four organizations and three individuals with its annual LIVE UNITED Awards. Athene was awarded the 2023 Spirit of Central Iowa Award for the third consecutive year and fifth time overall. 

During the event, United Way of Central Iowa's president, Mary Sellers, called attention to the critical issues our community is currently experiencing, and reminded attendees of how, in partnership with many in the community, United Way is navigating through these issues.

“We focus on not only the Five Elements of a Thriving Community with Equity at the center, but on how, like a puzzle, each piece is interconnected,” said Sellers. “If we can allow a working parent access to quality, affordable childcare, it influences their ability to have a job where they can earn a living wage, which in turn impacts their families access to quality healthcare, their ability to attain safe, affordable housing, and impacts their children’s success in school. It is all connected, and when we come together, in a UNITED WAY, we can make real, measurable impact throughout central Iowa.” 

Your will is one of the most important documents you can own. It dictates how your assets and possessions will be divided after your lifetime. It ensures your loved ones are financially protected should something happen to you. It provides peace of mind for your family. 

Above all – your will is the first step in creating your legacy. 

Use Your Will to Give 
In addition to caring for loved ones, you can also use your will to extend your support of the organizations you care about most. This gift is simple to make − all it takes is one sentence. You can also update your will as life changes to ensure it continues to meet your needs. 

Plus, a gift in your will won’t require you to part with assets today, but it allows you to make a big impact on our strategic focus of fostering an equitable, engaged, and empowered community in the future. 

To make this gift:
1.    Contact United Way of Central Iowa’s ELI Director, Chase Young, to request sample language to use to make your gift. 
2.    Make an appointment with your estate planning attorney to create your will. If you already have a will, your attorney can draft a codicil to add your gift to the existing document.
3.    Notify us of your intention. It would be our honor to thank you by recognizing your generosity and welcome you into our Legacy Circle. Your generosity may even inspire others to follow in your footsteps. (Wishes of anonymity will be honored, of course.) 

Create Your Legacy
When you include United Way of Central Iowa in your will, you create a legacy of giving and ensure we can continue our work well into the future. Contact Chase Young, United Way of Central Iowa ELI Director, at 515-246-6504 or chase.young@unitedwaydm.org.

The simplicity and tax savings of a donor advised fund (DAF) is likely to attract you if you don’t already have one. A DAF is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about, like United Way, and are often used to make charitable donations as effective as possible when you give. One thing you may not have known if you have a DAF:  these same advantages continue when you designate the balance of a DAF to United Way of Central Iowa after your lifetime!

Designate United Way of Central Iowa as a Beneficiary
By naming United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary of your remaining funds, you can choose to have any or all the remaining DAF assets distributed to our organization after you pass.

If you choose to designate, please use the following legal name, and tax identification:
Legal Name: United Way of Central Iowa 
Tax ID: XX-XXXXXXX

Use your DAF to its fullest potential
•    Itemize your taxes to realize an income tax charitable deduction from DAF contributions.
•    Transfer complex assets, such as real estate or business interests, into your DAF account without incurring capital gains taxes. 
•    Designate your DAF as the beneficiary of your IRA or charitable remainder trust.
 
Extend Your Impact with United Way
Donor advised funds benefit communities for generations to come. If you would like to use yours to extend your impact at United Way of Central Iowa, please contact Chase Young, United Way of Central Iowa ELI Director, at 515-246-6504 or chase.young@unitedwaydm.org. 

Discover the benefits of beneficiary designations. A beneficiary doesn’t have to be a person − it can be an organization whose mission you want to continue long after your lifetime.

When you name United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary of your retirement plan assets, life insurance policy or donor advised fund, you can make a big impact on our future of fostering a thriving community by simply filling out a form.

When naming United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary, you can do so through many types of accounts including: 
•    Retirement plan assets. When left to loved ones, these assets are subject to income tax. When left to United Way of Central Iowa, they pass tax-free, allowing us to put 100 percent of your gift to work uniting the caring power of our community. 
•    Life insurance policy. Perhaps your children are now grown, and you have a life insurance policy you no longer need. Consider naming United Way as beneficiary. This gift allows you to make a substantial donation at a relatively low cost. 
•    Donor advised funds. If you have a donor advised fund, you can recommend grants to our organization during your lifetime and name us as the beneficiary to receive the balance of your account after your lifetime.

4 Steps to the Make the Gift of a Lifetime
1.    Contact your administrator to request a change-of-beneficiary form or download a copy from their website. 
2.    Fill out the form listing United Way of Central Iowa and the amount or percentage you’d like us to receive on the form. 
3.    Return the form to your administrator. (Be sure to keep a copy for yourself as well.) 
4.    Let us know about your gift! It would be our honor to thank you and welcome you into United Way of Central Iowa’s Legacy Circle.  

Tip: Beneficiary designations can be updated at any time to meet your changing needs. Make sure you review your beneficiaries regularly to ensure they go where you intend. 

Need help getting started? Follow the button below, or contact Chase Young, United Way of Central Iowa ELI Director, at 515-246-6504 or chase.young@unitedwaydm.org. Or, if you’ve already named United Way of Central Iowa as a beneficiary, please let us know.

Many of us devote our time, talents, and contributions to United Way of Central Iowa because every dollar matters in order to improve the lives of every central Iowan. Your generosity fuels the work United Way does every day to help make central Iowa UNITED to THRIVE.