Ensure the future of the ACLU: the Legacy Challenge

Did you know that by making the ACLU a part of your future giving now, your money can work harder than ever?

We would like to introduce you to the Legacy Challenge.

From now through May 31, 2009, the Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust matches new bequest provisions to the ACLU with an immediate cash donation, equal to 10% of the bequest’s estimated value, up to $10,000. This means that by naming the ACLU now as a beneficiary of your will or trust, you do your part to ensure a strong future for the ACLU while generating hundreds or thousands of dollars for ACLU programs nationally and in Wisconsin today!

This month, Tracy Malloy-Curtis, a gift planning officer with the American Civil Liberties Union, visited Wisconsin to talk to some of our loyal supporters about legacy giving. Meeting with board members, volunteers and other supporters is a part of her work to connect donors with the ACLU.

“It’s great to meet with people who are really passionate about this organization,” said Curtis. “Planned giving can be for everybody, not just the wealthiest in our community.”

Trends in planned giving are showing that younger people and families are thinking about their favorite charities when they make their wills.

“People can start planning their legacy when they are quite young, for example, when they begin a family or start their careers,” said Tracy. “I’ve talked to teachers and nurses who might not be able to write a huge check when they are in their thirties, but who do want to name charities as beneficiaries, after their family members, in their wills, or as beneficiaries of their retirement plans.”

“We have many new and enthusiastic supporters and leaders who joined the ACLU after 2001 and were appalled by the Patriot Act and violation of civil liberties during the War on Terror. Despite the sense of hope and change they feel now, they also understand that the struggle to protect liberty is ongoing, regardless of political leadership.

Legacy gifts are always heartfelt expressions of support from individuals to the ACLU. Now, legacy gifts planned with generosity and foresight decades ago are playing a role sustaining our current work in a challenging economic environment. These investments are now supporting programs that secure the rights of individuals in the courts, in our schools and in our communities.

The Legacy Challenge ends on May 31, 2009 – anyone who is thinking about a charitable donation in their will or trust can take advantage of this excellent opportunity to invest in the future of the ACLU.

You can find more information on the Legacy Challenge on the web or contact Tracy Malloy-Curtis at (877) 867-1025.