Category Archives: giving

How Much More Can You Stand?

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By Tim Welsh, President, Pregnancy Decision Health Center (PDHC), a Stewardship Foundation Partner Charity

We’ve always known of the atrocities of abortion. We mourn the loss of the children and the injury to their mothers. Abortion is a nasty, demonic practice that has resulted in so many deaths and so much anguish.
Now comes the video of Planned Parenthood Senior Director of Medical Services Dr. Deborah Nucatola discussing the sale of dead babies and their body parts. If you have the stomach for it, you can view the video.

This is neither surprising nor unpredictable. Consider these facts. Since 1973, when abortion was made legal in all the United States, there have been more than 55,000,000 performed. That’s more than 3,500 childrens’ lives ended every day for the last 42 years. Planned Parenthood, America’s most prolific abortion provider, performs about 330,000 abortions per year and receives more than $360,000,000 in government grants and contracts each year.

Again, have you had enough yet?

PDHC operates 7 centers in central Ohio, ministering to women who have suffered through the abortion experience and helping young mothers change their lives when they have no one else to help. We operate on a razor thin budget and are dedicated to saving every one of the mothers and children who are being lured into the evil of the abortion trade.

I know that there are many worthwhile charities out there. I know that they do good work in the community. But, folks, children are being killed! 3,500 a day are losing their lives! More than the number of lives lost in the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers that changed America forever. Are these lives no less important? Please support our work here by clicking the donate link below and being as generous as your funds allow. Now is the time to stand against the evil. Now is the time to say enough is enough.
Donate to PDHC »

New Partner Program Introduced

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We journeyed to St. Louis in early April to present our new Partner Program to attendees of the Heartbeat International annual conference. We were blessed to share our ideas with 53 souls eager to learn how to cultivate major donors willing to maximize their charitable gifts.

As our attendees learned, it’s non-cash gifts that sustain and transform the mission of a pregnancy help center. For donors, these gifts last well beyond the year they are gifted. Beneficial tax laws for major donors have been around for decades, but employees and volunteers in small centers lack the skills to cultivate large gifts.

Non-cash assets usually comprise 80-90% of a donor’s wealth. Letting this resource go untapped is common, considering that it takes advanced estate planning techniques. Rarely do non-profits have those capabilities in-house.

In our workshop, we explained that because we are a 501(c)(3) public foundation, we can meet with families who have private foundations to explain how they can quietly and anonymously give to a pregnancy help center. We demonstrated to those tasked with donor development to ask specific questions of their cash donors in order to generate an interest in using their assets today to avoid taxation later. We explained how certain charitable planning tools can provide residual income for donors during their life time, a more secure inheritance for their heirs, or form the basis of a family legacy.

An integral cog in our Partner Program wheelhouse is our financial investment partner. Our parter understands our vision and mission and adheres to our strict pro-life, pro-family, anti-pornography investment policy. They offer investment portfolios that are 95-100% supportive of pro-life causes and that avoid investments at odds with the fundamental Christian faith on which we built our Foundation.

Those who attended our workshop were pleased with our approach to partnering. For example, we don’t change current fundraising procedures; we add a bold new layer of morally responsible investing rarely seen in the philanthropic world. We work with donors’ existing financial professionals as long as our values are respected and implemented. Our modest fees respect the slim operating budgets of our partners.

Knowing that we work on behalf of the director, staff, and board members, and alongside current outside advisors and professionals provides an important level of comfort. Our program provides training workshops, donor motivation seminars, webinars, and other education and hands-on participation to make non-cash major gifts a reality. If you have questions about our Partner Program, contact Executive Director, Jim Kebe: 614-582-5056, jimkebe@stewardshipworks.org.

Gifts Fit for a King

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Three Wise Men GiftsAt the end of January our friends are more eager to make Valentine’s Day dinner reservations than reflect on three wise men from the East bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We understand. But we think you will enjoy the insight.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary his mother, and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him. Then opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matt 2:10-11)

Scripture doesn’t tell us the exact number of wise men or the time of their arrival. St. Dmitri of Rostav believed they could have been present at His birth if they saw the star at the Annunciation and began to arrange for the caravan then. However, the Gospel According to Matthew says that they came to a “house” not a cave or a manger and that Jesus is called a “child” not a “baby” as in Luke’s chapter when the shepherds were to find a “baby wrapped in cloths…”

It’s a tradition of the Christian faith that there were three kings, though there could have been more. The names are also tradition; they were never named in scripture.

Tradition also surrounds the meaning of the gifts. Balthasar was a young man and brought myrrh, a burial ointment, a gift for one who would die. Malchior was middle aged, and brought frankincense, the gift for a priest. Gaspar was an old man and brought gold, a gift for a king. All together, the men represent us, humanity, welcoming Jesus into the world as suffering redeemer, God, and King.

Gaspar’s gift invites me to reflect on the wealth we possess. Gaspar was the first of the magi to kneel before the King of Kings and offer his gift. Because he is older and wiser, he more readily understands the real gift that is present, and is most willing to give up what the world would deem valuable in return for the gift of the redeemer.

Many of you understand that your wealth is truly valuable when you give it to the service of the Lord and His kingdom. In the process, you instill values and legacy to your children and grandchildren. During the last five years, the Stewardship Foundation has enabled your generosity to benefit those organizations on the front lines promoting life, family, and religious freedom.

We look forward to your continued backing and the valuable partners we have developed. Now is the time to set your philanthropic goals for 2015. The Stewardship Foundation has proven it can foster successful, yet morally approved investment strategies for you and the organizations you support. Contact us to ensure that your investments are morally sound and your donations promote the culture of life ushered in by the newborn King and honored by the magi.