Ways to DONATE
Make a Donation Today:
You don't need a special occasion to make a difference in a person's life. Every opportunity we are able to provide our students is made possible through your support.
Click on the Donate Today button above to make a credit card contribution to support the Institute’s Key Sustainability Program.
To make a donation by mail, make your check payable to The Social & Learning Institute and send it to The Social & Learning Institute, 201 East Garfield Street, Michigan City, IN 46360.
The Social & Learning Institute is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization. Monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Donors can be assured that contributions are spent carefully to enhance the life-long learning and enrich the lives of individuals served.
Tribute & Memorial Funds:
Donations can be made to pay tribute to or honor the memory of a someone who has touched your life or in celebration or remembrance of a special occasion. Upon request, a personalized acknowledgement, indicating that a gift has been made will be sent. When making your gift online or by mail simply provide the name and complete mailing address for the individual to whom you would like the acknowledgment sent, as well as the person or event being honored or remembered. Please be sure to include your phone number in case we have any questions.
In-Kind Contributions:
The Social & Learning Institute appreciates the generosity of donors who share material resources—classroom supplies, equipment, and other items—with the Institute. If you are interested in making an in-kind contribution, email contact@socialandlearning.org or call 219-879-2200 to discuss the items you have in mind.
Donor Directed Gifts:
If you are interested in discussing the directing of a gift to a specific program or operational purpose, please email contact@socialandlearning.org or call 219-879-2200
Employer Matching Gifts:
Many companies offer an Employer Matching Gift Program as a way to encourage employee charitable giving. Employer Matching Gifts are an outstanding way to increase the value of your gift. Please check with your employer to see if this is a giving option and if the mission of The Social & Learning Institute meets the criteria set by the company. To work with The Social & Learning Institute to determine eligibility or to complete the necessary paperwork for an Employer Matching Gift, email contact@socialandlearning.org or call 219-879-2200.
Planned Giving:
The Social & Learning Institute is grateful to those who have named the Institute as a beneficiary in their estate plans. Planned giving provides visionary donors with the opportunity to create a lasting legacy in support of lifelong learning for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Planned giving options may include bequests, certificates of deposit, charitable gift annuities, private retirement plans, gifts of insurance, charitable lead trusts, and charitable remainder trusts. The Social & Learning Institute encourages donors to speak with a professional estate advisor when making decisions about planned gifts.
For more information about planned giving, email contact@socialandlearning.org or call 219-879-2200. If you have already included The Social & Learning Institute in your plans, please let us know so we can thank you!
Full name of organization: Social and Learning Institute, Incorporated
Tax ID Number: 35-1403244
Donor Story: Melissa White-Warnke Scholarship Fund
The Social & Learning Institute is grateful to Melissa’s parents, Kevin & Diane Warnke for choosing to celebrate the life of their daughter by providing an opportunity for others to attend SLI.
“Our daughter Melissa White attended The Social & Learning Institute most of her adult life. In Melissa's world there was nothing more important to her than "her school". Melissa's favorite part of the school was the socialization with her peers, many she had attended high school with and were like her family. Trish and Shirley were her idols! She always called them "my teachers". She took such ownership of her school. Melissa looked forward to the outings, Christmas parties, and the traditions that the school carried on year after year. After Melissa's passing Kevin and I wanted to create a memorial of some type for her. We decided one of the best ways to keep our precious Melissa's memories alive was to start a scholarship program for another student. Not only will this keep our daughter’s memory alive, it will provide another student with the same blessings Melissa received. We are so happy the school provided her with many years of happiness, fun, friendship, and learning!” ~ Diane Warnke
Picture: Melissa & Diane—June 2015
ENDOWMENT GIFTS:
An endowment fund is an outstanding tool for cultivating financial stability. Gifts to an endowment fund provide an ongoing stream of revenue as only the earned interest is utilized; the principle of the fund is never touched. Donors to an endowment fund know that their gifts will continue to provide for an agency into perpetuity, creating a lasting legacy of support.
The Social & Learning Institute currently has two endowment fund options available to donors. Gifts to both funds are made directly to Unity Foundation of La Porte County, with the income of the fund directed to The Social & Learning Institute.
The Gardner and Guerrucci Memorial Endowment Fund for The Social & Learning Institute
In 1993, the Board of Trustees of The Social & Learning Institute collaborated with Unity Foundation of La Porte County to establish its first permanent endowment fund. This fund, managed by Unity Foundation, will provide income to support the Institute... FOREVER. Each year, the Foundation distributes a portion of the fund's generated income to the Institute for operational or other programming needs. The larger the funds permanent principal balance, the larger the annual distribution.
The fund honors the Institute's co-founders, Marquerite Gardner and James Guerrucci. Each year when funds are distributed, the Institute's leadership is reminded of the perseverance and caring nature of these remarkable individuals. CLICK HERE to make a donation
The Agrawal Family Endowment Fund for the Benefit of The Social & Learning Institute
In 2017, Dr. Amarnath & Mrs. Bharati Agrawal sought the assistance of Unity Foundation of La Porte County to express their desire to leave a forever legacy for the community in which they had lived and served for over 40 years. As a friend and physician of the Institute’s co-founder James Guerrucci, Dr. Agrawal was aware of Jim’s own disabilities and was inspired by his perseverance and dedication to the mission of the Institute. The Agrawal’s viewed Mr. Guerrucci’s impact on the Institute and community as truly significant, and his advocacy work on behalf of individuals with intellectually disabilities exceptional.
CLICK HERE to make a donation.
For more information on endowment giving through
Unity Foundation of La Porte County,
e-mail unity@uflc.net or call 219- 879-0327.