We invite you to consider impacting the lives of individuals and their families by making a gift today to the Lexington Foundation through one or more of the following ways:

PLANNED GIVING

NURTURING THE ARC LEXINGTON’S FUTURE

The Lexington Foundation supports remarkable individuals with developmental disabilities and helps them lead fulfilling and exceptional lives. Planned giving allows you to leave a lasting legacy at Lexington while helping us continue this very important work.

Cora Bett Thomas doesn’t have a family member with developmental disabilities, but that hasn’t stopped her from remembering The Lexington Foundation in her estate plans. Her connection to The Arc Lexington is through a cherished friendship she has with someone whose life has been impacted by the amazing services that The Arc Lexington provides.

Barbara Treadwell and Cora Bett have enjoyed a deep, loving friendship for many years. Barbara’s son, Terry, was supported by The Arc Lexington for over 20 years and in that time Barbara shared with Cora Bett the peace of mind it gave to her to know Terry was safe, happy, and well cared for at Lexington. The support Lexington provided to Terry not only gave comfort to Barbara but also allowed her to be a better friend, community member, business partner, and mother to her two other children, as well as to Terry. As Cora Bett began to think about her estate plans, she wanted to do something to recognize this cherished friendship and the gifts that Lexington had provided to Terry, Barbara and so many others. That is why she decided to include a planned gift to the Lexington Foundation.

To honor and recognize Cora Bett for this generous estate gift, The Arc Lexington and The Lexington Foundation have created the Cora Bett Thomas Legacy Society. Read more about Cora Bett Thomas’s story here. Please consider joining others who have named The Lexington Foundation in their estate plans and together we can NURTURE LEXINGTON’S FUTURE.

All members of the Cora Bett Thomas Legacy Society will be honored with a special place on our Giving Tree. Contact us today to take the next steps in planning your own legacy at Lexington with these ways to donate through Planned Giving. The Foundation staff is available to assist you in planning the gift that best meets your personal and philanthropic goals.

• Gifts by Bequest | Bequests are traditional gestures where you specify a dollar amount or percentage of your estate in a will. Alternatively, you may leave a percentage of what remains after your loved ones are provided for.

• Gifts of Life Insurance | In the event that you own a life insurance policy that is no longer needed for its originally intended purpose, you may choose to make the Lexington Foundation the beneficiary or co-beneficiary of the policy. Alternatively, a new policy may also be purchased for the benefit of The Lexington Foundation, which may result in a gift that is much larger than its cost.

• Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets | Money in a tax-deferred retirement plan, such as an IRA or 401(k), that is left to an individual’s heirs can be subject to both income and estate taxes. Taxes can erode a substantial part of these assets. If money in such plans is left to The Lexington Foundation, however, The Foundation receives the entire amount. You may therefore wish to consider providing for loved ones from other assets and making the Lexington Foundation the beneficiary or co-beneficiary of your retirement-plan assets.

• Gifts of Securities | Because of the tax advantages of donating appreciated securities, you may find you are able to make a larger gift with stock than with cash. When you make a gift of appreciated securities that you have owned for more than a year, you avoid the capital-gains taxes that would be due if you sold the stock. And, you receive an income-tax deduction based on the full market value of the stock at the time of the gift.

• Special Needs Trusts | A special needs trust allows parents, family members or friends to set aside money for, or make a bequest to, a disabled loved one without affecting that person’s eligibility for government benefits. At the end of the beneficiary’s life, any funds remaining in the trust may be designated to go to a charity such as The Lexington Foundation to support programs and services that benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Depending upon your personal and financial situation, you may want to create your own special-needs trust (either now or in your will), or you may wish to make use of a pooled trust offered by a not-for-profit organization, such as one offered by the Lexington’s parent corporation, NYSARC, Inc. (http://www.nysarc.org/trust-services).

COMPANY MATCHING GIFT

Does your company match philanthropic gifts to charities? If so, please obtain your company’s matching gift form and return it to us. Retirees may also be eligible. A company’s matching gift can double or even triple your gift.

A GIFT-IN-KIND

The Lexington Foundation values the generosity of those who donate in-kind gifts (furniture, services, goods, etc.) for the benefit of Lexington’s programs and services. Donations to The Lexington Foundation are tax-deductible, but The Lexington Foundation is unable to assign a value to in-kind donations.

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

The Lexington Foundation provides naming opportunities for gifts over $5,000 at a number of its facilities, including the renovated Center at Lexington at 465 N. Perry Street, Johnstown and at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts and Transitions, co-located at 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville.

Our main buildings - The Center at Lexington in Johnstown, 127 East State Street in Gloversville, 405 County Highway 114 in Oppenheim, and 121 Opportunity Drive in Schoharie all offer program space for people with disabilities to learn employment skills, social skills and focus on wellness. Each building has unique offerings and needs donations to help make those offerings possible.

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts is a multi-use community arts center that is open to the public. It is also an elegant and professional venue for individuals, groups, and businesses to host meetings, conferences, retreats, and special events ranging from bridal and baby showers to anniversary and Sweet 16 parties. The entire building can be rented for very large gatherings or there are a number of smaller rooms and spaces to fit any need. Find out more about the Nigra Arts Center at www.pncreativeartscenter.org.

Transitions is co-located on the Nigra Arts Center campus and prepares teens and young adults with autism and learning differences as they attend college, have work internships, build careers and practice independent living skills. Support for Transitions helps us provide technology, classroom resources, and scholarships for students to attend the program. Find out more at www.transitionsusa.org.

ENDOWMENT FOR GUARDIANSHIP

The Lexington Foundation Endowment for Guardianship is a permanently maintained fund that provides reliable income to support Lexington’s Guardianship Program.

The Guardianship Program ensures the care and protection of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who do not have a living relative or guardian to look out for their interests.

The responsibilities of the Guardianship Program include:

• Ensuring an appropriate residential setting, job or day program, and medical care and treatment for the individual;

• Enhancing the individual’s quality of life through regular visits and events, observances of birthdays and holidays, and planning for recreational opportunities such as summer camp; and

• Making end-of-life decisions and arrangements.

Gifts to the Lexington Foundation Endowment for Guardianship may be made in any amount and may be in the form of cash, securities or a bequest.

It is also possible to establish an endowment fund within the Endowment for Guardianship that is named in honor or in memory of a loved one. A named endowment fund may be established with a gift of $10,000 or more.

MEMORIAL GIFTS

A gift to The Lexington Foundation may be made in memory or in honor of a loved one.

Beautiful memorial cards and cards to mark a special occasion — birthday, anniversary, graduation or wedding, for example — are available with a gift to The Lexington Foundation. The cards feature artwork by participants in Lexington programs and can note that a contribution has been made to The Lexington Foundation for someone you want to honor, memorialize, etc. If you would like to make a donation and then have us send a card for the gift, please call us at (518) 661-9932 or email Wally Hart at hartw@thearclexington.org.

CAR DONATION

THE ELMORE TRANSITIONS SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Contributions to the Transitions Scholarship Fund make it possible for teens and young adults with autism and other learning differences to attend our day and weekend camps, Summer Immersion Experience programs and full-year sessions which help prepare them for college, career and independent life. Click here to donate to the Elmore Transitions Scholarship Fund.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about making a planned gift to the Lexington Foundation, e-mail hartw@thearclexington.org or contact us at:

The Lexington Foundation
465 N. Perry Street
Johnstown, NY 12095
(518) 661-9932

You are advised to consult your legal, financial and tax advisers when considering a planned gift. The content provided on this website is for information only, and The Lexington Foundation does not warrant or ensure the content.