When you make a donation to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta, your generosity will give kids access to mentor programs to ensure they don’t fall behind, keep families connected to make our communities healthier and stronger, provide aid to poverty related issues such as access to food security and menstrual products and support local issues that are the most critical in our communities and the responding programs and services.
You can help change lives in your community right now.
Why donate to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta
Investing your donation locally in the neighbourhoods where we live, work and play helps our communities grow into a wholesome and thriving region.
- We do our best to respond to the needs of our communities and the interests of our donors.
- We engage with experts to identify the most pressing issues that face our community agencies, colleagues, neighbours, volunteers, and friends.
- United Way stands united to support and understands investing in resources must be smart and have a long-term impact.
100% local impact
In good hands
Local issues you care about
Give Monthly
Make your gift have a greater impact
Automatically give each month, and make an impact on the issues you care about. You can change or stop your monthly giving at any time.
When you become a monthly donor, your gift makes an even bigger impact on our communities. Together we can improve the lives of the most vulnerable people by supporting them. With your monthly donation you can provide year-round support to help:
- a child receive educational support after school.
- a senior access nutritional support and a social program that keeps them healthy and connected.
- a person receive dedicated counselling support to help them address their mental health challenges.
Give in Someone's Honor
Mark a milestone, give thanks, honour someone’s memory with a gift.
Personalize your selected card with a note and print it or send it by email.
Other Ways to Give
Evan Wardley, a former Pronghorns hockey player and the lead organizer of the “Together, One Community” rally held in Lethbridge in 2020 wanted to further address racism and discrimination in south western Alberta.
“After the rally, I knew there was still more work to be done on this issue, and there will be for a long time. Communities need to be unified and focused on working together, and that’s where the idea for the Unification Project Fund came from,” said Wardley.
Following the rally, Wardley reached out to United Way, a long-standing organization in the community which has a focus on addressing local issues through collective impact. The Unification Project Fund was formed.
The Unification Project Fund is intended to provide a funding source for education programs and projects focusing on anti-racism and anti-discrimination in Lethbridge and South Western Alberta. The fund will be administered by United Way of Lethbridge & South Western Alberta, and grants will be issued to registered Canadian charities, qualified donees and nonprofits through an annual application process to support approved programs and projects. The first allocation will take place in 2024.
The Period Promise campaign by United Way is an easy way to help everybody live with the dignity that we all deserve. Join us and be a part of the solution in three ways:
- Run a campaign to collect tampons, pads, and other menstrual products to support vulnerable people in our communities.
- Make a financial donation to support the campaign and allow agencies in our communities to have funding to purchase menstrual products for their clients.
- Sign on to the Period Promise Policy Agreement and commit to providing menstrual products to staff, clients, guests, and customers.
What we know:
- Almost one-quarter of Canadian women say they have struggled to afford menstrual products for themselves or their children.
- Almost 60% of community organizations say they are asked for free menstrual products.
- Almost 80% of community agencies don’t have the money to buy them.
When people don’t have access to menstrual products, they miss school, work, or other opportunities to contribute to their community.
For campaign arrangements or product donations, please email us at
together@lethbridgeunitedway.ca
Donations made through this form will be exclusively allocated to this cause.
https://www.lethbridgeunitedway.ca/periodpromise
Become a Leadership Donor
As a leadership donor, you are inspiring others to give and support the most complex social issues. Knowing your donation has the power to make a change and improve the lives of our neighbours is rewarding in itself.
Leading the change
Leadership donors are ready to make a difference and demonstrate this through their powerful example. These leaders give $1200 to $4999 annually and are passionate about creating lasting change across Lethbridge & South Western Alberta.
Many of our donors start with small donations to United Way and gradually build their giving up to the Leadership Donor Level as they see how United Way addresses the local needs and responds in times of crisis.
United Way makes donating simple by offering monthly and one-time donations.
Your leadership giving makes possibilities happen
We will ensure your $1200+ leadership gift is used where the need is greatest in our community.
Your gift will help:
- Ensure kids have the tools they need so they can reach their full potential
- Help families with the resources they need so they can spend more time together building a stronger community
- Give individuals the lifeline they need to prevent them from further entering the cycle of poverty
Thanks to the generosity of our leadership donors we can continue to bring the resources people need to help fuel our community. Here are some recent accomplishments:
- 11 community agencies received investment
- 4085+ service interactions occurred
- 32 youth had safe, warm shelter during the cold winter months
Benefits of being a leadership donor
- Receive recognition in our annual Honour Roll
- Engage with our Donor Relations team to help bring you closer to causes that are most important to you
- Receive personalized updates on the impact your gift is making in the community
- Network with like-minded leadership donors at United Way events
- Our communities need leaders like you
Donate or contact us today to start your leadership journey with us
Become a Major Donor
When you become a major donor you help tackle the most challenging needs affecting our communities right now.
Help make lasting change across the region
Major donors are influential community members who are change makers. Whether it’s tackling homelessness, or food insecurity, ensuring there is more access to mental health support, or helping kids so that they don’t get left behind, United Way works with our partner agencies to understand where support is needed most so that your donation will have the most impact.
Help us find lasting solutions to complex challenges that are affecting the most vulnerable people. Your contributions build safer, stronger communities for everyone. Here are a few examples of how donations to the United Way have made impactful changes in our community.
- 1207 family visits were delivered to support child literacy programs
- 80% of participants reported they had decreased social isolation with mental health program supports
- 1236 individuals received crisis support
Benefits of being a major donor
- Receive recognition in our annual Honor Roll
- Consult with our team about our future gift planning
- Meet and manage your philanthropic goals with the Executive Director
- Receive personalized updates on the impact your gift is making in the community
- Opportunity to participate in working to solve the local issues
- Join United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta’s distinguished community leaders at signature events
For more information about major gifts, please contact us today together@lethbridgeunitedway.ca
Gift of Securities or Stocks
Securities are the most efficient way to give charitably
When you donate publicly traded securities to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta, you can eliminate capital gains tax as these securities are sold, and still receive a tax receipt for the fair market value on the date the security is received by the broker. Additionally, United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta would receive the full value of the securities.
Benefits of Donating Securities
- Eliminate Capital Gains Taxes
- Instant Tax Receipts
- Donate to United Way and other charities that United Way can distribute to
How to donate gifts of securities or stocks
- Consult with your financial advisor
- Fill out the online securities donation form
- Complete the provided Letter of Direction form and send it to your financial advisor or investment firm authorizing the transfer of shares to United Way. Upon receiving the signed transfer form the shares will be sold
- A tax receipt will be issued. The value of the tax receipt will be calculated based on the closing price of the security on the day it is received by United Way. The deadline to initiate a transfer for a 2023 tax receipt is December 15, 2023.
* This is general in nature and does not constitute legal or financial advice. It is not a substitute for professional advice; United Way encourages you to seek professional legal, estate planning, and/or financial advice before deciding upon your course of action.
For more information about gifts of securities or stocks, please contact us today. together@lethbridgeunitedway.ca
Leave a gift in your will or life insurance plan
Let United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta help you achieve your philanthropic goals – now and in the future. Create a legacy plan that is right for you.
Help Us Plan For A Better Tomorrow
When you include a gift to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta in your will, you will help lift some of the most vulnerable people where you live as part of your legacy. No matter the size, your planned gift is one of the most selfless acts for the future of your community.
Through the United Way’s Tomorrow Fund ™, you can change lives by supporting programs that have measurable impact and help where it is needed most. The Tomorrow Fund ™ enables us to make strategic investments today, tomorrow, and during times of crisis.
As an example, an estate of $800 000 with an investment of 5% towards charity means $40 000 would support changing lives for the better. You can feel assured that this planned gift is making a significant impact and at the same time the majority of your estate continues to go to your loved ones. When you include the Tomorrow Fund™ in your will you can feel confident that your gift will have long-term effects for thousands of people for years to come.
Gifts of life insurance
The gift of life insurance makes a positive impact in the future while receiving tax benefits today. It allows you to make a long-term investment while preserving the value of your estate for your loved ones. Choosing to give the gift of life insurance means the proceeds of the policy are paid directly to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta and remain local, supporting our region.
How to transfer ownership to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta:
- Give an already paid-up policy and receive a donation receipt for the cash value of the policy.
- Give an existing policy on which premiums are still being paid and receive a receipt for the cash value of the policy and subsequent premium payments.
How to make United Way Lethbridge & South Western a benefactor:
- Name “United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta: as the beneficiary of your policy and a donation receipt will be issued to your estate, which can be claimed in your final tax return.
United Way would like to honour our generous donors but we do recognize and respect some donors who wish to keep their donations anonymous.
For more information on how to leave a gift to United Way Lethbridge & South Western Alberta in your will, please contact us today. together@lethbridgeunitedway.ca
Sponsorship
United Way has many opportunities to sponsor events, poverty simulations, in-kind donations or we can customize a package for you. Contact us to discuss the many options that align with your corporate social priorities.
If you have any questions about your donation, please reach out.
United Way of Lethbridge & South Western Alberta follows the DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS
developed by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.