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Ways of Giving to Mercer Street Friends
Make a Financial Gift
Donate Now
Transfer Stock
Workplace Contributions
Bequests/Charitable Gift Annuities
Check-Out Hunger
Gifts in Kind
Organize a Drive
Organize an Activity
Stamp Out Hunger
Items We Can Always Use
Make a Financial Gift
To make a financial donation electronically, please click on Donate Now. To make a donation by mail, please send your check to Mercer Street Friends, 151 Mercer Street, Trenton, NJ 08611-1799. If you make a gift in honor of a birthday, anniversary or friend, we will list the name and date, as well as your name, in our Annual Report.
Transfer Stock
There are several significant benefits that can result from gifts of securities. With certain limitations, you can deduct the full fair market value of long-term appreciated securities,that is, securities you have owned for more than one year and that have increased in value. Thus you can give away appreciated property and usually avoid the tax on the gain. Here's how:
If your broker or bank holds your securities, call or write to let your broker know that you want to make a gift of stock to Mercer Street Friends by direct transfer to PNC (DTC 0768) for Account #37412856 n/o Mercer Street Friends. Your broker will want to know the name of the stock(s) and the number of shares you are contributing. If you or your broker have any questions, confer with Jim Giaimo at PNC, telephone number (609) 497-6749.
After you have notified your broker, please call Robert (Bob) LeFever, director of Advancement, at (609) 396-1506. We will need to know the name and telephone number of your broker, the name of the stock(s) and number of shares you are contributing. If you request the transfer in writing, please mail or fax a copy of the transfer request letter to Bob LeFever, 151 Mercer Street, Trenton, NJ 08611, fax number (609) 392-8363.
Workplace Contributions
United Way
You may make a donation through the United Way and, if you wish, designate Mercer Street Friends as a beneficiary through your workplace donor designation number.
Matching Gifts
Many employers provide a corporate Matching Gift which may double or even triple a donor's contribution. Some companies may even match gifts made by retirees or spouses of employees.
To find out whether your company has a matching gift program, contact your Human Resources Department. If it does, request a matching gift form. Complete and sign the donor section and send it in with your gift.
Bequests and Deferred Gifts or Charitable Annuities
For more information on how you can make a difference for Mercer Street Friends through a planned gift, please contact Bob LeFever at (609) 396-1506. When considering these types of gifts, you should obtain the advice or assistance of an attorney or other professional advisor.
Bequests
If you use your will to designate a gift to Mercer Street Friends, you have a number of options. You may bequeath a gift to Mercer Street Friends in the form of a dollar amount, a specific property, a percentage of your estate, or what remains after your loved ones have been provided for. Bequests to Mercer Street Friends are entirely free from federal estate tax, and there is no limit on the amount you can leave to Mercer Street Friends in your will.
Deferred Gift or Charitable Annuity
A deferred gift provides you with the opportunity to make gifts in support of the work of Mercer Street Friends, while at the same time preserving continuing income during your lifetime or that of another income beneficiary. The principal remaining at the death of the income beneficiary will then transfer to Mercer Street Friends. For gifts of this nature, we utilize the services of the Friends Fiduciary Corporation, a Quaker nonprofit corporation, which supplies financial services to other Quaker nonprofit organizations and Meetings.
Check-Out Hunger
Check-Out Hunger is a national campaign that runs from November through January each year in supermarkets around the country to benefit regional food banks. In Mercer County, the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank is the beneficiary of Check-Out Hunger.
Each dollar you contribute translates into $10 worth of groceries for a family at risk for hunger. Why? Because we can buy food in bulk at wholesale prices.
How does it work? Participating supermarkets place coupons for $1, $3 or $5 dollars by the checkout counters. Each time you shop, you may pick up one of the coupons and have it scanned onto your grocery bill. Your entire contribution goes from the supermarket directly to the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank (there are no administrative fees charged), which will use it to buy food for pantries, soup kitchens and social service agencies that provide meals to those at risk for hunger.
Gifts in Kind
You may want to organize a drive for food, spices, warm coats or other items that we need (please see Items We Can Always Use). Or you may want to organize an activity, such as a bake sale, and donate the proceeds.
Organize a Drive
You may want to collect items, such as the ones listed in Items We Can Always Use, from your school or civic organization. Please see How to Run a Food Drive (PDF) or contact Phyllis Stoolmacher for more information at pstoolmacher@mercerstreetfriends.org or (609) 406-0503.
Organize an Activity
You may want to organize an activity, such as a bake sale, and contribute the proceeds to Mercer Street Friends.
Stamp Out Hunger
Stamp Out Hunger is the annual food drive run by the National Association of Letter Carriers, in collaboration with the U. S. Postal Service, to benefit regional food banks such as the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank. Your letter carrier will pick up the canned or packaged goods you leave by your mailbox and put them in large Postal Service trucks, which transport the food to the Food Bank. When they have finished their rounds, letter carriers gather at the Food Bank warehouse to sort the food. Once sorted, the food is distributed to the nearly 60 member agencies that serve the 17,000 people at risk for hunger in Mercer County.
Items We Can Always Use at Mercer Street Friends
Mercer Street Friends Food Bank
Common spices, such as salt, pepper, oregano and dill; rice; canned protein such as tuna and chicken. Non-perishable nutrient dense food items, personal hygiene items, shrink wrap, grocery bags and packing tape. No glass containers, please. Plastic containers, cans and cardboard boxes are all acceptable.
Mercer Street Friends Parent and Adult Services
Disposable diapers in all sizes. New or gently used baby clothing, baby carriers and baby furniture such as cribs, playpens, bassinettes, changing tables, highchairs, and toddler tables with chairs. New linen, baby dishes and receiving blankets. Toddler Art Supplies, board books, large puzzle pieces.
Mercer Street Friends Children's Services
Gently used clothing for infants and toddlers
New mittens, gloves and scarves
Gently used, cleaned warm coats
New or gently used children's books (all ages)
Mercer Street Friends Home Health Services
Ensure in cans and bars for low-income patients
Toiletries, such as shampoo, moisturizing lotion, shaving cream, liquid soap (no glass containers, please)
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