For more information, please contact us at [email protected] 660 Woodward Ave., Suite 300 Detroit, Michigan 48226 313.226.9301 GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. UNITEDWAYSEM.ORG Membership Guide Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide Leading Change Welcome to the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Southeastern Michigan is home to some up healthy and strong. United Way was of the most generous philanthropists in able to create new technology to reduce the nation. Five years ago, our Alexis de partner paperwork, which means their Tocqueville Society chapter ranked 37th partners can get more federal funding to in the country. Today, it’s No. 10 thanks make sure more kids access these vital to our growing membership base. meals. We are ecstatic over this growth and we Your gift supports United Way’s Bib want to thank our members for helping to Backpack strategy, which provides us get to this point. parents and caregivers with access to peer networks, child development But our work isn’t done yet. There is still assessments, workshops and caregiver need in our community. trainings so that more children show up prepared and ready to learn on the first Society members helped contribute more day of school. than $6 million last year to support vital United Way community impact programs With your support, more students are in Education, Economic Prosperity and getting valuable real-world experiences Health. with college preparation through our network of schools and graduating When you give to United Way for prepared for college and a career. Southeastern Michigan, your dollars go further. No other regional nonprofit has And you help jobseekers keep more of the legacy, relationships and know-how what they earn through job advancement to create lasting solutions like United training and one-on-one budget Way. Because of their ablility to harness coaching. resources from private, nonprofit and public organizations, United Way Pair that with a robust volunteer reduces service redundancy to make recruitment strategy and policy team sure more community members get the to make sure vital funds remain in the help they need more efficiently. But they community, and you can rest assured that can only do it with the help of generous your contributions are hard at work. donors like you. Thank you for your commitment to Through Meet Up and Eat Up, your community. Thank you for Living dollars don’t just help feed kids. You United. support United Way’s efforts to advise the state of Michigan on nutrition - Lisa Ford and Bill Ford, standardization for after-school and Alexis de Tocqueville Initiative Chairs summer meals so that kids can grow 1 2 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide We could not do this incredible work in our community if it weren’t for the commitment and passion of our Alexis de Tocqueville donors. Herman Gray, President and CEO, United Way for Southeastern Michigan 3 4 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide We Live United for universal success and prosperity in Southeastern Michigan. 5 6 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide I support United Way because I was excited about their focus on education, basic needs and financial stability, and moving the needle with high school turnaround work. Leadership was bold and took a risk to drive meaningful impact. Srikant Inampudi, Board Member and AdT Member 7 8 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide As a society member, your gift is making the greatest impact and you’ll get exclusive benefits. z Invitations to exclusive events, hosted by corporate and community leaders. z Recognition on our elite donor wall as an Alexis de Tocqueville member and initiation in our Honor Roll of Donors. z Access to member volunteer activities. z Networking opportunities and receptions with business and civic leaders. z A dedicated relationship manager to help you manage and reach your philanthropic goals. z Quarterly membership newsletters and donor profiles. z Mentorship opportunities with Emerging Philanthropists, a Leadership Giving group for young professionals. 9 10 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide Members enjoy VIP experiences Exclusive Events 11 12 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide Step-Up Program Minimum annual contribution to join the Alexis de Tocqueville Society is $10,000 per year. United Way offers a unique way for new members to enjoy the society as they step up their pledge over the course of three years. By participating in this three-year pledge program, you will be recognized as an Alexis de Tocqueville Society member upon enrollment and will be immediately eligible for full benefits, opportunities and events. Year 1 $6,000 Year 2 $8,000 Membership Year 3 $10,000 Commitment 13 14 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide Your gift changes lives Here are some ways your gift can make an impact in the community. $100,000 can support 200 Meet Up and Eat Up summer meal sites, which serve more than 425,000 meals. $50,000 can support enrolling 57 households into our utility assistance program, offering shut-off protection and self-sufficiency services. $25,000 can support 5,000 2-1-1 calls, which offer service referrals on shelter, food, health services and more. $10,000 can support 263 Baby Boxes, which offer infant care essentials and parenting resources. 15 16 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide The Alexis de Tocqueville Legacy Circle There are more ways to join the Alexis de Tocqueville Society outside of a cash or step-up gift program. Donors who endow a minimum gift of $200,000 to United Way through their estate plan join our elite Tocqueville Legacy Circle. Through their Tocqueville Legacy Circle membership, these generous supporters extend their impact on the community for generations to come and are nationally recognized. There are several gift options when making a planned gift, including a United Way Life insurance policy. Learn more about all planned giving options by visiting UnitedWaySEM.org/Legacy. 17 18 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide A legacy of giving back Origins of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Alexis Charles-Henri de Tocqueville was only 26 years old when he came to the United States and Canada in 1831, recording his observations of life in the young nations. Though he only spent nine months in North America, he gleaned many profound insights about American society. His observations, readings and discussions with eminent Americans formed the basis of Democracy in America, a detailed study of American society and politics, published in two volumes in 1835 and 1840. Tocqueville recognized, applauded and immortalized North American voluntary The Alexis de action on behalf of the common good. He wrote: “I must say that I have seen Americans make a great deal of real sacrifices to the public welfare; and Tocqueville have noticed a hundred instances in which they hardly ever failed to lend a faithful support to one another,” eloquently capturing the essence of personal Society today philanthropy that persists almost two centuries later. Founded in 1984, the United Way Tocqueville The observations on philanthropy made by Alexis de Tocqueville in Society is an opportunity for passionate 1831 remain true today; advancing the common good means creating individuals to become more deeply involved in opportunities for a better life for all. The name Tocqueville Society United Way’s mission. The Tocqueville Society was chosen because of Alexis de Tocqueville’s admiration for the recognizes local philanthropic leaders and spirit of voluntary association and effort toward its advancement. volunteer champions in the United States, France and Romania who have devoted time, talent, and funds to create long-lasting changes by tackling our communities’ most serious issues. 19 20 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Membership Guide We support United Way as a part of Caresoft’s mission to socially engage and give back to the community in Detroit. Our involvement in the Alexis de Tocqueville Society makes us feel like we’re part of a larger cause along with like-minded folks who are great role models for our family and employees. - Mathew Vachaparampil and Dr. Anna Mathew, AdT Members Directory 21 18 22.