Ways to Donate

Prairie State Legal Services is a charitable not-for-profit organization and gifts are tax deductible under IRS section 501 (c) (3). All gifts receive a written acknowledgement and donors are recognized in our Annual Report.

In 2009, Charity Navigator, America's largest independent evaluator of charities, selected Prairie State Legal Services for its 4-star rating (out of a maximum of 4-stars). According to Charity Navigator, “Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that your organization excels, as compared to other charities in America, in successfully managing the finances of your organization in an efficient and effective manner. This rise in your rating is an exceptional feat, especially given the economic challenges many charities have had to face in the last year.”

Individuals and groups that want to contribute to Prairie State Legal Services have many options. For questions about any of these methods of giving, please contact Jeff Hamaker, Director of Community Support, at 815/965-2134 or by e-mail at support@pslegal.org.

Online Gifts
Online donations can be made by clicking the “Donate Now” button to the right. You will be directed to the Network for Good website, an easy and secure online website where you can make a donation by credit card. Network for Good allows you to donate one time or create a recurring deduction. Network for Good also allows you to create an account for future donations.

Check, Money Order, or Currency
A gift of cash is the easiest way for many people to contribute to Prairie State. Gifts can be delivered to your local PSLS office, but for faster processing, you may wish to send your contribution directly to our Administrative Office at the address below.

Credit Card
We accept gifts made by VISA or Master Card.  Generally, credit card gifts are processed on the last Friday of each month. Please provide us with your credit card information and the amount you wish to give by using the pledge form at the link below. You may also contact us directly at 815/965-2134 or by e-mail at support@pslegal.org.

Pledges
You are welcome to make a pledge in support of Prairie State Legal Services. Just let us know the amount of your pledge, the length of your pledge (multi-year pledges are accepted) and how you prefer to pay the pledge. We recommend that you fill out the pledge form at the link below and mail it to our Administrative Office. You will receive a letter confirming the terms of your pledge.

For credit card gifts and pledges, please send this [pledge form] to our Administrative Office at the address below:

Prairie State Legal Services
Administrative Office
303 North Main Street, Suite 600
Rockford, IL 61101

Securities Gifts
Securities gifts are the transfer of stock, bonds, and other securities, especially those that have increased in value. For instructions on making a securities gift to Prairie State, please follow this link [Instructions for Making Stock Contributions].

Matching-Gift Programs
An easy way to double or even triple your donation to Prairie State is to find out if your company has a matching-gift program. Such programs typically match all or a percentage of employee contributions to charitable organizations, making the employer a partner in employees’ personal philanthropy. Simply obtain a matching-gift form from your employer’s personnel office, fill it out, and provide it to PSLS with your contribution.

Bequests
A bequest provision is a simple statement in your will that gives to Prairie State any one of the following:

• A specific dollar amount;
• A specified percentage of your estate;
• A particular piece of real estate (such as a home or commercial building) or;
• Valuable personal property, such as a work of art.

We are happy to help you with the language relating to a bequest.

Non-Cash Gifts
Non-cash gifts include real estate, artwork, vehicles, and other tangible personal property. In some cases these items can present special and sometimes unknown issues that make their acceptance problematic.  As a result, non-cash gifts generally will be accepted by PSLS only if they can be easily and economically converted into cash for investment and/or expenditure in accordance with PSLS’s established policies and procedures. Please contact us if you wish to make a non-cash gift.