Foundation
Our Mission Expands Thanks to Generous Donors
Since its founding, Genacross Lutheran Services has continued to expand to meet the needs of people in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Today, Genacross annually serves approximately 3,500 people of all ages and supports various community programs that are in keeping with our mission of service. But none of this would be possible without the generous support of some 2,500 donors who come alongside us to share in our mission.
That’s where the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation comes in. The Foundation is responsible for helping donors who would like to join in the Genacross mission — whether through a single, one-time gift; a recurring monthly gift; or a planned estate gift. The Foundation ensures that all gifts are used for their intended purpose and provide a point of contact for donors who would like to see the difference their gifts have made.
I invite you to consider donating to the mission of Genacross and helping to ensure the continued legacy of superior, compassionate care for which Genacross is known. Thanks for your consideration.
Michael A. George, CFRE
Executive Director
Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation
MiGeorge@Genacross.org
For more information:
SAVE THE DATE: An Evening with Jim Tressel
6 PM • Thursday, July 25 • The Pinnacle, Maumee
More info to come...
People give to Genacross for a variety of reasons and every donor has a story:
Making a Difference in the Lives We Touch
Genacross Lutheran Services provides care and desperately needed services to people of all ages. Often, we are called upon to help in urgent situations for people who do not have the means to provide for themselves. A variety of special funds help us meet these needs.
For more information about any of these options:
In 2021, Genacross Lutheran Services provided $5 million in charitable care and community benefits. Charitable care is defined as the difference between our rates for services and the rates paid by third-party insurers, private pay and governmental agencies, including Medicaid and Medicare. Through charitable care, Genacross subsidizes the cost of uncompensated resident and care recipients’ services. Through community benefits, Genacross provides free or discounted care to the uninsured, underinsured, low-income and indigent care recipients.
On average, 53 percent of skilled nursing beds in Genacross residential communities are occupied by Medicaid recipients. At current rates, reimbursements are approximately $72 per day, per resident less than what it actually cost us to provide care.
While it is the goal of the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation to cover the substantial cost of charitable care, we are not there yet. To assist with charitable care, some donors choose to designate their donations to the Genacross Charitable Care Annual Fund. This fund has been established for the sole purpose of covering the costs of charitable care.
The Foundation manages designated endowments established by individuals for Family & Youth Services program needs. Each year, a percentage of the annual endowment earnings is made available for use. These distributions are used for services such as educational and living expenses for individuals who continue to receive services beyond the state-mandated age limit, tutoring costs for individuals needing extra assistance, and capital expenditure needs for the facilities.
In addition, the Foundation dedicates its annual Christmas Appeal for Family & Youth Services to pay for gifts for each resident. Artwork for the Appeal is created by Family & Youth Services residents, displaying their talents on the front of the Appeal card. Each year, generous donors help to ensure that each resident receives gifts to help them enjoy the Christmas season.
In 2004, a staff member lost her son in a tragic accident. Genacross staff members donated funds for funeral costs. The staff person who received these funds said, “I guess I never knew the kind of people I work with until this unfortunate tragedy hit our family. Thank you. This gift helped us to pay for funeral expenses we did not have the money for.”
Following that initial need, the Foundation established a Staff Benevolence Special Fund. This fund provides financial assistance to staff to assist in covering the costs of immediate financial needs following an unforeseen emergency, including fire, flood, tornado or other natural disaster; serious medical emergencies requiring hospitalization; accidental or sudden death; or victimization through a crime or act of war or terrorism.
Since that original tragic loss in 2004, the Staff Benevolence Fund has been able to provide assistance for other staff members through financial grants. These grants are funded through contributions given specifically to this fund and through an endowment established by David and Pam Roberts. To date, $23,538 has been given to employees who have experienced catastrophic losses.
Staff members who have received this assistance have said:
“It is with great appreciation that I express my thanks to you after our family’s loss. The support and help shown to us have been overwhelming. I would like to thank all who give so that employees like me can have the help when they need it.”
“Our home was lost in a fire. Everything was gone. We had nothing, and you helped us put together the pieces that helped us put our life back in order.”
Community Outreach to Serve Our Neighbors
At Genacross Lutheran Services, our mission to serve is not limited to those people who walk through our doors. We actively reach out to the local communities in which we operate to engage with our neighbors, build relationships, and provide assistance in a variety of ways. Following are just a few examples, including ways you, too, can share in our mission.
If your company, organization, school or church would like to partner with Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation, please contact Mike George at MiGeorge@Genacross.org. All opportunities are evaluated based upon the mission of Genacross Lutheran Services.
For more information about any of these options:
Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation partners with area schools to provide opportunities for students to serve in many of our communities. These programs not only benefit Genacross residents but also provide ways for students to engage with people of various generations, build self-esteem, and live out their faith by serving others.
Thanks to a generous gift from Lawrence and Adele Youngbauer, the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation is able to annually award scholarships to four students who will be continuing their educations in the fields of human services, medicine, ministry or education. One senior from each of the following schools, located in areas where the Genacross Lutheran Services ministry has a presence, will be awarded a scholarship: Anthony Wayne, Clay and Liberty Center high schools and Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School & Academy. Interested students should contact their school guidance counselors for more information.
Types of Funds to Meet Your Goals
There are many ways to join Genacross Lutheran Services in our ministry of service. The options outlined on this page are designed to help you meet your charitable goals as well as structure your donation in a way that best suits your personal situation.
For more information about any of these options:
Unrestricted gifts are those that are made to the General Fund or “where most needed.” These gifts can be used for items and programs as needed by the ministries of Genacross Lutheran Services. Dollars are disbursed from this fund with the approval of the Genacross Board of Directors.
Donors may choose to give to one or more Genacross Special Purpose Funds. These funds provide financial support for specific programs or needs as designated by the donor. Following are the Special Funds currently maintained by Genacross:
Resident Assistance Fund
This fund supports low-income Genacross housing residents and community-based clients who have special, immediate financial needs. These needs include assistance with uninsured major medical expenses, food or other basic necessities, such as rent and utility bills.
Resident Scholarship Fund
This fund helps to support the continuing education needs of residents who want to attend workshops, seminars or other formal courses on-site or at local organizations, community colleges or universities. Residents who are interested in such funding should contact the Foundation office.
Staff Benevolence Fund
This fund assists Genacross Lutheran Services staff and immediate family members to cover some of the unexpected financial needs associated with emergencies, such as loss from sudden catastrophic events including fire, flood or other natural disaster, or the accidental or sudden death of an immediate family member.
Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation supports many special funds. For a full list, contact the Foundation office at 419.861.4964.
Donors may choose to designate that their gift be added to a special purpose endowment fund. Currently, the following endowment funds are available for donor-designated contributions:
Trilogy of Faith Endowment - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Fund
This endowment fund was established by a generous donor to support any client served or specific program needs to benefit Genacross ministries on the east side of Toledo.
Eric and Cynthia Johnson Endowment for Youth
This fund will be used to support any client served or specific program operated or facilitated by Genacross Family & Youth Services, with preference being given to program locations operated on the east side of Toledo. The fund was established by Eric and Cynthia Johnson in 2021 and will be enriched by donations made by individuals, churches or businesses to the fund.
Carl W. Klein Jr. Scholarship Fund
This fund was established by John and Gretchen Grigsby to honor Mrs. Grigsby’s late father, Carl W. Klein Jr. Its purpose is to provide financial assistance to employees who wish to develop their job-related knowledge and skills through an accredited institution. Gifts to this fund help further Genacross’ goal to retain a highly trained staff and to enhance its employees’ potential for promotion within the organization.
Youth Assistance Endowment
This endowment was established through a challenge gift from two anonymous donors. The gifts to this fund are matched dollar-for-dollar until $30,000 has been reached and maintained in the fund. The purpose of this fund is to help youth remain in Family & Youth Services care when expenses and/or shortfalls of payments threaten their removal from care.
Findlay Youth Tutoring Endowment
This fund was established with a gift from Jim and Celia Findlay. Gifts to this fund provide essential support to youth involved in the Family & Youth Services ministry program who have special learning needs. Assistance includes one-on-one tutoring, as well as necessary special learning equipment and materials for their ongoing progress.
R.A. & F.D. Stranahan Endowment for Youth
In 1990, The Stranahan Foundation provided a $1 million gift paid over five years at $200,000 per year. The endowment was originally gifted with the primary objective of funding capital needs of the Family & Youth ministry.
Staff Benevolence Fund
A Staff Benevolence Fund Endowment has been established through a generous donation from Dave and Pam Roberts that provides additional annual funding for the Staff Benevolence Fund. Distributions from the endowment are made available to the Staff Benevolence Fund totaling 5 percent of the endowment fund’s fair market value at the end of the calendar year. Undistributed funds for the calendar year will be maintained as part of the corpus of the endowment fund.
Bunge Scholarship Endowment
This fund provides scholarships to Family & Youth resident youth who are high school seniors and desire to pursue higher education. This scholarship was named for Arnold F. Bunge Sr., who lived in the Lutheran Orphans’ Home from 1901-19 and later became an attorney.
Youngbauer Family & Youth Operating Endowment
This fund helps to underwrite current operational expenses for the Family & Youth Services ministry. It also supports four annual scholarships to high school students preparing for social service careers (social work, education, ministry, medicine, etc.). Through an agreement with the donor family, the annual awards are presented to students at four specific high schools, which are located in areas where the Genacross Lutheran Services ministry has a presence. The schools where scholarships are awarded include Anthony Wayne, Clay and Liberty Center high schools and Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School & Academy.
Genacross Foundation representatives present these scholarships and an engraved memento to students during spring award assemblies. The fund was named for Lawrence and Adele Youngbauer. When she was a child, Adele Laramie lived in the Lutheran Orphans’ Home for a time. As an adult, she and her husband, Lawrence, bequeathed funds to the Foundation in 1992 in appreciation for the loving care she received.
Restricted gifts are those designated for the benefit of a specific ministry or service. Donations made to Genacross Lutheran Services are directed in full to the ministry — or ministries — you choose. All overhead costs associated with fundraising are covered by the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation so that no part of your gift is used for administrative services.
Gifts can be made to any Genacross ministry. In addition, you may stipulate that your gift be used for a specific purpose. For example, you may make a gift to the Genacross Lutheran Services-Wolf Creek Campus and also earmark it “to be used for the residents’ social hour.”
One of the easiest ways to help Genacross Lutheran Services is through a gift in your will or estate plan.* By doing so, you become a member of our Johannes Doerfler Society. This group of donors is named after the organization’s founder, whose vision of helping others and doing God’s work has lived on for over 160 years.
Genacross gives away over $5 million each year for those who cannot afford the cost of care, and we have never turned out anyone due to the inability to pay. By making a provision in your will, you can join others in making sure that Rev. Doerfler’s vision continues to meet the needs of today’s — and tomorrow’s — residents and care recipients.
Leaving a legacy is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
1. Name Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation as recipient of a bequest in your will.
Bequests can be a flat dollar amount or a percentage of your estate. They can be designated for the ministry or program of your choice, or they can be undesignated for Genacross to use where most needed. The Foundation staff can review the available funds with you at any time. The following information must be included with your bequest:
- Legal name of the organization: LHS Foundation, Inc. dba Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation, Inc.
- Organization address: 2021 N. McCord Rd, Toledo, OH 43615
- Tax ID number of the organization: 34-1678593
2. Let the Foundation know you have made a provision in your will.
Fill out our Legacy Reply Form and the Foundation will list you as a member of the Johannes Doerfler Society. You will also be invited to special informational sessions to learn about what Genacross is doing to help those in need. Want to remain anonymous? Not a problem, just let us know and your name will not be published.
3. Rest better knowing your philanthropic wishes will be honored.
The job of the Foundation’s staff is to ensure donor intent is honored in perpetuity. We will monitor your gift funds to be sure they are used for your specified purpose.
*Please consult an attorney or financial advisor to be sure this program fits your needs.
Giving Opportunities to Suit Your Wishes
While many gifts are made as designated or undesignated gifts of cash, donors may contribute to the ministry of Genacross Lutheran Services in a wide variety of ways. This page outlines some of the ways that may be of interest to you.
For more information about any of these giving opportunities:
Gifts may be made in honor or memory of a family member, a friend or loved one, or even a staff member who made a difference. Gifts may also be made to recognize a special occasion, such as a birthday, anniversary, graduation, birth, marriage or any other event you would like to recognize. To make an honor or memorial gift, simply indicate your wishes when sending your donation or when using our online donation form.
Monthly giving provides a way for donors to give on a consistent, ongoing basis with a predictable schedule. Designated or undesignated gifts may be made by sending a monthly check or by having your gift automatically transferred from an account. You may set up a monthly donation through our online donation form by indicating that your gift will be recurring. Or simply contact the Foundation office at 419.861.4964 to make arrangements.
Employees of Genacross Lutheran Services may choose to donate through payroll deduction. At each payroll, the amount you designate will be deducted from your check. You may designate your gift to one or more ministries.
While staff members may sign up for this program at any time, in March of each year, the Foundation conducts a charitable gifts employee payroll deduction appeal that provides an opportunity for staff to give to the ministries of Genacross. Staff members can designate any amount they would like to have deducted. Some employees choose $1 per payroll, while some give as much as $100. Whatever amount the staff member feels comfortable in giving is appreciated.
To participate, contact your human resource manager or simply download the Employee Payroll Deduction Form below and return it to Mike George at the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation.
Employee Payroll Deduction Form | Download PDF
Some businesses and organizations will match charitable gifts given by their employees. Please contact your designated corporate representative to inquire about this program at your company.
Eligible Thrivent members can contribute to organizations and causes they care about, and they can influence how Thrivent distributes some of its charitable grant funding through its Choice Dollars program. These dollars may be directed to nonprofit organizations, including Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation. For more information and eligibility requirements, visit the Thrivent website.
The Kroger Community Rewards program donates a percentage of shoppers’ purchases to nonprofit organizations designated by the shoppers. If you are a Kroger customer, you can designate Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation as your preferred nonprofit organization. Simply go to KrogerCommunityRewards.com and follow the instructions to enroll.
Shoppers will automatically contribute funds to the mission of Genacross Lutheran Services every time their Kroger Plus Card is swiped. Every donation counts, no matter the amount!
All funds received through this program are directed to the Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation and are used to support Genacross ministries.
Donor Interaction Builds Rewarding Relationships
At Genacross Lutheran Services, we consider donors to be our partners in ministry. Your continued support makes it possible not only to serve approximately 3,500 people each year but also to continue seeking new ways to serve in the future.
Each year since 2010, Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation has held a donor appreciation event. This occasion is a way to thank those who support the current mission and ministry of Genacross as well as those who have established a planned gift to ensure the long-term continuance of our mission.
After a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a reimagined 2022 donor appreciation event was held in July. The elegant dessert reception occurred in the dining room at Creekside Condominiums on the Genacross Lutheran Services-Wolf Creek Campus. The 2023 Donor Appreciation Reception will be held on Sunday, July 16 at Creekside again. Attendees to this invitation-only event will learn more about our Family & Youth Services program from Director of Compliance Laura Hasyn and a youth in care.
Many thanks to the businesses below that underwrote the cost of the 2023 event:
Presenting Sponsor — Trust Company Family Offices
Supporting Sponsor — Stapleton Insurance Group
Patron Sponsor — Marshall & Melhorn Attorneys at Law
We are so grateful for all the donors who support the Genacross mission.
Each year, donors receive Christmas cards featuring artwork created by youth receiving care and treatment through the Genacross Family & Youth Services ministry. This ministry provides residential services, care and treatment to children and youth ages 6 to 21 who are considered high-risk as a result of social, behavioral and learning issues.
The Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation sends an acknowledgement of each gift within one week of receipt. In addition, each donor receives a copy of our monthly publication, God at Work in Our Midst, which includes personal stories of residents whose lives have been impacted by our ministry.
Donors are also recognized in our special event programs and other publications. Our newsletter, The Friend, includes a listing of each donor who has made a gift during the quarter preceding publication, and our Annual Report includes a list of all donors for that year.
Tours of Genacross facilities are available to any donor or potential donor who would like to see how their gifts are being used. Donors who have participated in tours often remark that they “never knew what took place” in a particular building or program. Many also note that the tour gives them a new perspective on the many services being offered and strengthens their resolve to continue supporting the mission of Genacross Lutheran Services.
If you would like to schedule a personal donor tour of any Genacross facility, call 419.861.4964.
Donate to Support Our Mission
Donations to Genacross Lutheran Services have a significant impact on the people we serve — helping to provide the critical care and services that make a difference in their lives. You may direct your donation to one or more of our ministries or to any of the special funds outlined. You may also choose to make a recurring, monthly gift. Whichever method you use to give, your entire donation will be directed to the ministry you choose.
Your tax-deductible charitable gift may be made in any of the following ways:
Online through our secure, third-party website.
By phone: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
By mail: Please print and complete a donation form
Make your check payable to: Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation
Mail donation form and check to:
Genacross Lutheran Services Foundation
2021 N. McCord Road, Toledo, OH 43615
If you would like a donation envelope or have any questions regarding donations, please contact Mike George at 419.861.4964 or MiGeorge@Genacross.org
