Why Donations Matter

Each day hundreds of men, women and children come to Jeffco Action Center needing help. Many of these are families struggling to keep from falling further into a cycle of poverty while some are looking for help because they are in crisis, new to poverty and its effects. Every day, Jeffco Action Center is able to meet this need through the generous support of donations.

Donations allow Jeffco Action Center to purchase food for the hungry and provide financial assistance to keep families in their homes and the electricity on. It also helps keep the lights on at the Action Center and Shelter and pay the salaries of the staff who work hard every day to meet the need.

As a private, non-profit organization, Jeffco Action Center relies on the support of many different sources (see graph below.) None of these sources are guaranteed year after year. The Action Center, therefore, works hard to ensure that the support is not wasted!

 

Facts about Jeffco Action Center Support

• 92 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs
• Last Year, Jeffco Action Center distributed over $3.4 million dollars in in-kind support
• 3,900 stakeholders supported Jeffco Action Center last year
• The largest source of support is Individuals

 

Enterprise Zone

In addition to being efficient with a donor's support, Jeffco Action Center maximizes its cost-effectiveness. This is accomplished because the Action Center is an Enterprise Zone partner agency with the State of Colorado.

Monetary gifts to Jeffco Action Center from eligible donors may qualify for a 25% State Tax Credit. In-Kind donations may qualify for a 13.5% State Tax Credit. For more information click here for a flyer about the Enterprise Zone Tax Credit.

 

Self Sufficiency Society

The Self Sufficiency Society is a group of individuals, businesses and churches who have made a conscious decision to make a five-year pledge to Jeffco Action Center at a level of $1,000 or more per year.

Since 2003, more than 110 supporters have joined this giving society. These friends have pledges over $1.5 million dollars in the first six-years of the society. This support has helped the Action Center become more self-sufficient. This, in turn, has helped the Action Center meet the needs of the people Jeffco Action Center serves more effectively.

For more information about the Self Sufficiency Society please download a flyer by clicking here.

 

 

Accountability and Transparency

Jeffco Action Center works with current and potential donors to understand how their support is being utilized at the Action Center. This is accomplished through tours throughout the month at our main facility and shelter. The tours are only one-hour long, however, they provide an important snap-shot of how the Action Center works and the importance of donors in accomplishing our overall mission. For more information about upcoming tour times, please click here.

Jeffco Action Center deeply values all contributions to sustain our mission. To protect the privacy of our donors and their relationship with Jeffco Action Center, we maintain the following policies:

• We may request personal information online, such as name, address, phone number, email address, and credit card number ONLY for the purposes of accepting donations to Jeffco Action Center or fulfilling purchase orders of Jeffco Action Center  merchandise. 
• We will not release or use this information for any other purpose unless we have your consent.
• We do not trade or sell your personal information with other organizations. 
• We offer donors the option to be recognized anonymously.
• Donors may request, at any time, to not receive our solicitations.
• Donors may request to not receive certain mailings, such as our newsletter.
• We do not track, collect or distribute personal information entered by those who visit our website.
• Personal information stored in Jeffco Action Center’s database is protected with a secured login with authentication, assignment of a unique ID to each person with computer access and user IDs are deactivated or terminated as needed.

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our donor database. Please contact Denise Sealover at denises@jeffcoac.org or 720-407-6714 if you would like us to update, correct or remove your personal information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Financial Donations

There are several easy ways to make a financial donation to Jeffco Action Center. Your generous contribution will be used efficiently with 92 cents out of every dollar going directly to helping those in need. For more information on operational efficiency, please visit Charity Navigator who recently awarded Jeffco Action Center with a 4-star rating.

 

Donation Types Accepted

The Action Center accepts cash, checks, Money Orders and Visa, Mastercard and Discover.

 

Online:

You may also make an online donation through our partners at the Giving First Website. Just click here to donate.

 

Through the Mail:

Donations may be mailed to:

Jeffco Action Center
PO Box 150609
Lakewood, CO 80215

 

In Person:

Jeffco Action Center welcomes your donation in person at:

8755 W. 14th Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80215

Between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

Over the Phone

If you would like to donate over the phone with your Visa or Mastercard, please call Joe Haines, Director of Development at (303) 237-7704 ext. 204.

 

Pathways Partners Program (Regular Giving the Easy Way!)

• Do you make a regular gift (weekly, monthly or quarterly) to Jeffco Action Center?
• Do you write a check or have a credit card processed for your donations?
• Are you so busy that sometimes you forget (or remember late) to get your gift to Jeffco Action Center?
• Would you like the challenges associated with making a regular gift removed?

If you answered yes to any of these questions (or even if you didn't), then Jeffco Action Center's "Pathway Partners" regular giving program may be the answer for you!

The Pathway Partners Program allows you to make a regular gift to Jeffco Action Center without any hassle or worry. All you need to do is fill out the Pathway Partners enrollment form and Jeffco Action Center staff will do the rest.

At the end of the calendar year, you will receive a receipt from Jeffco Action Center and any EZ forms you will have qualified to receive. At that time you will also have an opportunity to change your regular gift if you desire.

Jeffco Action Center staff will securely and safely debit your checking or savings account directly through our bank. This will occur on the same day every month. The processing fees associated with this program are a fraction of the processing fees associated with a credit/debit card.

Click here to download the enrollment form so you can get started as soon as possible. If you have any questions or want more information about the program, call Joe Haines, Director of Development at 303-237-7704, ext. 204 or email him at joeh@jeffcoac.org.

In-Kind Donations

Jeffco Action Center relies every day on a variety of In-Kind Donations including food, clothing and household goods . Several times throughout the year, the Action Center has special donation needs for new toys for the Santa Shop and school supplies for the school supply drive in the fall. Last year, the Action Center donated 3 1/2 million dollars worth of in-kind donations.

 

Donation Drop Off Location

Donations are accepted on Weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the dock on the east side of the Action Center. The dock has extended drop-off hours on Thursdays from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00a m to 12:00 pm.

 

Items needed:

• Household items - bedding, linens, pots, pans, dishes, small appliances, and other household necessities
• Clothing - men's, women's, and children's
• Food - peanut butter, tuna, canned meats, soup, tomato sauce, pasta, rice, beans, macaroni & cheese, ramen noodles, potatoes, jelly, cereal/oatmeal, baby food and formula
• Toys - new, for children aged 0-14
• School supplies - basic supplies for all grades
• Personal Care Items - Shampoo, Dish Detergent, Laundry Detergent, etc...

Things you can do to make our job easier:

• Separate clothing from household and other items
• Put clothing in bags rather than boxes
• Separate clothing and label them: Men's, Women's, Boy's, Girl's and Infant's
• We do not accept clothes that are ripped, stained, soiled or otherwise damaged or dirty
• Donate shoes with mates
• Electronics must be in good working order
• We are always grateful for food donations. Our top needed food items are: soup, macaroni & cheese, tuna, and canned meat.

We are unable to accept the following items:

• Large Appliances
• Furniture
• Cribs
• Blinds/Curtain Rods
• TVs
• Computers/Printers/Scanners
• Exercise/Large Sports Equipment
• Yard Equipment
• Coolers
• Charcoal/Gas Grills
• Paint/Chemicals
• Wall/Ceiling Fixtures
• Floor Coverings
• Car Seats
• Auto Parts
• Used Toys (except stuffed animals in good condition)
• Suitcases (unless they have wide-stance wheels and extendable handle)
• Medication (Prescription and over the counter)
• Medical Supplies
  

You can now download our different needs lists: Clothing, Food, Holiday Food, Household Items, Personal Items, Santa Shop, School Supplies and Office Supplies . You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view the lists.

 

Planned Giving

Giving to Jeffco Action Center can be more than a lifetime of support. A planned gift to Jeffco Action Center is a way to make a gift that will have a gift for the life of the organization!

There are many gift options depending on your circumstances. In most cases, it is not a choice between a legacy for your family or Jeffco Action Center. Instead, it is a choice of what type of gift options best serves both your family and Jeffco Action Center.

 

Gift Options

Planned (or deferred) gifts are contributions to Jeffco Action Center that often have an impact on the organization after you have passed on. There are many forms of planned gifts.

Straightforward gifts include bequests and life insurance policies while more complicated gift options include charitable remainder trusts and unitrusts.

For more information about leaving a bequest in your will click here.

For more information about leaving a planned gift through a life insurance policy, click here.

 

Legacy Path Society>

Legacy Path Society members are a special group of individuals who have made a planned gift to Jeffco Action Center and let us know about the gift. Legacy Path Society member receive certain benefits for their membership. A Legacy Path Society member is a special individual who has chosen to make a lasting legacy with Jeffco Action Center. For more information about the Legacy Path Society click here.

 

Other Ways to Donate

There are many other types of gifts that have been donated to Jeffco Action Center over the years. The most common of these gifts is a car. Stock donations are also a great way to make a gift to Jeffco Action Center. Other items not already listed are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

Car Donations

Individuals and businesses may donate a car to Jeffco Action Center through Cars Helping Charities. This organization works with Jeffco Action Center to have the proceeds from your donation benefit Jeffco Action Center.

Cars Helping Charities will pick up your car and sell it at an auction. The proceeds are then given to Jeffco Action Center on your behalf. It is a great way to support the Action Center.

Click on the Cars Helping Charity Logo learn how to get the process started You may also call 303-423-2277 to get the process started.

 

Stock Donations

Jeffco Action Center accepts donations of stock from individuals and businesses. Please click here to download our stock donation form to get the process started. You may also call Joe Haines, Director of Development, at (303) 237-7704 ext. 204.

 

Other Types of Donations

Jeffco Action Center may also accept other donations such as works of Art, Real Estate, etc. These items are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please call Joe Haines at (303) 237-7704 ext. 204 if you are interested in making a donation of something not listed above.

 

Special Events

Beautiful Junk Sale

Twice each year hundreds of people come to shop Jeffco Action Center’s Beautiful Junk sale. This sale creates additional financial resources that provide food, clothing and shelter to those in need. This unique event fills the more than 10,500 square foot Exhibit Hall and is one of the largest bargain shopping sales in the area. Bargain shoppers will find it difficult to leave empty handed as they find thousands of items ranging from jewelry, collectables, vintage odds and ends and a vast array of household items donated by the community for this event only.

The sale is normally held on a Friday and Saturday in March and October. A special Early Bird Shopping event takes place between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Friday; the cost for admission is $20. Doors open for everyone at 8:30 a.m. Friday, close at 4 p.m., and admission is $2 for everyone 16 and older. Saturday the sale runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bargain shoppers can pay for their purchases with either cash, check or credit card ($20 minimum.)

The Jefferson County Fairgrounds is located at 15200 W. 6th Avenue in Golden (http://www.co.jefferson.co.us/fair/).

Where Action Matters Breakfast

The Where Action Matters Breakfast brings the community together to hear about the help, hope and dignity that Jeffco Action Center’s work provides to its clients each day.

During the annual one-hour event, guests learn more about the Action Center and its role in the community. Board members, volunteers and past clients share stories and speak about the effect Jeffco Action Center has had on their lives and the community. Several hundred people attend the event with the guest list being made up of city and county officials, volunteers, staff members, donors, community members and recipients of the Action Center services. The event raises funds that the Action Center uses to provide essential stabilizing services to those in need  in Jefferson County.