Ways to Give

Women on the Phone, Social Justice, YWCA Evanston/North Shore

Your support creates real impact. Here’s how you can make a difference!

YWCA Evanston/North Shore encourages you to get involved and make a difference in our community. One of the easiest ways to contribute is with an online donation.

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Ways to Donate to YWCA Evanston/North Shore

  • YWCA Evanston/North Shore encourages you to get involved and make a difference in our community. An easy way to support our community is by making an online donation today.

    YWCA provides a variety of opportunities for you to make an individual gift.

    ONLINE:Donate securely online using your credit card. You can make a one-time gift, or become a monthly donor. Monthly donations will be automatically charged to your credit card and can be changed or canceled at any time.

    BY PHONE: Contact Jamie Kendrick, Development Coordinator at 224-420-3253 to make a credit card donation over the phone.

    BY MAIL: Donate by check and indicate your donation in the memo line, then mail to:

    YWCA Evanston/North Shore

    1215 Church St.

    Evanston, IL 60201

    BY PAYROLL DEDUCTION:

    Many companies and organizations offer their employees an opportunity to make charitable gifts using payroll deductions. Check with your Human Resources department to see if this is an option for you.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION: If you have questions about any of our giving programs, please contact our Development Office at development@ywca-ens.org.

  • Your monthly gift will have a lasting impact and provide year-round support for the individuals we serve.

    The work of YWCA Evanston/North Shore has never been more important! By giving monthly, you provide dependable financial support for critical YWCA programs that help families.

    EFFECTIVE – your monthly gift helps support programs that provide safety and shelter, financial education and job training, swim scholarships, and racial equity training.

    POWERFUL – your monthly gift helps fuel innovative programs and new initiatives to meet the changing needs of our communities.

    CONVENIENT – your monthly gift is automatically charged to your credit card and can be revised or cancelled at any time!

    SIMPLIFY YOUR GIVING – BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR TODAY!

    Simply select “I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR” on our donation form.

  • Gifts to Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) have become popular vehicles for charitable giving due to favorable tax benefits.

    DEFINITION

    DAFs are named charitable giving accounts that are set up under a public charity, most often a sponsoring financial or community institution. To set up a DAF, donors make a gift of cash or other assets to the financial institution, receive a tax deduction, and as a “donor advisor” are then able to make grant recommendations to the charities you care about.

    HOW TO MAKE A GIFT

    Giving through your DAF is easy. There are two ways to make a gift to the YWCA Evanston/North Shore:

    Option 1 – Simply contact your financial institution to recommend a grant to YWCA Evanston/ North Shore. Our tax identification number is 36-2193618.

    Option 2 – Click here to complete the process online using FreeWill.

    RECOGNITION

    We are happy to recognize your donations to YWCA Evanston/North Shore, whether made via a DAF or other sources, in our Annual Impact Report.

    DISCLAIMER

    This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. For information on how your philanthropic giving may affect your tax situation, please consult with your financial advisor.

  • When you transfer gifts of appreciated stock or other securities to YWCA Evanston/North Shore, you are eligible for a tax deduction for fair market value. You can designate your gift for a specific fund or purpose.

    You can transfer gifts of stock online using FreeWill. Click here to get started. If you prefer not to use this online tool, see these instructions:

    For more information about donating stock or other securities to YWCA Evanston/North Shore, contact us at development@ywca-ens.org.

  • Our Leadership Circle is comprised of donors who make annual contributions of $5,000 or more to YWCA Evanston/North Shore. It is our premier donor community, offering opportunities for donors to connect more deeply with our mission and our programs. Leadership Circle gifts provide critical operating support for all YWCA programs, and impact thousands of women, children and families throughout our service area. These annual gifts are an important investment in the well-being of our communities.

    By giving $5,000 or more, you are automatically included in our Leadership Circle.

    Click here to make a gift online today, or contact us at development@ywca-ens.org.

  • You can invest in YWCA’s future by making a planned gift to the YWCA Evanston/North Shore Legacy Circle.

    Legacy Circle planned gifts help to ensure the future growth and sustainability of our organization and ensure that future generations of women and families can benefit from YWCA Evanston/North Shore programs and services.

    Joining the Legacy Circle

    The YWCA Legacy Circle recognizes individuals that include YWCA Evanston/North Shore as a beneficiary in their will or estate plans, as well as those individuals that make a direct gift to the YWCA Evanston/North Shore Legacy Fund.

    These gifts help strengthen our future by:

    • Contributing to the long-term financial health of YWCA Evanston North Shore.

    • Providing security in times of uncertain funding from public funding sources.

    • Ensuring that YWCA will continue providing essential services to women, children and families in the communities we serve for many years to come.

    The most common type of Legacy Circle gift is a bequest gift. In addition to helping to secure our future, bequest gifts enable donors to create a lasting expression of their own personal legacy.

    You do not need to have great wealth or a complex estate plan to make a bequest gift. You can get started online using FreeWill today. Click here to learn more and get started.

    Making a bequest gift is as easy as adding this suggested language to your will, along with our legal name and Tax ID:

    I give and bequeath to YWCA Evanston/North Shore, Evanston, IL 60201 the sum of $____ , (or ____% of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate) for the general purposes of supporting YWCA Evanston/North Shore.

    Legal name: YWCA Evanston/North Shore

    Tax ID: 36-2193618

    A bequest gift can be made through your original will or in a codicil. It is revocable and you can amend anything you choose. In addition, we will not receive anything during your lifetime.

    If you have already included YWCA Evanston/North Shore as a beneficiary in your will or estate plans, please let us know so that we may thank you and acknowledge your generosity.

    For more information, please contact us at development@ywca-ens.org. To learn more about all YWCA planned giving options available via Freewill, the online legal will maker, click here.

    *Planning your estate requires careful consideration. Please consult your attorney or tax advisor for professional advice.

Other Ways to Give ↘

Support YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women!

Employer Matching Gifts

Many employers offer matching gift programs through which the company will make a separate gift that is equal, double, or even triple the amount of your gift. You can use the search engine below to see if your company has a matching gift program. It will also direct you to any forms you may need to fill out and let you know which gifts apply for matching.

You can also contact your company’s Human Resources Department to learn more about your employer’s matching gift program. If available, they will provide you with the necessary forms to be completed and submitted along with your gift. One-time gifts, gifts of securities, tributes, and special gifts are all eligible for matching funds from employers.

Here’s how you can double your donation! See if your employer will match your gift to YWCA Evanston/North Shore!

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Tribute Gifts

Your gift can be made in honor or memory of someone special in your life. Tributes and special gifts can serve to acknowledge a meaningful event, such as a birthday or graduation, or to send a special message to a loved one on a meaningful occasion, such as Mother’s Day. If provided a mailing address, we will send a notification card of your gift to your designated recipient.

You can make a Tribute gift using our online donation form. Make sure to click the “I would like to dedicate this donation” checkbox, which will allow you to fill out the person you are dedicating your donation to, as well as where we can send a notification card of your tribute gift.

If you have any questions, please contact our Development Office at development@ywca-ens.org.

In-Kind Gifts

In-kind donations to YWCA Evanston/North Shore do a community of good! Here’s how:

  • They provide survivors and their children at our Mary Lou's Place domestic violence shelter with essentials to help rebuild their lives. Many survivors come to us with nothing.

  • They help keep expenses down so we can focus on essential programming.

  • Sales of donated women’s clothing help support our programs through our Shop for Good resale shops for women. 100% of profits from both shops support our domestic violence and economic empowerment programs for women across northeastern suburban Cook County. 

YWCA’s main building (1215 Church Street, Evanston) only accepts in-kind donations that have been approved by our staff. Please e-mail development@ywca-ens.org with the items you would like to donate. Thank you for thinking of us!

Unfortunately, YWCA cannot accommodate drop-off or pick-up in-kind donation requests.

Mary Lou's Place Wishlist

FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS

  • Bar soap/body wash

  • Bath and hand towels

  • Bath linens

  • Clothing hangers

  • Coloring books (both adult and children)

  • Cotton briefs (women, men, and children in various sizes)

  • Deodorant (women and men's)

  • Fruit cups

  • Individual/snack size food items (nut-free, pre-packaged only)

    • Cookies

    • Chips

    • Fruit Snacks

    • Crackers

  • Juice boxes/small water bottles

  • Kleenex tissues

  • Laundry baskets

  • Laundry pods (no liquid or powder detergent)

  • Paper towels

  • Sunscreen

  • Swiffer mops and pads

  • Toothbrushes (adult and child)

  • Toilet paper

  • Trash bags (bathroom size, kitchen size, and heavy-duty larger bags)

  • Umbrellas

GIFT CARDS

  • Target, CVS, Jewel/ Osco, Walgreens, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar

FOR CHILDREN

  • African-American Barbie dolls & baby dolls

  • Books (multicultural & nonviolent themes) for children of all ages (including board books)

  • Clothing, shoes, boots, and accessories

  • Hats, scarves, and mittens

  • Legos, Duplos

  • medium or small size trucks

  • Puzzles, board games, model cars & airplanes

  • Rhythm Instruments: Maracas, small “finger” drums, tambourines, bells, etc

  • Tea Sets, play food, and cooking sets

  • Toys – culturally sensitive – for children 14 years and under, especially for children under 3 years old (please no violent play items, i.e. toy dart or water guns, violent action.) Examples:

FOR ADULTS

  • Bath gift sets, make-up sets

  • Bathrobes

  • Blanket throws

  • Body lotion (unscented)

  • Body wash

  • Clorox disinfectant wipes

  • Deodorant

  • Hairstyle products (specifically for textured hair)

  • Hats, scarves, and mittens

  • Hair brushes (specifically for textured hair)

  • Journals and puzzle books

  • Manicure/pedicure kits and nail polish

  • Medium-sized luggage/overnight bags

  • New/unopened and full-sized toiletries:

    • Deodorant

    • Shampoo/conditioner (specifically for textured hair)

    • Toothpaste

  • Pajamas

  • Slippers

  • Writing journals

Clothing Donations

We ask that donations of new and gently used clothing be made to:

  1.  YWCA Shop for Good resale shops (1107 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 or 2122 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201). YWCA Shop for Good is a non-profit enterprise owned by YWCA Evanston/North Shore. The shops accept new and gently-used women’s clothing, shoes, accessories and jewelry on during store hours, Tue-Thu: 12 PM - 5 PM, and Fri and Sat: 10 AM - 5 PM. 

Donations We Cannot Accept at the Shelter

We cannot accept every donation. Upon occasion, it might be necessary for our staff to help you redirect your donation to other organizations where it can be put to better use.

ITEMS WE CANNOT ACCEPT:

  • Menstrual products at this time: We have a surplus at this time, though past donations were appreciated.

  • Used clothing: We cannot accept used clothing at our shelter. New and gently used women’s clothing can be dropped off at one of our YWCA Shop for Good resale shops.

  • Used toys and stuffed animals: Through community-organized toy drives and private donations, we are fortunate to be able to provide the children at Mary Lou’s Place with new toys. The dust and allergens carried in used stuffed animals pose a health risk to an allergic child.

  • Home baked goods and homemade meals: Health codes dictate that the shelter can not accept homemade food of any kind.

  • Furniture: Rooms at Mary Lou’s Place are each “adopted” by a community group or family that sees to its refurbishment and upkeep for a two-year period. We do not therefore have an ongoing need for furniture nor do we have the capability of storing this type of donation.

  • Sample-size toiletries: The families that stay at Mary Lou’s Place do so for up to 90 days, so sample-sized toiletries do not meet their needs. We ask that donated toiletries be full-size.

  • Furniture: Our new campus is housed with all the furniture for the families that stay at Mary Lou’s Place. Please check the in-need list for any specific furniture requests.

Again, we are deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors, even if we occasionally have to say “no thank you”. We appreciate your understanding.

Buy a Brick

Buy a brick — in honor or in memory

Donate a personalized brick engraved with the name of your family, in honor of a special person in your life, or in memory of a loved one. Your brick donation will support the mission of YWCA, to eliminate racism and empower women.

Newly engraved bricks are installed every summer on the walkway near the Main Entrance at the south end of YWCA’s campus where hundreds of people will see it every day for years to come.

Donate a brick