Winter 2019 VOL 6 : Issue 1 NEWS FROM SERVANTS AT WORK From the Executive Director SAWs ended 2018 in strong financial shape thanks to you. We have increased our funding and broadened our base of donors, making our organization more sustainable and less reliant on a smaller number of resources. We had record-level numbers of individuals join the ranks of our donors. We have had more people give at the Major Gifts level of $1,000 than ever before and several of you shared with us that you have included SAWs in your estate planning to ensure a strong financial future. Thank you! Your support strengthens our organization, enabling our growth and our ability to provide freedom to more people across our state. We moved out of our Robbins Rd. facility at the end of November and moved into a temporary office on the east side while we renovate our future home on Zionsville Rd. The construction is well underway and we plan to move into our new location this spring. Keep your eye out for an invitation to our Open House! Our Affiliates are growing stronger and several counties have secured a prefabrication site for their builds. They have motivated leaders and a strong core of volunteers. There really couldn’t be a more exciting time to be a part of SAWs and I am grateful for all of you. Sincerely, Christina Starace, Executive Director To arrange to make a gift of stock, please contact Christina Starace, Executive Director, at 317-844-7664 x6049 or cstarace@sawsramps.org. SAWSRAMPS.ORG Calling All VOLUNTEERS! It’s almost time to limber up those muscles and start building ramps in the 2019 season. Please register for our free First Aid and CPR/AED classes, then start building ramps with us in mid-March. Make sure that you have registered as a volunteer on our website to stay informed of upcoming builds! Gifts of appreciated stock Have you ever considered making a gift of appreciated stock? Many donors find this to be a great way to support an organization they care about while also avoiding capital gains taxes. Contact your financial advisor to see if giving appreciated stock makes sense for you. Building Freedom one ramp at a time SawsRamps.org
Transformation in Progress: If you had seen this place a month ago, you wouldn’t believe your eyes now. While clearly a work in progress, the new office is quickly becoming SAWs’ new home. Our volunteers have been spending time every week tearing out windows and walls, building frames, adding drywall, painting, removing closets and cabinets, filling in old doorways and creating others. They have moved plumbing and wiring, replaced ceiling tiles and added new LED lighting. Truly, there is nothing these guys can’t do. One of the highlights of their work is the creation of an accessible bathroom. “It’s really important for an organization with our mission to be accessible to all,” said Jim Hamilton, SAWs’ Indianapolis Area Coordinator who is overseeing the renovation of the office. Adjoining the office is the warehouse that will be home to our prefabrication process in the 2019 build season. Construction of a 21’ overhead door will soon be underway. “It just made sense to create one large door with an automatic opener so that we wouldn’t have to navigate around a pole while backing our trailers into the warehouse to be loaded with supplies for the builds.” Jim Hamilton, Area Coordinator and Project Manager for the renovation, rolls up his sleeves. Another great feature of this space is the concrete block room in the middle of the warehouse where we will be able to store our tools when they are not in use. The brightly lit warehouse with ample heating equipment, a secure storage space and a right-sized office will make a wonderful home for SAWs, beginning in March 2019. Keep an eye out for an announcement regarding our Open House. We look forward to showing you around. Don Birt moves the electrical wiring. John Connell shares his painting expertise. Pete Mohr replaces ceiling tile. SawsRamps.org Follow us on: facebook twitter instagram
Connections Winter 2019 Servants at Work Affiliates in Action LAKE COUNTY After Kathy Giannini’s teenage daughter returned home from a youth group experience of building five ramps in five days with SAWs in Indianapolis, she knew they had to find opportunities to help folks in Lake County who were trapped inside their home. Finding none, the retired steel mill manager and engineer met with SAWs founder Rik Hagarty and board member David Kennedy in 2018 to discuss becoming a SAWs affiliate. Four ramps later, Kathy is serving as the Area Coordinator for Lake County and is actively searching for a warehouse or other suitable space that can be used by SAWs rent-free to prefabricate frames for ramp construction. Once that location is identified, Lake County will be considered a full SAWs affiliate. When asked about her most memorable experience with SAWs, Kathy shared an exchange she had with an AfricanAmerican ramp recipient living in Section 8 One of four ramps completed by SAWs in Lake County’s first build season. housing in Gary. Sitting together in Sherrelle’s living room as Kathy was conducting the site evaluation, she told Kathy that she was so determined to vote that she planned to skip dialysis and use her walker to walk three blocks to the bus stop and take the city bus to the polling site. Kathy was floored in that moment by thinking about what she takes for granted as a person with mobility. When Kathy asked her if she would accept a ride, Sherrelle paused briefly and then said, “Yeah – that would be nice.” The two women bonded as they made their way to the polling site in downtown Gary and Kathy was moved when Sherrelle indicated that she would prefer that she come inside with her instead of waiting in the car. “This was a moment of bridging two worlds and it was the ramp that brought us together.” SAWs Traveling Trainer Mark Harmon, SAWs Advocate Kristin Marlow-Kellerman and Lake County Area Coordinator Kathy Giannini clearly enjoy their time on the build site. Items for Sale! The new look of SAWs continues to spread awareness of who we are and what we do. We have short-sleeved and longsleeved t-shirts in adult sizes S-3XL available for $10 and $18 each, respectively. We also have black stocking caps with the green SAWs logo on the front for $15 each. Please email Emily Barrow at ebarrow@sawsramps.org to order. Having lived in Lake County all her life with a career in the steel mills and having volunteered with the homeless population for the past thirty years, Kathy said, “Not a lot stuns me. But this one knocked me upside the head.” Thank you, Kathy, for getting SAWs off the ground in Lake County! SAWs merchandise
Why I give… BOB SWEET, SAWs Volunteer Bob Sweet has been a regular volunteer at SAWS for the past seven years. A retired Lilly employee, Sweet has spent the early years of his retirement helping others. “A key to good health in retirement is keeping physically and socially active. SAWs provides those opportunities while providing life changing services to individuals in our community. It is what my wife calls adult daycare that is making a difference.” Sweet helps with his hands and also supports SAWs financially, understanding that nonprofit organizations are dependent on the generosity of donors to fulfill their mission.“Where else can you contribute $1,000 to help a family and make this big of a difference?” When asked about when he makes his gift, Sweet says, “I like to give in the first quarter of the year to help with the cash flow of the organization. I know that SAWs needs money early in the year to purchase supplies for the beginning of the build season, and I know that it’s harder to raise the money at that time.” New SAWs Kroger Rewards Number: EP501 Support SAWs While You Shop KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS: Every quarter SAWs receives a percentage of the purchases made by SAWs supporters through Kroger Community Rewards. To enroll or update your account, go to www.kroger.com and choose Kroger Community Rewards at the bottom of the page. Click on “I’m a Customer” and search for Servants at Work or EP501. Each participant must update their account every year, so please take a moment to update yours today. If you need help, please email cecommunityrewards@kroger.com or call 317-579-8324 or 317-579-8321. AMAZON SMILE: Make your amazon purchases at smile.amazon.com and .5% of your purchase price will go to SAWs when you register SAWs as the charity of your choice. “We give through appreciated stock as part of our tax planning. It’s a great way for us to help the organizations we care about. We save on capital gains taxes and it doesn’t affect our AGI (adjusted gross income) because the amount we give never appears as income since it is transferred directly to SAWs.” Asked why SAWs is among his top philanthropic priorities, Sweet responded, “With SAWs, it’s the direct impact that really makes me want to give. I can see exactly what my money is doing and I get immediate feedback as to the difference a particular ramp makes in somebody’s life. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you see the tears of joy in the eyes of the client and of the caregiver. When you’ve seen it and felt it, it stays with you and it keeps you coming back.” When asked about his most memorable build, Sweet cites his experience of building for a woman who had not been out of her house for five years except when she called the paramedics to take her to get medical attention. “Can you imagine not being able to get out of your house for five years? That one really stayed with me.” SawsRamps.org
Connections Winter 2019 SAWs Trivia Night a Smashing Success! SAWs friends gathered for a night of fun and Valentine-themed trivia at Blackhawk Winery on February 8. The winery donated $5 for every person in attendance and a percentage of the wine and food proceeds to SAWs. Thank you, Blackhawk! Congratulations to Tom, Jennifer and Tori Lipinski and Chris Prauda for claiming the SAWs trivia championship! Who will claim the title next time? Tom and Jennifer Lipinski Rik and Becky Hagarty SAVE THE DATE! First Aid Class: Linda Goff is leading any and all SAWs staff and volunteers through a First Aid course. Particularly if you volunteer in the warehouse or on the build sites, this class is for you! This class is offered at no cost. Please RSVP to Emily Barrow at ebarrow@sawsramps.org by Feb. 25. When: Sat., March 2, 11:00-12:30 Where: OrthoIndy Education Room, 8400 Northwest Blvd, Indianapolis CPR/AED Class: If you have talked with anyone who took Linda Goff’s CPR/AED class last fall, you heard the rave reviews. Linda is offering this class once again for those who missed the fall sessions. Class size is limited, so please RSVP to Emily Barrow at ebarrow@sawsramps.org by March 4. This class is offered at no cost. When: Sat., March 9, 11:00-12:30 Where: OrthoIndy Education Room, 8400 Northwest Blvd, Indianapolis David and Barbara Kennedy Larry Speer and Luanne Devries
P.O. Box 68831 Indianapolis, IN 46268 Our PARTNERS SAWs expresses its deep gratitude to these organizations upon which so much of our work depends. FOUNDATION
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