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How Can Your Donations Help the Episcopal Church Foundation?

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Donating to causes that are important to you not only benefits the charities but can also be extremely rewarding for you. Millions of people donate to charity on a regular basis to support causes they believe in and to benefit their own lives.

The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth, revitalization, and transformation of Episcopal faith communities. The organization is succeeding in its mission to inspire and nurture church leaders, assist in the acquisition and management of financial assets, and provide high-quality and innovative resources and ideas for use throughout the Church.

Donation Programs 

ECF’s programs play an important role in constructing the Church of the future. This work does not come cheap. Individuals, foundations, and others who care about this important work make generous contributions to ECF. We hope you will consider making a contribution to help ECF continue to respond to God’s call in meaningful and lasting ways.

Here’s how you can help if you’re interested in donating to ECF:

Ways to Make a Planned Gift

Bequests and Wills

The most straightforward way to make a planned gift is to include the Episcopal Church Foundation in your will. A bequest is a meaningful way to support their work while not interfering with your cash flow during your lifetime. Your attorney can include it when preparing or revising your will, or you can add it at any time.

Some examples of bequests include:

A specific bequest specifies the amount of money, securities, or other assets that you want to leave to ECF. It can also represent a specific percentage of the total value of your estate.

After all other bequests have been satisfied, a residuary bequest leaves the remainder of your estate (or a percentage of the total) to your beneficiaries.

You can designate ECF as the beneficiary of a contingency bequest, which accounts for the possibility of a change in your beneficiary’s circumstances.

Unrestricted and Restricted Gifts

If you want to make a restricted gift, make sure to include language that allows ECF to re-direct the use of your gift if the specified initiative, program, or purpose no longer requires funds in the future.

Charitable Gift Annuities

A charitable gift annuity is a straightforward arrangement between you and the Episcopal Church Foundation. ECF pays one or two annuitants to whom you designate a fixed annuity for life in exchange for your irrevocable gift of cash or securities, and you will be eligible for an income tax deduction in the year you make the gift.

The minimum age to begin receiving annuity payments at ECF is 55. You can, however, establish a charitable gift annuity at a younger age and postpone the start of annuity payments until the age of 55. ECF requires a minimum of $5,000 to establish a charitable gift annuity.

You will receive an instantaneous income tax deduction for a portion of your gift, and your annuity will be backed by the entirety of ECF’s assets.

Retirement Plans

Through your retirement plan, you can make a contribution to the Episcopal Church Foundation. Certain retirement plans, such as IRAs, Keoghs, 401ks, and 403bs, allow you to postpone paying taxes until you withdraw income during retirement. However, these accounts are frequently subject to significant taxes after your death.

Charitable Trusts

A charitable trust can help you achieve your short- and long-term financial, estate, and philanthropic objectives. A donor makes an irreversible transfer of cash, real estate, stock, or other assets to a trust that generates income for the donor or another beneficiary for a set period of up to twenty years or until the donor or another beneficiary dies. The remaining principal possessions will be distributed to ECF at the end of the trust period.

Pooled Income Fund

A contribution of $2,500 or more to a pooled income fund is “pooled” with other contributions in a professionally managed investment portfolio. You or your designated receiver will be guaranteed an income for the rest of your life, with the amount determined by the fund’s investment returns. You will receive an instant federal income tax deduction as well as possibly a reduction in estate taxes. When you die, or the final beneficiary dies, the remaining property will pass to ECF.

Bank Accounts, Securities, and Certificates of Deposit

A planned gift to ECF can be made at no cost by designating it as the beneficiary of a bank account or security. You can direct any financial institution with which you have an account or are the holder of a security to place your asset in a trust (also known as a Totten Trust or a Transfer upon Death Account) that will be transferred directly to the Episcopal Church Foundation upon your death.

Life Insurance Policies

ECF welcomes philanthropic support in the form of gifts of life insurance policies once the policies have been paid in full and ECF has been named as the owner and irrevocable beneficiary of the policy.

End Note 

ECF works hard every day to ensure that all lay and clergy leaders have access to the resources they need to thrive. But they can’t do it alone. There are ways you can help them achieve their mission: you can donate money to support their programs, or you can also spread the word about our work by sharing our website and social media posts with your friends and family. Whatever you do, know that your support is essential to ECF’s success. Thank you for helping ECF strengthen the Episcopal Church community!

Michelle has been a part of the journey ever since Bigtime Daily started. As a strong learner and passionate writer, she contributes her editing skills for the news agency. She also jots down intellectual pieces from categories such as science and health.

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Lifestyle

Commercial and Industrial Lighting Solutions: A Bright Future with LEDLightExpert

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Today, conserving the planet’s dwindling resources is more critical than ever, but many commercial buildings still waste approximately 30% of the energy they consume. Fortunately, the emergence of LED lighting equips these businesses with a powerful way to improve operations while reducing overhead costs.

“Our mission is to provide sustainable lighting solutions that reduce energy consumption and lower the carbon footprint of commercial and industrial operations,” says Dara Greaney, CEO of LEDLightExpert.com. “LED lighting is a huge leap forward in technology. It offers outstanding benefits both for businesses and for the planet.”

Why LED lighting is the sustainable choice for commercial and industrial applications

Traditional lighting solutions like incandescent and halogen lamps convert much of the energy they consume into heat, making them hot to the touch. In contrast, LEDs generate minimal heat and use most of their energy to produce light, making them far more efficient and reducing a building’s cooling load.

Thanks to their efficiency, LEDs use approximately 75% less energy than their incandescent counterparts. For large commercial and industrial spaces requiring extensive lighting, energy efficiency translates into substantial cost savings. The energy bills of facilities operating on a 24/7 schedule, such as warehouses and manufacturing plants, stand to benefit the most.

A positive review from an LEDLightExpert customer states, “The 52-500, 100-watt LED flood lights we ordered were heavy-duty, sealed for exterior use, and had 50% more lumens than the 100-watt lights they replaced.”  

LEDs also boast an impressive lifespan. Because LED bulbs last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, customers can expect fewer replacements and lower maintenance costs.

Whereas traditional lighting options might need to be replaced every few months or years, LED lights last for decades with minimal maintenance. This longevity is crucial in industrial environments where accessing light fixtures can be challenging and costly.

In a recent review, another satisfied LEDLightExpert customer reports, “We have used these 150w LEDs to retrofit 62 400w metal halide lights in our church parking lot. I just ordered the last [five] needed to complete this project. The original LED lights have been in for over a year with not one issue. Great product […] great customer service!”

LED bulbs are an all-around boon for the environment. By consuming less energy, they lower greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a smaller carbon footprint. Their long lifespan also reduces waste and the overall impact on landfills. 

Finally, unlike fluorescent lighting, which contains hazardous substances like mercury, LEDs are non-toxic and do not require special disposal procedures. This makes them a safer and more eco-friendly option for businesses looking to enhance their sustainability practices.

LED lighting offers improved lighting quality

It turns out that LED bulbs benefit people as well as the planet. Advanced LED features such as dimming capabilities, smart controls, and motion sensors allow businesses to tailor lighting systems to a range of needs and conditions. 

Additionally, the wide range of cool and warm lighting options available from LED bulbs enables businesses to optimize comfort with the most natural lighting possible. Studies confirm that well-lit workplaces lead to increased productivity, health, and job satisfaction for employees.

“The brightness, clarity, and consistency of LED lights ensure safer and more productive work environments,” Greaney notes. “At LEDLightExpert, we are dedicated to lighting solutions that enhance visibility and make the workplace a more enjoyable place to be.” 

LEDLightExpert: Leading the way in commercial and industrial lighting

LEDLightExpert has made a name for itself in the realm of commercial and industrial lighting, and its commitment to quality and innovation is evident in its comprehensive product offerings. The brand’s high bay LED lights deliver bright and consistent lighting even in rooms with high ceilings and expansive spaces, making them ideal choices for warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and gymnasiums, providing powerful and efficient illumination. The high bay lights ensure every corner of the facility is well-lit, enhancing both safety and productivity. 

For these unique applications, LEDLightExpert offers several options. First, named for their characteristic circular shape, UFO Style High Bay lights provide broad and efficient illumination. Designed for maximum efficiency and minimal maintenance, their innovative design ensures an even distribution of light across expansive areas such as factories and storage facilities.

Next, featuring long LED tubes, Linear Style High Bay lights are known for their energy efficiency and high lumen output. They are perfect for spaces with ceiling heights ranging from 15 to 30 feet.

Finally, for spaces that need 360-degree lighting, LED Corn Bulbs from LEDLightExpert present an ideal solution. These bulbs, shaped like an ear of corn with multiple LED chips installed on all sides, are excellent replacements for traditional metal halides, high-pressure sodium lamps, and CFL bulbs. They offer a cost-effective path to upgrade lighting systems by enabling businesses to retrofit current fixtures to LED without considerable infrastructure changes.

Safety and security are a top concern in industrial and outdoor commercial settings. LEDLightExpert offers commercial LED floodlights that illuminate vast areas such as parking lots, building façades, and construction sites with bright and consistent lighting that enhances visibility and deters potential security threats. Their durable design withstands harsh weather conditions while providing maximum visibility.

For outdoor perimeters, LEDLightExpert’s Industrial LED Wall Packs are another excellent lighting option. These fixtures provide powerful lighting that enhances security and aesthetics at the same time.

LEDLightExpert’s street and parking lot lights are well-suited for municipal and commercial applications, ensuring well-lit paths and parking areas. Their design focuses on both performance and energy savings, improving public safety with reliable, bright lighting. 

“Our lineup of LED products meets the wide range of needs expressed by our commercial and industrial clients,” explains Greaney. “From high-wattage flood lights to customizable lighting solutions, we are constantly innovating to bring the latest LED technology to our customers. With LED, the benefits are clear, the products outstanding, and the future undeniably bright.”

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