Membership Guide GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. UNITEDWAYSEM.ORG For more information, please contact us at ADTSociety@LiveUnitedSEM.org
Creating Change With the Alexis de Tocqueville Society It has been a pleasure to serve as Alexis de Tocqueville Initiative chairs over the last five years. In that time, society membership increased enough to make us a Top 10 chapter up from 37th in the country. Last fall, we celebrated moving up one more notch to rank ninth in the nation. We are grateful for members who made this possible! As we look to the future, we recognize how important our society members are to our community and to United Way. We are pleased to hand the reigns over to Mark Davidoff and Margie Dunn, who have agreed to lead the society for the next two years. Mark and Margie will create exciting ways to build upon our past success and carry forward the important role our members play in supporting the mission of United Way. Thank you for joining our efforts to make a difference in our community. With much gratitude, Lisa and Bill Ford We are so honored to serve as the new chairs of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, and to work with all of you to move our region forward. Under the stewardship of Lisa and Bill Ford, we launched the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Initiative with the goal of increasing participation in this most important segment of philanthropic leadership. The record-setting generosity of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society has provided resources for United Way to help thousands of Southeastern Michigan children and families in so many ways. The Alexis de Tocqueville Society funds projects like the 2-1-1 resource center, which provides emergency referrals to families in need; programs for parents that help them prepare their children for kindergarten; and access to healthy foods all year long for children. Donors make all of that and more possible. We are working with President and CEO Dr. Darienne Driver and the United Way team to continue to enhance our society with a focus on both growth and the experience for our members. Your ideas and thoughts are critically important, so we encourage you to share with us at ADTSociety@LiveUnitedSEM.org. With our highest appreciation, Mark Davidoff and Margie Dunn 2 3
Affinity groups such as the Alexis de Tocqueville Society are vital in supporting our mission and transforming our communities. Darienne B. Driver, Ed.D. United Way for Southeastern Michigan, President and CEO 4 5
We Live United for universal success and prosperity in Southeastern Michigan. 6 7
I support United Way because I was excited about their focus on education, basic needs and financial stability, and moving the needle with high school turnaround work. Leadership was bold and took a risk to drive meaningful impact. Srikant Inampudi Member of United Way for Southeastern Michigan s board and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society 8 9
As a society member, your gift makes the greatest impact, and you'll get exclusive benefits. Invitations to exclusive events hosted by corporate and community leaders. Recognition on our elite donor wall as an Alexis de Tocqueville Society member and initiation into our Honor Roll of Donors. Access to member volunteer activities. Networking opportunities and receptions with business and civic leaders. A dedicated relationship manager to help you manage and reach your philanthropic goals. Quarterly membership newsletters and donor profiles. Mentorship opportunities with Emerging Philanthropists, a Leadership Giving group for young professionals. United Way is a perfect philanthropic match for us. It coincides with our passion for education, early intervention and helping those in need. From supporting the Bib to Backpack program to volunteering to assemble literacy kits, we feel our financial and hands-on contributions make a significant difference in Detroit and beyond. Christine and Pat Scoggin Alexis de Tocqueville Society members 10 11
Members enjoy exclusive events 12 13
How to join The minimum annual contribution to join the Alexis de Tocqueville Society is $10,000 per year. However, United Way offers a unique way for new members to enjoy the society as they step up their pledge over the course of three years. By participating in this three-year pledge program, you will be recognized as an Alexis de Tocqueville Society member upon enrollment and will be immediately eligible for full benefits, opportunities and events. See pledge card for full details. Year 1...$6,000 Membership Commitment Year 2...$8,000 Year 3...$10,000 14 15
Your gift changes lives Here are some ways your gift can make an impact in the community. United Way plays an important role in making our community a better place. Through our Alexis de Tocqueville membership, our family ensures that this work can continue to help children and families thrive. Tim Manganello Alexis de Tocqueville Society member $10,000 $25,000 $50,000 $100,000 connects parents with a program navigator which helps place 2,000 local children in high-quality summer learning opportunities. can support 5,000 2-1-1 calls, which offer service referrals on shelter, food, health services and more. can support enrolling 57 households into our utility assistance program, which offers shut-off protection and self-sufficiency services. can support 200 Meet Up and Eat Up summer meal sites, which serve more than 425,000 meals. 16 17
The Tocqueville Legacy Circle There are more ways to join the Alexis de Tocqueville Society outside of a cash or step-up gift program. Donors who endow a minimum gift of $200,000 to United Way through their estate plan join our elite Tocqueville Legacy Circle. Through their Tocqueville Legacy Circle membership, these generous supporters extend their impact on the community for generations to come and are nationally recognized. There are several options to make a planned gift, including a United Way life insurance policy. Learn more about all planned giving options by visiting UnitedWaySEM.org/Legacy. 18 19
A legacy of giving back Origins of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Alexis Charles-Henri de Tocqueville was only 26 years old when he came to the United States and Canada in 1831, recording his observations of life in the young nations. Though he only spent nine months in North America, he gleaned many profound insights about American society. His observations, readings and discussions with eminent Americans formed the basis of Democracy in America, a detailed study of American society and politics, published in two volumes in 1835 and 1840. Tocqueville recognized, applauded and immortalized North American voluntary action on behalf of the common good. He wrote: I must say that I have seen Americans make a great deal of real sacrifices to the public welfare; and have noticed a hundred instances in which they hardly ever failed to lend a faithful support to one another, eloquently capturing the essence of personal philanthropy that persists almost two centuries later. The observations on philanthropy Alexis de Tocqueville made in 1831 remain true today: advancing the common good means creating opportunities for a better life for all. The society s name was chosen because of Alexis de Tocqueville s admiration for the spirit of voluntary association and effort toward its advancement. The Alexis de Tocqueville Society today Founded in 1984, the United Way Tocqueville Society is an opportunity for passionate individuals to become more deeply involved in our mission. The Alexis de Tocqueville Society recognizes local philanthropic leaders and volunteer champions in the United States, France and Romania who have devoted time, talent and funds to create long-lasting changes by tackling our communities most serious issues. 20
We support United Way as a part of Caresoft's mission to socially engage and give back to the community in Detroit. Our involvement in the Alexis de Tocqueville Society makes us feel like we're part of a larger cause along with like-minded folks who are great role models for our family and employees. Mathew Vachaparampil and Dr. Anna Mathew Alexis de Tocqueville Society members 22 23