Recognize Someone Special through Your Giving

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Financial Partner Testimony

"Christian Union has an ambitious goal: sweeping spiritual transformation of the Ivy League universities. The integrity, experience and maturity of the leadership team, led by Matt Bennett, convince me that this is an achievable goal toward which I am delighted to contribute my resources." 
- Eric T. Halverson

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For Assistance

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a donor representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

Paying it Forward

As an alumnus of Christian Union's ministry, your partnership is vital to ensure the next classes of students benefit from the same ministry you received. Express your support with a gift of any size. Your gifts count toward your class giving goals. Contact the Annual Giving Associate with questions about the Ministry Graduate giving program.

 

Gifts of Gratitude

Alumni of the Christian Union ministry can participate in the Gifts of Gratitude Campaign.  Contact the Annual Giving Associate to learn more, or make your gift today. 

 

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For Assistance

Call a donor representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2

Contact the Development/Giving Department directly at giving@christianunion.org

 

Transform Realty into Generous Giving

Giving a gift of real estate, such as a personal home, vacation home, undeveloped property, or a farm, can be a highly effective philanthropic and financial strategy. Each of the following gift arrangements has distinct tax benefits, which Christian Union would be happy to discuss with you:

• Your property can fund a trust that makes payments back to you or someone you name.
• You can choose to make an outright gift of real estate, which can be used for funding a ministry fellow or other purposes.
• If you are planning to sell your real estate, you can transfer ownership of an interest in the property to Christian Union. After the sale, the ministry receives its share of the proceeds.
• You can make a gift through a retained life estate arrangement, under which you give Christian Union your home, but retain the right to live there for the rest of your life. You also receive a current income tax deduction.
• The property that you contribute is removed from your taxable estate.

Steps for Gifting Real Estate >

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For Assistance

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a financial partner representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

Establish your legacy

Christian Union can help you explore ways to make a bequest that will assure your own legacy through a life-changing ministry. Making a gift from your estate begins with the following steps:

Understand Ways to Give

Name Christian Union as a beneficiary 

• Christian Union welcomes gifts of a remainder interest in an IRA or other qualified retirement plan (Keogh, tax-sheltered annuity, or qualified pension or profit-sharing plan). For some people, these can be the most highly taxed assets they own, since retirement plans assets can be subject to both estate and income taxes. Christian Union is a tax-exempt organization, so when you name the ministry as a beneficiary of your qualified retirement plan, these assets can pass to the ministry without being taxed. Similarly, when you name Christian Union as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy, the assets pass to the ministry tax free. Please contact your own Retirement Plan Administrator for a beneficiary designation form. The legal name for Christian Union is: "Christian Union Inc" and the tax ID number is: 22-3834440.

Make a gift through your will or living trust. 
Few legal instruments are more important to the people and causes you care about than your will. Before you meet with your attorney, we suggest that you become familiar with the ways you can make a bequest:

• A specific bequest directs a dollar amount or particular assets, such as securities, real estate, tangible personal property (works of art or rare books), to Christian Union.
• A residuary bequest directs all or a percentage of the remainder of your estate, after specific amounts bequeathed to other beneficiaries are distributed and estate-related expenses are paid, to Christian Union.
• A testamentary trust can be helpful for you and your family as well as for Christian Union. A lead trust saves estate taxes by providing annual payments to Christian Union in lieu of taxes; the remaining amount goes to your family or friends. A remainder trust provides payments to your surviving family members or friends for life or a set term, with the remainder going to Christian Union.

 

Think about your Christian Union Legacy

A gift to Christian Union may memorialize a friend or relative, or carry in perpetuity the name of the donor.
• An unrestricted bequest allows the ministry to determine how to use the funds based on its highest and most pressing needs. If you prefer to make an unrestricted bequest, we suggest the following sample language: "I give and bequeath to Christian Union Inc, a New Jersey not-for-profit corporation, the sum of ___________ Dollars {or all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate} to be used for the general purposes of the Ministry in the discretion of its Board of Trustees."
• A restricted bequest directs assets to a specific fund or a particular purpose. If you are considering designating your bequest for a specific purpose we suggest that you speak to a development officer at Christian Union. The ministry will help ensure that your gift is used as you would like. Staff members are available to discuss what you want to accomplish through your gift and can provide sample language for you and your attorney to review.

Resources

Letter of Intent >
Sample Bequest Language > 

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For Assistance

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a financial partner representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

Serving Christian Union's Financial Partners 

Contact the Christian Union development staff by email using: Firstname.Lastname@ChristianUnion.org

 

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Cheryl Ennis Self

Vice President of Development

Cheryl Ennis Self, ACFRE was the Founder and Chief Development Officer of the consultancy Funding for Change (FFC). Since 2016, FFC has provided expert guidance to both nonprofit and for profit corporations in the areas of creative visioning, innovative strategic planning, excellence in resource generation, and sustainable attainment of stated goals.

Prior to serving as a Business Consultant, Ms. Self was the Executive Director of Global Social Partnerships at World Vision (WV). Her prior roles at World Vision over 16 years included leadership of major donor, corporate and foundation development officers, while personally stewarding a strong portfolio of donor relationships. 

Her previous experience includes service as National Director of Advancement at Prison Fellowship Ministries, Washington, DC, and Interim Director of Development at The Stony Brook School, Long Island, NY. She began her early career as a teacher, then sales and sales management in Manhattan before moving into the nonprofit sector.

In 2013, The Association of Fundraising Professionals, the largest community of professional fundraisers in the world, awarded its highest professional certification, the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE) to Ms. Self. Available only to senior-level fundraisers who have worked in the profession for 10 or more years, the ACFRE is a distinguished achievement earned by only 104 professionals since the inception of the program in 1992. 

Ms. Self holds a BA in French Language from Gettysburg College, PA, where she graduated cum laude. She and her husband of 30 years, Jim, live in Northern Virginia.

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Isabella Campolattaro

Development Writer

A longtime freelance writer and communications consultant, Isabella holds an MS in management and public relations, and BA in communications studies, both from the University of Maryland. Isabella is an active Christian blogger, author, and contributor to nearly twenty books, including several Guideposts devotionals. 

Born in Southern California and raised in Maryland, Isabella now lives on Florida’s lush and lovely Suncoast with her two amazing school-age sons, Pierce and Isaac.

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David Cole

Director of Technical Services

David brings over ten years of fundraising operations experience serving organizations across the religious, social service, and education sectors. David specializes in helping non-profits optimize donor databases, streamline processes, and enhance data-driven strategic planning efforts.

David is a native Texan, a devout Catholic, and an Eagle Scout. He lives in Dallas-Ft. Worth area with his wife, Jennifer, and two daughters. He earned a BA in Communications from the University of Texas in San Antonio.

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Landon Eckhardt

Director of Development

Landon represents Christian Union in the Northeast Region, working closely with ministry financial partners, including individuals, churches, and foundations. His role is to steward their participation in developing Christian leaders to impact culture across the country.

Born and raised in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas metroplex, Landon earned a BSBA in finance from Samford University in 2009, an MDiv from Palmer Theological Seminary in 2014, and an MBA from Eastern University in 2017. Prior to joining Christian Union, Landon worked in development at The Bowery Mission in New York City where he managed a team overseeing donor relations, donation processing and receipting, and various data and reporting mechanisms.   

Landon and his wife, Amanda, currently live in New York City and are avid foodies, coffee lovers, and enjoy spending quality time with family and friends.

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Patty Fillman

Administrative Assistant

Patty provides crucial administrative support to the development team. She graduated from Mansfield University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked a variety of secretarial and managerial jobs while fulfilling her primary responsibility of raising her children.

Patty has three wonderful, grown children: Adam, Rachel, and Hannah. Between them, she and her husband, Jim, have four children and three grandchildren.

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Dave Magnuson

Associate VP Strategic Gifts

Dave directs the work of the directors of public affairs. He also works closely with financial partners in the Central Region and around the country.

Dave hails from Minnesota. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Business from Bethel University in 1983 and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 1992. Prior to joining Christian Union, Dave served successfully as the Chief Development Officer at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Presbyterian Homes, and The Salvation Army in Chicago. Dave has also been active as a board member with several international social service ministries.

Dave and wife, Caryn, live in the Chicago area and are the proud parents of three adult sons, Trent, Caleb, and Nathan, and daughter, Grace, who is in college.


  

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Deborah Oladapo

Data Director

Deborah grew up in Auburn, Alabama. She attended the University of Alabama where she received her BA in International Studies and Spanish and her MBA. She spent eight years working as an IT professional with Rohm and Haas Company, The Dow Chemical Company, and with a non–profit community college before joining Christian Union.

Deborah is married to Abiola. They have two children and live in Columbus, Indiana.

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Edit Planas

Senior Development Associate

 

If you'd prefer to download and mail the enrollment form, please download it here.

If  you are simply looking to make a one-time gift to Christian Union by mail (instead of credit card, above) please make it out to Christian Union and send it to 19 Vandeventer AVenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. 

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Christian Union is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible as to the extent allowed by applicable law. To learn more about the benefits, and rights and responsibilities, of Cornerstone Partners, please go to www.ChristianUnion.org/cp-benefitsandrights.

The ministry is a member of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability (ECFA) and has its finances audited annually. Charges to credit cards appear as “Christian Union 6098740040.”

If you have questions, please contact a partner representative at (609) 874-0040, or email us at giving@ChristianUnion.org.

Every day, millions of young women and men enter America’s universities searching for truth and knowledge. These students want to find meaning, not just for their lives, but for the world around them.

That’s why Christians started many of America’s finest universities more than a century ago. Did you know that Harvard, Yale, and Princeton—along with other influential schools in America—were created to be places where a student could discover a love for God and for his neighbor?

These schools were founded to develop and train Christian leaders, equipping them to help change the world for God’s glory.

Unfortunately, the Gospel that enables such radical transformation has long since been replaced with destructive ideologies that leave many students hopeless and helpless to confront the challenges facing our nation. As you know, these institutions, and the ideologies they promote, will shape American culture for decades to come.

We know that this concerns you.

Alumni of these schools play an enormously important role in our society, and now lead many of America’s most powerful companies, media organizations, academic institutions, and political campaigns. In fact, a Christian Union study of influential leaders in America showed that 67% are alumni of just 20 schools.

If we are going to bring change America, we need, by God's grace, to see these schools radically transformed. That’s why the Lord gave people like you a vision for dramatic spiritual revival at these very places. As a result, in 2002 Christian Union was launched at Princeton.

The goal? To bring sweeping spiritual transformation to the nation’s most influential universities and key cities that shape American culture.

Here’s the best part. This vision is becoming a reality. Since 2002, the ministry has expanded to Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Penn, Stanford, and Yale. It is also working with Christian professionals in New York City.

Right now, Christians like you are engaging thousands of students in our most influential—and secular—universities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope it brings. You can help make this happen.

Your donation today:

• Provides intellectually rigorous Bible courses that introduce students to the love of Jesus and strengthens their faith.
• Enables a network of mentors on every campus that walk alongside students through the difficult days of their college experience, discipling them and encouraging them to excel academically, relationally, and spiritually.
• Empowers emerging Christian leaders to transform business, the media, and our culture with the timeless truth of Christ.

You can help make America a nation in which the Gospel has penetrated every people group and where Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, are seeking God as the defining characteristic of their lives.

By giving, you will become a Cornerstone Partner, and you will receive special Cornerstone Partner communications and occasional invitations to special events for Partners, free of charge.

Use the secure form below to make your gift and to help strategic universities and cities—and through them, America—return to God.





Christian Union is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible as to the extent allowed by applicable law. To learn more about the benefits, and rights and responsibilities, of Cornerstone Partners, please go to www.ChristianUnion.org/cp-benefitsandrights.