By making a donation in the form of stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other appreciated securities, you are making an investment in the future of children in your community.

As a donor, you are entitled to take a charitable deduction for the full fair-market value of appreciated securities held longer than one year, and you usually avoid paying the capital gains tax that would be due if you sold the securities.

Donating Stock or Bonds Held By a Bank or Broker
If your equities are currently held at a bank or in a brokerage account, simply send a letter of instruction to your broker or banker with a full description of the securities and your gift's intended purpose. For information about sending securities electronically, please contact our VP of Finance & Administration at (414) 831-4584 or email Finance.

Donating Stock Certificates You Hold

• Send the unsigned certificates by certified mail to the attention of President & CEO Amy Chionchio, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, 788 N Jefferson St, Suite 600, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

• Copy and send one blank stock Power of Attorney for each company whose stock you are transferring. Only the signature line should be filled in, with the signature(s) matching the name(s) that appear on the face of the certificates. Include both names if the stock is jointly owned.

• The Power of Attorney must be notarized.

• Send the certificates and stock powers in separate envelopes. Send the signed stock power in one and the stock certificate(s) in the other with a letter (also signed by the owner(s) of the stock) stating that the stock is being donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee.

Effective Date and Value of Your Gift
Your gift of stock or publicly traded securities will be valued based on the mean market price of the securities on the gift date. We will provide you with a receipt for your tax records. Big Brothers Big Sisters determines your gift date according to the following guidelines:

• By mail, it is the later of the postmark dates of your separately mailed stock certificates and stock powers.

• By electronic transfer, it is the date that the securities enter Big Brothers Big Sisters’ account.

• By hand, it is the date that a Big Brothers Big Sisters' employee receives the stock certificates and stock powers of attorney.

• By reregistering securities in Big Brothers Big Sisters' name yourself, it is the date on the new certificates (this method takes the longest).

If you have questions or need more information, please contact our VP of Finance (414) 831-4584 or email Finance.

A donor advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving program that allows you to combine the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support your favorite causes. If you have a donor advised fund, DAF Direct enables you to recommend grants to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, directly from your DAF (as long as your DAF’s sponsoring organization is participating).

How does it work?

1. Establish your DAF by making an irrevocable, tax deductible donation to a public charity that sponsors a DAF program.

2. Advise the investment allocation of the donated assets (any investment growth is tax free).

3. Recommend grants to the charities you support, with the option of being recognized or remaining anonymous.

Interested in an IRA charitable rollover gift? Review the requirements and restrictions below:

• Donor must be 70 1/2 or older.

• Gift must be made directly from the IRA to an eligible charitable organization.

• Gifts to all charities combined may not exceed more than of $100,000 per taxpayer for the year.

• No material benefits can be received in return for gifts.

• Gifts may not be made to a donor advised fund, supporting organization, or private foundation.

• The gift is not included in taxable income; thus, no charitable deduction is allowed.

• Gifts must be made from an IRA. Gifts from 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans are prohibited.

Ready to make your gift? Review these next steps:

• To make a charitable IRA rollover transfer, contact your IRA administrator and instruct that individual to transfer funds to the charity, or multiple charities, you designate.

• Questions? Please contact our VP of Finance at (414) 831-4584 or email Finance. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters is on a mission to serve youth facing adversity in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties by providing our best-in-class mentoring program. Our youth have BIG vision, and it takes a Big Village to help them reach their potential.

In 2025 we provided mentorship to more than 1,800 youth throughout Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, an increase of over 62% from 2022. As our impact grows, so does the need. Our long-term plan is reach 3,000 mentored youth by 2031.

Learn more about the Big Village here

The BIG Legacy Society includes individuals who have shown a commitment to the long term future of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee
by committing a portion of their estate to the benefit of our mission.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee has made a profound impact for tens of thousands of children since our founding in 1975. Your planned gift will help ensure even more youth are reached in our next 50 years. Legacy gifts allow you to have a lasting impact that will be felt for generations, while still allowing you to provide for your family.

As a Legacy Society member, we will provide you with regular updates from the agency with a quarterly e-newsletter, a mailed annual report, and invitations to key stakeholder events. All BIG Legacy Society members have the option to remain anonymous but if you allow us to, we would be honored to recognize you.

Founding Member: Tom Metcalfe

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTEYour own wealth manager may be able to advise you on some ideal ways to leave a legacy with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee. No gift is too small – every legacy gift makes an impact. Possible opportunities include:

• You can gift a specific dollar amount or asset. You can gift a percentage of your estate. You can gift from the balance or residue of your estate.

• Include a bequest to BBBS in your will or revocable trust

• Designate BBBS as a full, partial, or contingent beneficiary of your retirement account

• Name BBBS as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy

• Gifts of stocks, bonds or money market funds

• Commit to naming Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee in your obituary as the beneficiary of any gifts from your family and friends made in your memory.

BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE BIG LEGACY SOCIETY:
You may become a member of the BIG Legacy Society simply by notifying us that you have named Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee as a beneficiary in your will or estate plan. Please consider completing our Planned Gift Intention Form (an online form is available here). Please be in touch with President & CEO Neil Willenson at nwillenson@bbbsmilwaukee.org or 414.831.4575 for any planned giving or membership inquiries.