Giving to SJGS
Giving Opportunities
We are grateful for your interest in supporting Saint Joseph Grade School. Your gift will help ensure that SJGS remains at the forefront of Catholic education, providing an enriching and formative educational experience to our students. If you would like to speak with a member of the development team regarding any of our giving opportunities, please contact Tim Cleaver at (574) 234-3134, ext. 122, or tcleaver@stjoeparish.com.
SJGS Excellence Fund
The SJGS Excellence Fund is our annual fund that supports the essential pieces of Saint Joseph Grade School — the pieces that help us live out our mission of educating hearts and minds in the Holy Cross tradition, making God known, loved, and served. Learn more about the SJGS Excellence Fund!
SJGS also participates in Giving Tuesday each year in support of the SJGS Excellence Fund. In 2023, our Giving Tuesday campaign raised over $24,000 for our school!
Fundraising & Sponsorships
Saint Joseph Grade School offers a number of opportunities for businesses and families to support our mission through event participation and sponsorship.
Auction
SJGS organizes a benefit auction every two years. The 2022 auction raised over $125,000 to support the mission and advancement of SJGS.
Giving Tuesday
All of the proceeds we collect on this annual day of giving support the SJGS Excellence Fund. In 2023, we raised over $24,000!
“For the Kids” Golf Benefit
The golf benefit takes place each summer, raising over $20,000 annually to support financial aid and other essential needs for SJGS.
Trivia Night
Our fun-themed Trivia Night draws 300 participants each winter, raising around $5,000 to support the SJGS Excellence Fund.
Saint Nick Six
This festive 6K/3K community road race takes place in early December each year, raising as much as $17,000 to benefit the SJGS Excellence Fund.
“You Can Lend A Hand” Coupon Books
This diocesan-wide fundraiser to support Catholic schools raises about $8,000 for Saint Joseph Grade School.
Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO)
An SGO is a portal for Catholic school students to be eligible for an Indiana School Choice Scholarship, sometimes referred to as a voucher. Donations made to the SGO fund, administered by Scholarship Granting Organization of Northeast Indiana, through the diocese, will come directly back to Saint Joseph Grade School.
A donation toward an SGO award generates a 50% state tax credit for both individual and business donors.
For more information about contributing to an SGO, please contact Mrs. Carolyn Gibbs at cgibbs@stjoeparish.com or (574) 234-3134, ext. 119. Thank you for your support in helping families afford Catholic education.
Ways to Give
Our St. Joe staff is pleased to work with you in structuring gift opportunities that ensure your philanthropic goals are met while best supporting the needs of the school. SJGS is a 501(c)(3), and contributions to the school are tax deductible upon compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.
Cash Gifts
Make checks payable to St. Joseph Grade School and send to:
St. Joseph Parish
Attn: SJGS Excellence Fund
711 E. Colfax Ave.
South Bend, IN 46617
Credit Cards
We accept credit card gifts to the SJGS Excellence Fund. Contact Tim Cleaver at 574-234-3134, ext. 122, for assistance.
Corporate Matching Gifts
Many organizations have corporate matching gift programs that can double and sometimes triple the value of your gift. If your company has a matching gift program, please ask your human resources representative for a matching gift form to submit with your gift. We’re happy to assist!
Bequests
Bequests are the easiest form of charitable estate planning and enable you to name SJGS in your will. With a bequest, you become a member of the St. Joseph the Worker Guild at Saint Joseph Parish. Contact Tim Cleaver at 574-234-3134, ext. 122, for more information.
Securities
To make a gift of stock, please contact Tim Cleaver at 574-234-3134, ext. 122, for assistance. It is important to notify us before any transfer takes place.
Life Insurance & Retirement Accounts
You can make a deferred gift by donating a life insurance policy to SJGS or simply naming us as the beneficiary. Your retirement account can pass directly to SJGS as your primary beneficiary, or it can be transferred to a deferred giving arrangement that will pay an income for life to a family member, after which the remaining assets pass to SJGS. To find out more about these options, contact Tim Cleaver at 574-234-3134, ext. 122.
Thank You!
At SJGS, we are blessed by a community of parents, grandparents, alumni, parishioners, and friends who are engaged and excited to support the mission of the school.
Thank you for your generosity and for allowing Saint Joseph Grade School to provide a best-in-class Catholic education in the heart of South Bend!
Questions?
To discuss giving to SJGS, please feel free to reach out to Tim Cleaver, Director of Stewardship, at (574) 234-3134, ext. 122, or tcleaver@stjoeparish.com.