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Give Hope. Give Stability. Give Today.

For over 40 years, COTS has helped families break the cycle of poverty and build brighter futures. Through our Passport to Self-Sufficiency™ model, we provide the tools and support families need to thrive for generations.

This impact is made possible by your generous contributions. Your partnership ensures that families at COTS have access to the resources they need to succeed. Together, we can CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED

Legacy Gifts:
Create a legacy gift in your estate plan that supports families in their journey to overcome homelessness and break the cycle of poverty. To help you get started on your plans and legacy, we have partnered with FreeWill. This free, accessible online tool guides you through the process of creating a legally valid will and making a gift to us in 20 minutes or less. Build your legacy today.

Beneficiary Designations:
Did you know?

    • Having a valid will in place isn’t enough.
    • Assets you pass on outside of your will are called non-probate assets. They include lRAs, 401(k)s, pensions, life insurance policies, and certain bank and brokerage accounts.
    • If beneficiaries are properly set for these non-probate assets (opens in new window), ownership can transfer faster than your assets that must go through probate

Thanks to FreeWill, you can easily plan beneficiaries for your non-probate assets in one place. Plan my beneficiaries

Stock Gifts:
Many donors prefer to make gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or exchange traded funds because it can have a large impact on our mission, while maximizing potential tax benefits by avoiding paying tax on capital gains.

If you would like to transfer your appreciated stocks online, you can use our online tool to walk you through the process in 10 minutes or less.

Donor-Advised Funds
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are investment accounts for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations today. The secure DAF link below:

    • Automatically links with your DAF

    • Allows you to recommend how you’d like your gift to be used

    • Notifies COTS of your intentions


Using the link below to grant from your DAF also saves us a lot of time, so thank you! It’s a great way to ensure consistent financial support while saving cash for immediate needs.

Give from my DAF 

IRA Giving:
Supporters 70.5 or older with a traditional IRA are eligible to make a tax-free donation to COTS directly from their IRAs. These gifts are tax-free, regardless of whether or not you itemize deductions on your tax return. We’ve partnered with a free online tool to make your tax-free donation online, print out the forms you need to complete the gift offline, or learn more about the benefits of giving from your IRA. Learn more about IRA donations, and make your contribution today!

Planned Giving, Workplace Giving, Stocks, or Donor Advised Funds:
For additional information about giving options, contact
Aisha J. Morrell-Ferguson, COTS Chief Development Officer
at amorrell@cotsdetroit.org or 313-576-0206.

Everyday Ways to Help Families Succeed:
Whether it’s running errands or working out, support families simply by completing your everyday tasks.

  • Kroger: When you sign up for Kroger’s Community Rewards (via Kroger.com), you’ll earn rewards for COTS every time you shop. (COTS NPO Number: DN349)
  • Facebook: Want to do some good while you’re checking your social media accounts? Create a fundraiser for COTS on Facebook and share it with your friends.
  • *COMING SOON – EBay for Charity Decluttering? If you choose to sell your old – or new – items on ebay for Charity you can select COTS as the beneficiar

Many companies offer a matching gift program to encourage philanthropy among their employees, and some companies even match spouses and retirees contributions.

For more information on Matching Gift and Volunteer Grant click a link