Support Information

Donate to Family Shield through Network for Good by clicking on the graphic below.

Or use our online pledge form to send us your pledge, or to request more information.

View our privacy policy.
View our most recent 990 Report. 

FAMILY SHIELD IS A THRIVENT CHOICE ORGANIZATION. You can donate your Thrivent Choice Dollars to Family Shield Ministries in two ways. By phone: 1) Call 800-847-4836 and when prompted say, "Thrivent Choice." 2) Say or enter your Social Security number or your Thrivent ID number (this is a secure site). 3) Press 1 to direct Choice Dollars or press 2 to hear the Thrivent Choice program terms. 4) A representative will then work with you to direct Choice Dollars. Or, online: 1) Visit Thrivent.com/thriventchoice. 2) Click on "log in" at the top right of your screen and enter your MyThrivent user ID and password. (If you haven't registered on Thrivent.com, click on "register now" to register for the full access.) 3) Look for your designated Choice Dollars amount on the right side of the screen. 4) Click on "Direct Choice Dolalrs" in the Thrivnet Choice box on your MyThriventpage. 5) Search the catalog of organizations to find your choice. 6) Click on "Direct Choice Dollars Now" to direct your designated Choice Dolalrs to benefit the organization of your choice.

WAYS TO SUPPORT FAMILY SHIELD MINISTRIES IN 2011-2012

An Executive Director. Family Shield plans to hire its first executive director by 2013. We need to raise funds for two full years before we will move forward with this plan. You, your family, business, or congregation can underwrite a portion of the salary for the executive director with a gift of $250, $500, $1,000, $5,000 or more. 

Family Shield expands to new stations throughout the US. We are excited about the new opportunity to expand the radio program to new stations. This expansion means added expenses for distribution. Your gift of $100, $250, $500, or more will help us continue to distribution the CD's to these stations.  

Counter-Cult Ministry Expansion. Family Shield continues to help individuals and families with Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons and helps them learn to cope and witness to loved ones. Through a grant from the TX LWML and the CID LWML we are producing new countery-cult ministry resources and also doing presentations about the Counter-Cult Ministry. The grant also allows us to continue to educate and equip Christians who want to witness througho our mentoring program. Your gift of $50, $100, $250, $500 or more will help us minister more effectively to those we serve. 

Other expenses related to the radio outreach:

Radio Program Producer and Distribution Manager. Family Shield outsources its production and distribution to a media organization that records, copies, supplies CD's, and distributes the programs through its website and snail mail to stations throughout the United States. Your gift of $250, $500 or more helps us continue and expand our services.  

Family Shield Response Center
The FSM Response Center is coordinated by Lutheran Hour Ministries. FSM 800 telephone number is pointed to their offices. Cost for the telephone and related expenses: $3,000 per year.

COUNTER-CULT OUTREACH MINISTRY

Goals for 2012 include:

The production of a new booklet about the Counter-Cult Outreach Ministry that helps family members and friends cope and witness to loved ones.

Kay Meyer was recently interviewed about the Counter- Cult Outreach Ministry and an article was prepared. Family Shield would like to produce this article into a new booklet that can be given away when churches, individuals, and families contact us for assistance. It includes suggestions for families with loved ones involved in Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormonism and suggestions for congregations and zones to reach out to families with loved ones involved.

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS 

Witnessing -- A Lifestyle Seminars and Workshops
Family Shield offers seminars, but many churches/schools cannot afford to pay expenses related to these half day and one day seminars. Your support can help a district, congregation or school equip their members to witness in their daily life. Seminars include a complimentary copy of the newly produced book Witnessing-A Lifestyle. Cost: $500, plus travel expenses. 

Families Use Gods Shield
Seminars that help parents and grandparents nurture children in the home, learn to implement the six traits for healthy families, and share their faith with children and grandchildren. Cost: $500, plus travel expenses

PROMOTE FAMILY SHIELD AT YOUR CHURCH OR ORGANIZATION

A great way to support Family Shield Ministries is to place the ad that is attached in your church or bulletin or newsletter! Just download this PDF file and email it to the person in charge of your church or organization's publications and ask them to include the ad in their next layout.

A COMPLIMENTARY CD ABOUT FAMILY SHIELD

Congregations and church group leaders can request the three-minute CD that shares information about Family Shield Ministries to show at congregational services or church group meetings. It was produced for FSM by the LCMS World Missions. There is no cost to receive it.

You can also find a sample program on the Family Shield homepage at www.familyshieldministries.com.

FAMILY SHIELD SUPPORT AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

Have You Developed a Christian Estate Plan?

As Christians we are called to be good stewards of what God has given us to manage. One way to do this is to develop a Christian Estate Plan. Through our partnership with the LCMS Foundation (www.lcmsfoundation.com) Family Shield Ministries can help connect you to Christian Estate Counselors throughout the United States that can assist you, at no cost to you, in developing your Christian Estate Plan. The plan normally includes: 1) a written statement of your faith that can be included in your will or placed with your will; 2) connecting you to Christian counselors who can help you prepare a will or revocable trust; 3) offer you assistance in making a gift in your plan to continue to support of your favorite ministries after you die. If you believe in the mission of Family Shield Ministries, you will want to include a gift to them in your estate plan. If you would like more information in developing your Christian Estate Plan, contact 314.772.6070.

Stewardship Estate Plan:

Estate plans distribute a person's accumulated assets when God calls them to Heaven.

Estate plan documents allocate estate assets --- as per each respective document. These instruments or distribution methods include Last Will and Testaments; revocable living trusts; joint accounts or deeds; and beneficiary designations for insurance policies and retirement funds.

Most estate plans are secular, that is, without consideration for the needs of God's Kingdom. These tactics contain no Christian preamble to testify to survivors of belief in Christ, and no testimony of God's blessings on their life. Generally all of the estate goes to the surviving spouse, and thereafter to heirs outright to spend as desired.

Family Shield recommends consideration of a Stewardship Estate Plan. Such a plan does contain an opening paragraph on one's testimony---knows as a Christian Preamble. These words from the deceased help to spread the Gospel even when the testator is already in Heaven, the good Lord-willing!

Also the Christian estate plan distributes all of the estate to the surviving spouse. But thereafter, the heirs receive outright a percentage of the estate---such as half or 50%.

The other percentage---the other half or 50% of all estate assets in this example---flows into an irrevocable charitable trust which accomplishes two goals: first 5 or 10 years of quarterly income checks paid to heirs (10 years is 40 checks from Mom and Dad); and second the trust principle then goes to named charities.

This half of the estate then does double duty---years of income for heirs; then charitable trust assets to help Family Shield, and other favorite charities---such as congregation, missions, or education. For more information on Stewardship estate planning ideas contact Family Shield at 314-772-6070. There is no fee or obligation for confidential information.

Life Insurance and Charitable Giving:

Looking for a way to make a significant gift to a charitable organization, but financially don't think it's possible? If you have a life insurance policy, you might be able to give that donation on a tax favored basis.

Most people have some form of life insurance. Many of us purchased this insurance when we were young. Now that we're older, the need for this insurance may not apply. If this describes your situation, let us suggest another use of that insurance policy. You can use it to make a significant charitable gift to Family Shield Ministries, Inc. or another charitable organization of your choice.

Here's how it works:

1. Name Family Shield Ministries, Inc. as the beneficiary of an existing policy--either sole beneficiary, or co-beneficiary or a contingent beneficiary.
2. Donate an obsolete policy, one that you no longer need for its original intent.
3. Buy a new policy and donate it to a charitable organization like ours, then continue to pay the premiums. The donations to Family Shield for the premiums are generally deductible on your income tax return.
4. Replace a bequest with life insurance, so you can make a substantial contribution now without reducing your family's eventual inheritance.

Life insurance is an asset that allows a donor who doesn't have large estate assets to make a significant gift. If you'd like more information about how it works, we will be glad to discuss the options for your particular situation. Let Family Shield charitable giving people review this with you.

To learn more call the office at (314) 772-6070.

A Memorial, Tribute, or Special Occasion Donation:

Special events in the lives of family and friends may be recognized in a memorable way through a donation to Family Shield Ministries. Consider memorials for the death of a loved one or friend, ordinations, baptism, confirmation, valentine's day, mother's day, father's day, Easter, births, anniversaries, get well wish, birthday, secretary's day, retirement, graduation, wedding, Christmas, promotion, or Thanksgiving. These gifts are tax-deductible. Your gifts will be acknowledged through a letter that will be sent to the person being honored or the bereaved family. The gift amount will not be disclosed.

To make a memorial gift, tribute or special occasion donation, please send your contribution with a note that shares what it is for to: Family Shield Ministries, Inc., P.O. Box 230015, St. Louis, MO 63l23. Also include a note stating the name of the person the memorial, tribute, or special occasion is for and to whom the acknowledgement should be sent.

Shield of Faith Giving Society

Join a growing number of Family Shield Ministries' friends and become a Shield of Faith Giving Society member by donating an annual gift of $1,000 or more to the ministry. Shield of Faith members are recognized in the Family Shield newspaper, on the radio program, and in other publications. You may also request to remain anonymous. The Shield of Faith Giving Society Members are indivduals, families, business owners, foundations, and congregations committed to helping us accomplish the mission and vision. For information call (314) 772.6070.

Tax Free IRA Gift Opportunity!

Faithful donors often tell us they wish they could make a difference for families by giving a significant gift - the gift of a lifetime - but feel their dream is impossible. The Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Rollover Law may help you make a significant gift to Family Shield Ministries in 2011 and 2012.

The Pension Protection Act exempts from taxable income any funds transferred (rolled over) from an IRA to a charitable organization with these limitations:

• The donor must be age 70 1/2 or older.
• The cap on annual IRA rollovers is $100,000.
• The contribution must be a direct gift to a charity (no planned gifts).

To complete a charitable IRA rollover gift, you must have your IRA provider issue a check directly to Family Shield Ministries, P.O. Box 230015, St. Louis, MO 63123, Tax id # (call us to obtain this). If the check is issued to you first, you will be liable for the income tax, so please make sure your IRA provider understands this is a rollover gift.

If you wish to discuss the IRA charitable rollover at greater length, please contact Kay Meyer at fsmkmeyer@yahoo.com.

You can make a difference of a lifetime for families today!

The organization is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, incorporated in the State of Missouri. Your gift is tax-deductible.