Leave a Legacy

We all want to make a difference in the world and leave behind a lasting imprint on our society. When it comes to investing in the long-term success of local people, no organization is more committed to meeting the community’s diverse needs as Community Bridges. Together, we can make our community a better place for generations after us.

Bequests

Leaving a gift in your will or trust is a powerful way to express your values now – and strengthen our community’s future. The right planned gift can provide you and your loved ones with tax and income benefits, while leaving a lasting impact on the people and programs that mean the most to you. To leave a gift in your will or trust, just discuss this language with a qualified
professional:

“I bequeath $_____ or _____% of my estate to Community Bridges, tax ID# 94-2460211, located at 519 Main
Street, Watsonville, CA 95076.”

Legacy Giving – Common Options

You can decide to leave your gift for general purposes, or for a specific program. You can direct your planned gift to the general fund, or to our endowment.

It is Easy!

  • You can name Community Bridges in your will or living trust.
  • You can name Community Bridges as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or insurance policy.
  • More complex options, like charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities, can be set up easily with the help of a financial advisor.

Legacy Gifts are Caring Gifts for the Future

Our largest gifts have come from bequest donors. These thoughtful and caring gifts support important services over many years. Your legacy can truly live into the future with a little planning today.

Appreciated Assets

Stocks and gifts of appreciated assets, including appreciated shares of stocks and mutual funds, may be some of the most tax-efficient ways to give. If you have securities that have increased in value, you may receive a deduction based on the full appreciated value, and you might also avoid the capital gains tax that would have been due had you sold the shares.

Community Bridges uses the firm LPL Financial to handle all electronic transfers of stock. Your broker can transfer directly your gift to our account using this information:

  1. Receiving Account Registration: Community Bridges– A nonprofit organization
  2. Receiving Account Number: 51042048
  3. DTC number for LPL Financial: 0075

Please have your broker include your name and contact information when making the transfer. Community Bridges’ contact at LPL Financial is Cole J. Strickland, who may be reached at (831) 818-1917 or cole.strickland@lpl.com.

Upon completion of your stock transfer, please complete this Stock Transfer Form and return to:

Community Bridges
519 Main Street
Watsonville, CA 95076

Retirement Benefits

IRAs, 401(K), 403(B) and other retirement accounts grow tax-deferred, often becoming quite large over the years. Unlike many other types of investments, funds withdrawn from retirement accounts can be taxable to you and, eventually, to your heirs. Retirement accounts left to Community Bridges are removed from your estate for federal estate tax purposes. Plus, there is no income-tax assessed against your estate or your heirs when the funds are transferred to Community Bridges, allowing you to avoid multiple taxes.

If you are over 70 ½, you are required to take distributions from an IRA. Instead of creating a taxable event for yourself, make the distribution a charitable gift. As long as the distribution is paid directly to Community Bridges from your IRA administrator, the amount will not be counted in your taxable income for the year, which may result in tax savings for you!

Join the Community Bridges Founding 100

Community Bridges is creating sustainable solutions to support our mission. Relying on government funding to support our programs simply isn’t enough. In 2018, we started an endowment to ensure that the safety net we have created will continue to grow for generations to come.

We invite you to join the “Community Bridges Founding 100.” This group will consist of 100 members that donate $1,000 or more to the Community Bridges endowment, helping us create lasting solutions to issues of poverty, health, and education in our community.

100% of profit from our endowment will be used to support the operations of our programs, strengthening this vital community.

Thank you to our first Founding 100 members:

Raymon & Trisha Cancino
Paul & Teresa Carrubba
Leland & Susan Faust
Barbara and Allen Frank
Ralph and Julie Kimball
Jerry Lopez & Ana Espinosa
The Solari Mazry Family Fund at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County
Susan Marinshaw
O’Connell Family
The Rinker-Kan Family
Paul & Baylee Whitted

Questions? Contact Anna Vaage, Sr. Development Analyst, at 831-688-8840 x205 or annav@cbridges.org.

In observance of Presidents' Day, we are closed Monday, Feb 17Happy Presidents' Day from everyone at Community Bridges! ... See MoreSee Less
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[UPDATE - 2/13 at 12:54 PM: Main Street, Soquel San Jose Road, and San Andreas Road are now open.]Road closures across the County as a result of the storm: Main Street above Bates Creek - tree down with wires.Soquel San Jose Road - landslide and flooding1545 San Andreas Road - tree down across the roadPaulsen Road - flooding Please avoid these areas. Track county road impacts at sccroadclosure.org.Report any road hazards on County-maintained roads by calling our 24/7 line at 831-477-3999. ... See MoreSee Less
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⚠EVACUATION ORDER: 2/13/2025 7:00am⚠The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for the following areas:FEL-E008 Felton GrovePAJ- E027-B (College Rd area)PAJ-E026 (Holohan and Grimmer Rd area)PAJ-E028 (Lakeview Rd area)To find your zone visit: protect.genasys.com/search?z=12.200611939029658Road closures can be monitored at: sccroadclosure.org/————————————————————-En EspanolORDEN DE EVACUACIÓN: 13/02/2025 7:00 a.m.La Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Santa Cruz ha emitido una orden de evacuación para la siguiente áreas:FEL-E008 Felton GrovePAJ- E027-B (College Rd area)PAJ-E026 (Holohan and Grimmer Rd area)PAJ-E028 (Lakeview Rd area)Para encontrar su zona, visite: protect.genasys.com/search?z=12.200611939029658El estado de los cierres de carreteras se puede monitorear en: sccroadclosure.org/2/13/25 2:00pm All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted. ⚠EVACUATION ORDER: 2/13/2025 7:00am⚠ The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for the following areas: FEL-E008 Felton GrovePAJ- E027-B (College Rd area)PAJ-E026 (Holohan and Grimmer Rd area)PAJ-E028 (Lakeview Rd area) We are urging residents to evacuate immediately and move to higher ground. Heavy rains, and runoff have prompted evacuation orders for parts of Santa Cruz County. We are seeing flooding in low-lying, flood-prone areas. Remaining in this evacuated area could cause a risk to personal safety and limit the ability of medical or rescue personnel to get to you. To find your zone visit: protect.genasys.com/search?z=12.200611939029658&latlon=37.03438269165504%2C-122.06004588173664ectRoad closures can be monitored at: sccroadclosure.org/Temporary Evacuation Site is being set up at the Scotts Valley Community Center.————————————————————-En Espanol13/02/25 2:00 p.m. Se han levantado todas las órdenes y advertencias de evacuación. ORDEN DE EVACUACIÓN: 13/02/2025 7:00 a.m. La Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Santa Cruz ha emitido una orden de evacuación para la siguiente áreas:FEL-E008 Felton GrovePAJ- E027-B (College Rd area)PAJ-E026 (Holohan and Grimmer Rd area)PAJ-E028 (Lakeview Rd area) Instamos a los residentes a evacuar de inmediato y trasladarse a terrenos más altos. Las fuertes lluvias y la escorrentía han provocado órdenes de evacuación en partes del Condado de Santa Cruz. Estamos viendo inundaciones en áreas bajas y propensas a inundaciones. Permanecer en esta zona evacuada podría representar un riesgo para su seguridad personal y limitar la capacidad del personal médico o de rescate para llegar a usted. Para encontrar su zona, visite: protect.genasys.com/search?z=12.200611939029658&latlon=37.03438269165504%2C-122.06004588173664ect El estado de los cierres de carreteras se puede monitorear en: sccroadclosure.org/ Se está estableciendo un sitio de evacuación temporal en el Centro Comunitario de Scotts Valley. ... See MoreSee Less
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Be Prepared. Have a Plan.Unexpected situations can leave you temporarily unable to care for your children. A Childcare Safety Plan (CSP) ensures they are cared for by someone you trust.A CSP is a temporary childcare custody plan that outlines who will look after your children if you are unable to do so. While not a legal document, it provides clarity and peace of mind for families facing uncertainty.✅ The CSP packet includes forms for guardianship, travel consent, and essential family details.✅ A 4-page CSP is the minimum needed to ensure a plan is in place.✅ FREE to complete—local organizations can help!📌 Bring these documents when filling out your CSP: ✔ Your photo ID (matricula, driver’s license, or passport) ✔ Your children’s birth certificates ✔ Optional: Your children’s passports (if you want them to travel with their caregiver)Prepare today to protect your family’s future. For a list of locations that can help you complete the forms, visit SusDerechos.info. ... See MoreSee Less
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Prepárate. Ten un plan.Situaciones inesperadas pueden impedirte temporalmente cuidar de tus hijos. Un Plan De Seguridad Para El Cuidado De Hijos Menores (CSP, por sus siglas en inglés) garantiza que estarán al cuidado de alguien en quien confíes.El CSP es un plan temporal de custodia infantil que especifica quién cuidará de tus hijos si no puedes hacerlo. Aunque no es un documento legal, proporciona claridad y tranquilidad a las familias en tiempos de inseguridad.✅ El paquete de CSP incluye formularios para la tutela, el consentimiento de viaje y detalles familiares esenciales.✅ El CSP de 4 páginas es lo mínimo necesario para tener un plan operativo en caso de separación familiar.✅ Es GRATIS y hay organizaciones locales que pueden ayudarte a completarlo.📌 Documentos necesarios para completar tu CSP: ✔ Tu identificación con foto (matrícula, licencia de conducir o pasaporte) ✔ Actas de nacimiento de tus hijos ✔ Opcional: Pasaportes de tus hijos (si deseas que puedan viajar con su cuidador designado)Prepárate hoy para proteger el futuro de tu familia. Para ver la lista de lugares donde pueden ayudarte a completar los formularios, visita SusDerechos.info. ... See MoreSee Less
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