2025 Spring Appeal
By giving to the United Methodist Communities Foundation, you support an inclusive network of communities offering full-service residential lifestyles, vibrant senior housing apartments, personalized in-home care, and forward thinking consulting services. Thank you for helping our seniors to live their abundant lives!
DONATE
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DONATE BY MAIL
By Mail – When donating by mail:
All checks should be made out to the United Methodist Communities Foundation.
Checks can be mailed to the United Methodist Communities Foundation at 205 Jumping Brook Road in Neptune, NJ 07753.
Please include a designation in the Memo Line to indicate which Foundation Fund or Initiative you’d like to support or include a brief note explaining your desires about how to designate the gift.
DONATE ONLINE
Please fill out the form below to make your donation to the United Methodist Communities Foundation. We’re grateful for your support.
ways to give
our funds
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The Area of Greatest Need
THE GIFT OF CARE CIRCLE
The Gift of Care Circle provides support when our residents, through no fault of their own, have exhausted their financial resources. Through the generosity of family members, associates, and individual friends of UMC, along with churches, strategic business partners, and local community groups, UMC’s most vulnerable residents can remain in the communities they call home.
Tapestries Memory Care Fund
Tapestries Memory Care Fund supports UMC’s specialized programming to enhance quality of life for residents and clients living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Tapestries’ philosophy is centered around respecting and embracing the individual’s situation and life experience. Contributions to the Tapestries Fund aid in providing music, fitness, socialization, and technology programming to complement residents’ daily routines.
Teammate Support
The Teammate Compassion Fund assists UMC associates struggling with unforeseen financial emergencies.
The Teammate Enrichment Fund provides scholarships, training, and professional development opportunities of UMC team members.
OTHER
The Senior Wellness Fund assists with programming costs related to lifelong learning, physical fitness, socialization, and holistic wellness programs. In the past, your donations to this fund have help offset the cost of a fitness instructor, Family Fun & Fitness Days, and Senior Space programming. All contributions to the Senior Wellness Fund will assist our teams in providing opportunities for residents, clients, and visitors to strengthen their emotional, social, mental, and physical wellbeing.
Community Specific Donations can be restricted for use at a particular UMC location. If you are interested in restricting your gift in this way, we encourage you to contact a member of the Foundation team to discuss how your areas of interest can be matched to your UMC community’s current needs. Please contact the UMC Foundation at foundation@umcommunities.org or 732-922-9800 and we’d be happy to share more details!
MOre ways to give
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tribute gifts
Tribute Gifts can be a special way to recognize someone who has made a difference in your life! Whether you are paying tribute to a loved one’s memory, marking a friend’s milestone birthday, or expressing gratitude for an associate or volunteer who’s gone above and beyond, your thoughtful gift helps make UMC’s mission of providing abundant life for seniors a reality.
Click here to make a tribute donation online: Be sure to select “This gift is in honor of someone” or “This gift is in memory of someone” from the drop down menu under your donation information.
To make a Tribute Donation by check: Please make all checks payable to the United Methodist Communities Foundation. If the donation is in honor of someone (meaning the person is living), please include a note stating who the donation is in honor of or write “in honor of ______” in the memo line. If the donation is in memory of someone (meaning the person has passed away), please include a note stating who the donation is in memory of or write “in memory of _____” in the memo line.
All checks and accompanying notes should be mailed to the United Methodist Communities Foundation at 205 Jumping Brook Road, Neptune, NJ 07753.
If you would like to list United Methodist Communities in an obituary as an option for sending gifts in lieu of flowers, please direct donors to make checks payable to United Methodist Communities Foundation (not a specific community/building). Any information pertaining to fund specifications, community affiliations, and who the donor would like to be notified of their contribution can be written in an accompanying note.
monthly giving
Monthly giving is a manageable way to make a difference! Each gift, regardless of size, is an investment in our mission, which allows us to compassionately serve the seniors in our care.
Click here to securely set up a recurring monthly gift by credit card online.
To set up your monthly credit card donation over the phone, please call 732-922-9800 x2121 and speak with Maria Kane.
Click here for directions on how to make your monthly donation by cash or check.
planned gifts
Planned Gifts
Create a legacy of support and love for so many New Jersey Seniors, both inside our communities and those who remain at home by making a planned gift to UMC today. Such gifts might include a bequest, appreciated securities, gifts of retirement accounts, gifts of life insurance and/or charitable income gifts, such as charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, and charitable remainder annuity trusts. Click here to learn how you can support the UMC Foundation as part of your legacy.
For more information about Planned Giving, please contact Maria Kane at 732-731-2121 or MKane@umcommunities.org.
The Wesleyan Society
Members of the Wesleyan Society express their commitment to UMC through a very special and important form of financial support: naming the UMC Foundation as the beneficiary of a planned gift.
Membership Benefits
Your complimentary Wesleyan Society membership allows us to thank you for the plans you have made, which may inspire generosity in others! Benefits of membership include invitations to annual luncheons, special events, and seminars, a subscription to our newsletters, and regular donor recognition in our newsletters and special event promotions.
The most important benefit you will receive from joining the Wesleyan Society, however, is the satisfaction derived from making a lasting contribution to the well-being of New Jersey seniors.
SPONSORSHIPS
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SPONSORSHIPS
Become A Sponsor –
UMC is blessed with business partners, vendors, and corporate sponsors who not only provide incredible goods and services but also demonstrate their commitment to UMC’s mission through their generous support of Foundation initiatives and special projects.
If you would like to discuss your organization’s support of the Foundation’s efforts, please contact Maureen Stern at 609-727-1507 or email mstern@umcommunities.org.
Profiles in Philanthropy
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Rev. Ed & Mrs. Gabriele Carll
Elmer, New Jersey is located in Salem County. It’s less than a square mile in size, with a population of less than 1,500 and a unique name that comes from the Congressman who helped the community secure a post office. Despite its size, this tiny borough with the unique name played a large role in the formative years of Ed Carll, a member of the United Methodist Communities Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Growing up, Elmer is where Ed made a few dollars picking tomatoes, shoveling snow, and cutting grass– living the life of the “All-American kid,” as he puts it. But the part of Elmer that clearly had the biggest impact on young Ed Carll sits at 21 South Main Street–the site where Elmer United Methodist Church has stood since 1896, when the Governor of New Jersey arrived in a special train to take part in the cornerstone service.
Ed’s parents were very involved in the Elmer United Methodist Church community, and Ed knew as early as age 13 that he was going to be in the ministry. He first attended a Methodist college in Fayetteville, North Carolina, before finishing his studies ahead of schedule at Western Maryland College, where he majored in Religion and Philosophy. During Ed’s last year of undergraduate studies, he and Gabriele were married.
Ed was ordained as a Methodist Pastor 42 years ago at St. Peters in Ocean City and was soon introduced to the most difficult aspect of a Methodist pastor’s life: the inevitability of change. Ed’s duties took his family to Sanford Memorial UMC in Englishtown, Spotswood UMC, Trinity UMC in Highland Park, First UMC in Tuckerton, First UMC in Westfield, and his last assignment at the Denville Community Church. With each new appointment, they formed new relationships and ultimately collected lifelong friends from each step along the way.
Elmer is also the root of Ed’s passion for United Methodist Communities. The Elmer church had a great relationship with nearby Pitman Manor, now called United Methodist Communities at Pitman. A beloved family friend was a resident for many years. “I would visit to do hymn sings and stuff like that in the community room,” Ed said, “and that’s the first time I was touched by the ministry of Pitman Manor.”
More recently, as Ed’s Pastor duties were winding down, he was contacted by a friend who was involved with the United Methodist Communities at Bristol Glen. Would he be interested in serving on the Foundation Board? “I would have to say that after 40 years in ministry I have learned how to say no, because you can’t say yes to everything…but I do say yes to things that I think are worthy.”
Not only does Ed give of his precious time and talents, but he and Gabriele are also strong supporters of the UMC Foundation. “We give money in memory of people that I know who have passed away, in honor of board members and pastors. We give money to honor our parents who have gone before us. There aren’t any tow hitches on a hearse, you can’t take it [the material things] with you!” Did we mention that Ed has an infectious sense of humor?
When asked why he continues to support the mission of United Methodist Communities, however, his answer is simple and serious. “You know, we’re here to provide abundant life. Jesus was the one who said that, and we fully embrace it. It does not get any simpler and it does not get any better. No matter what else is happening, when we ask ourselves, ‘Why are we doing this?’, the answer is ‘Because we have a calling.’ And that’s the best.”
Paul and Dee Burrowes
Paul and Dolores “Dee” Burrowes are approaching a remarkable milestone with the United Methodist Communities Foundation: fiscal year 2025 will mark their 32nd consecutive year of giving.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force and spending an additional fourteen years working on general aviation airplanes, Paul began a new career as a home improvement contractor. When commercial building jobs dried up in the late 1980s, he saw a posting from then-United Methodist Homes of New Jersey seeking someone with maintenance and construction experience. For Paul, a lifelong Methodist, the position was an interesting opportunity to fuse his faith and construction skill set.
During Paul’s tenure as Vice President of Projects, UMC built and remodeled properties in Ocean Grove and at The Shores, expanded Collingswood, and built Covenant Place and The Wesleyan. When asked which project he is most proud of, Paul was unable to pick just one – but he did share that surprisingly, he had the most fun working on land use approvals! Paul joined forces with attorney Sandy Brown and the pair went on to submit and receive 33 straight approvals without a rejection, even with very complicated projects. “Take Collingswood for example,” Paul explained. “We were remodeling a historic building in a downtown area and bringing it from three stories to six stories…it was incredibly challenging but a very fun part of the job.”
Another highlight from Paul’s years with UMC was his service with LeadingAge’s predecessor, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. Paul represented UMC on a national jury for architectural designs for eldercare and visited senior communities all over the country to hear from their architects about what worked and what didn’t. “It was a cool process, and I’m sure I brought some good ideas back to UMC,” he reflected.
As Paul immersed himself in learning about resident and associate needs, and interpreting them for planning boards and architects, he and Dee were given the opportunity to view the impact of UMC’s mission from another perspective – as family members of residents.
“Paul’s parents moved into Francis Asbury Manor, and it quickly felt like our second home. We were there all the time and we really connected with the other residents and staff,” Dee shared.
“Having my folks in one of our communities gave me a different appreciation for my work,” Paul added. “They fit in well and loved living there. It made me feel like, as an organization, we were successfully carrying out our mission.”
Paul and Dee’s affinity for UMC’s mission prompted them to support the Foundation early on. “Right from the get-go, we were attracted to the idea of benevolent care, supporting residents who’d outlived their funds. Then, on a secondary level, we became interested in the role the Foundation can play in supporting associate education and retention.”
As retirees, Paul and Dee have chosen to continue supporting UMC’s mission as monthly donors and members of the Wesleyan Society. When it comes to including UMC in their estate plans, it’s all about building their legacy.
“It’s important to consider doing good beyond just your immediate family, doing good for the community at large,” Paul elaborated. “Creating a legacy within UMC’s system, we know our contribution will be well administered and valued because we’ve seen and felt the impact of philanthropy in the communities. This is how we’ve chosen to give back in a meaningful way.”
Elizabeth A. Keat
The Keat family has a longstanding tradition — supporting the Communities. As Elizabeth A. Keat (Betty Anne), a retired high school teacher noted, her mother was very much concerned about supporting those who need care as they get older. “We’ve had several pastors who gave of themselves, time, energy, support and friendship not only to people in the church, but also in the community. To know the Communities would take care of elderly people whether they were retired pastors and their family or other people who didn’t have family … seemed a small way and great opportunity for all of us to give back.”
Elizabeth remembers as a young child her local church taking annual collections to help the residents of the Communities. She also recalls that she benefited from a Methodist scholarship for two years while attending Dickinson College.
Growing up in Chatham, Elizabeth and her family felt a great deal of backing from the Chatham United Methodist Church and were able to view its generous benevolence first-hand. “The church family is very supportive.” The congregation also visited residents of Methodist Manor (closed in 2001) in Branchville regularly. Members saw directly how residents of the Communities benefited from their annual collection, given around Mother’s Day. Elizabeth says that when she thinks of the Communities, certain things come to mind — “A very homey atmosphere, relatively easy access to friends and a place for keeping seniors safe.”
Elizabeth appreciates the whole idea of the Fellowship Fund, its essential support of the Communities’ mission and that it continues to support the organization. Among all the services offered, she’s also happy to know the Communities has Memory Support residences for seniors with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Among its many effects, her vote of confidence keeps the Keat family tradition vibrant and leaves a legacy for others. “I feel at this point in my life I’m able to continue giving donations and would like to keep it up because I think you’re doing a great job and there’s certainly a need for it.”