Archives

“During this time of state budget cuts and tough economic times, it is unusual for a social service agency to experience the growth we have in the past few years,” says Gary Gansemer, Executive Director/CEO. “When we have expanded, we have been able to use existing resources very efficiently, thus saving overhead costs. Not only are we able to serve more people, we become financially stronger.”

The most recent expansion is into Washington County where Hillcrest now operates the County Mental Health Center. The Center provides mental health counseling to individuals, families and children, and community education. Licensed counselors work with a variety of issues including depression, marital problems, parenting, abuse issues and grief and loss.

Fees are based upon a sliding fee scale, insurance, private pay, or county funding if eligibility criteria are met. Washington County residents can contact the Center at 319-653-6161.

“Washington County, as was the case with recent expansions into Ottumwa, Clinton and Maquoketa, contacted Hillcrest for assistance in delivering these programs because of our great reputation for running high quality programs. This is a testament to how hard we work for our clients,” says Gansemer.

A complete listing of Hillcrest locations and services:

What in the world does this have to do with Hillcrest? Well, when most people think of Hillcrest Family Services they immediately think of Dubuque, and the most often seen and heard Hillcrest staff person is yours truly. But, it really is the supporting cast of people in the various cities who make Hillcrest Family Services one of the best — and they are worthy of special recognition for their Oscar- winning roles. Just as it takes more than a leading actor to make a great movie, it takes more than an executive director to make a great agency.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Clinton, Maquoketa, Bettendorf, Ottumwa, Postville, and Washington are our nominees for ‘Best Cities in a Supporting Role’ for Hillcrest Family Services. These are the cities in which Hillcrest has permament offices, facilities, and/or classrooms.

The list of nominees for best supporting cast is very long! There are 385 nominees, working in these cities and in Dubuque. Without their tireless efforts, Hillcrest would not have its reputation for providing quality services and programs.

Of course, there are no glitzy award shows for the people who work in the human service field. People enter this field for the service or ministry that they can extend to others. Their financial reward will never be the same as our movie heroes, but it is important for us to remember that these everyday heroes also deserve our support (financial and otherwise) for the part they play in offering help for today and hope for tomorrow to so many.

Speaking of nominees, Hillcrest received a prestigious ADDY Award for our Help for Today Hope For Tommorrow video. The ADDY awards are sponsored locally by Advertising Clubs, and nationally by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). In addition to a first place ADDY in its category, it received a Judge’s Special Recognition award, and will now be judged on a regional level in Kansas City.

Sharon Faley, Dubuque, was presented with the Nancy Hill Award, while Julie Johnson, outgoing Board President, was honored as the Hillcrest Volunteer of the Year.

Forty-eight members of the Hillcrest staff were presented with service awards for time ranging from three to twenty years.

The newest members of our Board of Trustees were welcomed at the luncheon. They include:

$200,000 from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust for constructing new classrooms and remodeling the main kitchen on the Hillcrest Campus. This grant was awarded as part of our Help for Today Hope for Tomorrow Capital and Endowment Fundraising Campaign.

$2,000 from Very Special Arts Dubuque for general music and vocal music curriulum in the Hillcrest junior high classrooms, and for art and music enrichment activities for mentally ill adults.

It's had its ups and downs, to be sure, but the history of the stock market is that it has rewarded those who buckled in and held on for what at times seemed to be a wildly frantic ride. Those who acquired stock in companies that have experienced significant growth over the years now enjoy the rewards of highly appreciated assets within their personal portfolios.

For example, it is not at all unusual for stock acquired in the ‘80s for $2,000 to have a fair market value today of $20,000 or more. However, while the value may have increased dramatically, many stocks deliver a relatively low annual yield when compared with the total value. Returns between 1.5% and 2.5% are often the norm. So, a block of stock worth $20,000 may deliver no more than $400.00 in annual income, a modest return even in today's economic market.

In an effort to realize a bit more of the value inherent in the stock, selling is often viewed as the only option. However, selling the $20,000 block of stock mentioned above would result in a capital gains tax on the appreciated value or a tax bite in many states of about $4,000. So after selling, the asset value has shrunk to approximately $16,000.00.

Reduce Taxes, and Leverage Value
The good news is that there is a planning option that leverages the value of an appreciated asset like stock. The end result is that the tax bite is reduced, charitable objectives are realized, and the spirit of philanthropy is rewarded.

The leverage comes from the incentives for philanthropy that continue to be embedded in the United States tax code. In short, the code rewards personal investments in qualified charitable organizations. And while most Americans are aware of the fact that the charitable income tax deduction is one of the byproducts of contributions, many are not aware of just how much leverage can be gained with some thoughtful planning.

To illustrate the leverage, let's reconsider this $20,000 block of stock. Rather than deciding to sell the asset to create liquidity and thereby ending up with less than $16,000 after the applicable capital gains tax, consider the impact of transferring the stock to a qualified charity like Hillcrest. The transfer, as an act of philanthropy, is rewarded in three significant ways.

The Impact of Leverage
By utilizing the planning tools afforded through our tax code, the $2,000 investment of several years ago results in a $20,000 gift to charity and more than $5,000 in tax savings to the philanthropic minded.

When compared to the pre-gift annual return of 2% or the shrinkage in value due to the capital gains tax, that's some impressive leverage!

Luanne, who had a career as a teacher in Cresco, asked to be excused from her teaching contract, and became a full-time mom for the next three years. She then returned to teaching, and eventually retired from the Howard-Winneshiek Community Schools in 1988. Dick retired from Northeast Iowa Community Action in 1989.

Recently, the Wagoners were kind enough to share some photos with Hillcrest, and expressed their thankfulness and happiness to us for Kent.

Kent went on to earn a PhD from the University of Georgia, and now works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Kent and his wife, Connie, live in Dacula, Georgia.

We really appreciate receiving the information and photos from the Wagoners, and having had the opportunity to visit on the phone and via e-mail with Dick.

If you have any information or photos to share with us, please let us know — we’d love to hear from you! And, please let us know if your child would like to be placed on the mailing list to receive Hillcrest Calling and other mailings.