Ways to Give

Join us in fostering self-reliance and sustainability by making a gift today

More Ways to Give

Mail a Check

Send your donation to:

          Isles, Inc.
          Resource Development Dept.
          10 Wood St.
          Trenton, NJ 08618

*Please make check payable to Isles.

For more information or to speak to our Resource Development team, reach out to Director of Development, Randi Orlow, at 609.341.4722 or [email protected].

Stock Transfers

Interested in making a gift of appreciated stock?

Thank you for supporting Isles in our mission to strengthen families and build healthy, sustainable communities. Your generous contribution enables us to help families throughout our region build the lives they want for themselves and their families.

Why give appreciated stock?

Making a gift of appreciated stock is a beneficial way to provide a year end charitable donation. The gift of appreciated stock can provide tax savings by allowing you to avoid capital gains tax that might be due if you sold the stock. It also entitles you to a charitable deduction based on the stock’s current value.

Giving appreciated stock is simple!  Our preferred method of receiving stocks is via direct transfer to RBC Wealth Management. To make a transfer you will need the following information:

          Transfer to: RBC Capital Markets LLC
          DTC # 0235
          For Credit to: Isles
          Account Number: 302-49394
          Tax ID #: 22-2350832

If you have any questions, please call Isles’ account advisor, Brett Scharf at 609-936-6407, or Noah Wiegland at 609-936-6412.

Please note: According to IRS tax code [Regulation 1.170A-1(b)], gifts of securities received via DTC will be acknowledged using the mean value of the stock on the date it is transferred into Isle’s RBC account.

Thank you for supporting Isles’ work!

Planned Giving

A bequest could be the most important charitable gift you ever make, ensuring that future generations benefit from safe, healthy, and sustainable communities. Local and national friends have supported Isles this way to assure this important work lives well into the future.

Isles recommends donors seek advice from a professional estate planner, financial advisor, or attorney to determine the best plan for you and your family.

Sample bequest language:

I give to Isles, Inc., 10 Wood St., Trenton, NJ 08618 (Tax ID#22-2350832) $_________________(or _____________% of the rest of my estate) for general operating purposes.

Please be sure to notify Isles (through this form) of your intention to make a planned gift.

Become a Monthly Donor

Monthly donors create long-term, sustainable funding for the organization, helping Isles to make lasting commitments to projects and work in the community that we care about. By making recurring donations to Isles you are able to create a higher impact and become a lifelong member of the Isles family!

Other Options

Charitable Remainder Trust: A Charitable Remainder Trust enables donors to set aside a current asset with a low cost-basis for the future benefit of Isles, while reserving lifetime income for themselves and, if applicable, other designated beneficiaries.

Charitable Lead Trust: A Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) enables donors to pass assets onto heirs, without incurring large gift or estate tax exposure. A CLT is created for a designated period of time, with income payments being directed to Isles for the duration of the trust, and the remainder to individuals.

Beneficiary Designations: Donors and supporters of Isles can name Isles as beneficiary or contingent beneficiary of their life insurance policies, retirement plans, and IRAs.


Isles Bridge Builders

Isles Bridge Builders show an increased commitment to fostering self-reliance with an annual contribution of $1,000 or more. Their gifts help form a bridge connecting those who have resources with those whom Isles serves.

Any donor whose annual contributions total $1,000 or more is considered an Isles Bridge Builder and will be invited to an annual gathering of some of our most vital supporters.

Donor Profile

In 1988, Sean Zielenbach was a junior at Princeton University with a personal interest in urban redevelopment, social justice, and civil rights. He was introduced to Marty Johnson and Isles. Excited, Sean volunteered on various urban rehabilitation projects and went on to write his senior thesis on Isles. After Princeton, he earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University. Today, Sean lives with his family in Alexandria, VA and manages his own national consulting practice while serving on numerous community development advisory boards.  He consults on nonprofit management, strategic planning, impact measurement, and program and product development; he researches affordable housing development and neighborhood revitalization; and he has published numerous articles on community development as well as a book, The Art of Revitalization.

From his national perch and successful career, Sean remembers Trenton and Isles. Maintaining his friendship with Marty and his connection to Isles, he has supported Isles’ annual fund for two decades. And, for the past several years, Sean has been a member of the Isles Bridge Builders – Isles’ major donor circle.  In a recent interview, he noted that, “Isles continues to be innovative, creative, and on the cutting edge of finding solutions to complex problems of urban redevelopment. Isles has taken a more comprehensive approach than many other organizations. I remain committed to supporting Isles for these reasons, plus – it’s fun to support Isles!”


Join the Innovators Circle

Individuals who pledge a multi-year commitment of Bridge Builder support are part of the Isles Innovators Circle – a group of thoughtful, inspired individuals who have gifted Isles long-term stability and the resources to adapt to the unique needs of our community.

*Members are invited to attend an exclusive annual Isles Donor Recognition event!

When you make a multi-year pledge of $1,000 or more, you are considered an Isles Innovator. Click here to make a donation online, or send your donation to our 10 Wood Street address.

Donor Profile

In the 1980’s, as director of the nonprofit Middlesex Somerset Mercer Regional Council, Sam Hamill brought a strong regional perspective to central New Jersey planning, and a belief that Trenton was key to the region. Since the early days of Isles, he has been a steadfast advisor, donor, volunteer, and most important, friend. “Cities like Trenton,” says Sam, “need strong regional connections as well as the community-based development work Isles excels in.”

In the spring of 2014, Sam was at Galilee Baptist Church for the funeral of a young man, gunned down by a Trenton gang. Shots rang out during the service, shattering stained glass windows. This was a stark reminder of the challenges facing today’s youth, the demoralizing effect of violence on residents and how public perception of a violent city undermines its future prospects.

At the same time, Isles was developing a pioneering effort to counter violence through Isles Youth Institute, community planning, and “safe havens,” such as gardens, park, and reclaimed vacant lots. Isles and Sam joined forces to involve leaders across the region to reduce violence in Trenton.

Sam is one of the founding members of the Innovator’s Circle, a group of thoughtful individuals who have made significant multi-year commitments that enable Isles to adapt and answer the needs of challenged communities.


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