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Change Lives Today
Your support will deliver critical support for children in foster care, help teens struggling with mental health challenges to heal, & provide specialized education for children with behavioral and developmental challenges.

Why Your Gift Matters
Every Dollar You Give Helps a Child Feel Seen, Supported, and Safe.
From school supplies to therapy sessions, your generosity brings comfort, stability, and hope to children and families across Virginia. However you choose to give, your impact is felt every day.
$25
A pack of sensory toys for therapy
$50
A bookbag full of school supplies
$100
Dinner for a new foster family
$150
One therapy session for a child
$200
Advertising for new foster parents
$250
Adoption party for a child adopted through foster care
$350
Community outing for youth on spring break
$500
Social worker appreciation
$750
A rock climbing field trip for youth
$1000
New recreational therapy equipment
How to Give
Your Generosity Can Take Many Forms — All of Them Make a Difference.
Explore the giving options that work best for you. However you choose to support Shineforth, your kindness helps children heal and families grow stronger.
Prefer to mail a check?
Make checks payable to “Shineforth” and mail to:
Shineforth
Attn: Development Office
3900 West Broad St
Richmond, VA 23230
Other Donation Options:
Gifts of Securities
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When you donate appreciated securities to Shineforth, you receive several benefits. In addition to the standard tax deduction for making a charitable donation, you may also avoid the capital gains tax.
Gifts from Your IRA
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Once you reach age 72, you must start taking the RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) from your IRA or 401K retirement account. Instead of taking the full RMD yourself, you can make a QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) to Shineforth, which may be tax-free.
Planned Giving
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Join the Shineforth 1900 Society to help high-risk children and their families become self-sufficient, contributing members of their communities, now and into the future. You’ll be empowering generations to come.
Workplace Giving
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Employer Matching – Many employers match, double, or even triple gifts or volunteer hours made by their employees. Please check your employer’s plan for details.
State and federal campaign codes:
- Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign CVC #060701
- Combined Federal Campaign CFC #16010
If you need a matching gift confirmation, please reach out to [email protected].
Donor Advised Funds
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We welcome grants from your donor-advised fund. Our full legal name is United Methodist Family Services of Virginia DBA Shineforth, EIN#54-0505969. While some funds share your name with us when you make a grant, some do not.
We want to thank you for your gift. We therefore encourage you to notify us when you make a grant at [email protected] or 804.239.1275.
The Difference You Make
Your Gift Supports:
Children in foster care who deserve stability, like Damonte.

Children with mental health challenges, like Mackenzie.

Students in special education who need support, like Sophia.

Ready to Give?
When you donate to Shineforth, you invest in the lives of vulnerable children and families across Virginia. We sincerely appreciate your support. Our development team is ready to help you and answer any questions.


Shineforth (formerly UMFS) deeply appreciates the generosity of our donors and we are committed to providing ethical and respectful service and support. We are committed to upholding the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Donor Bill of Rights. All donor information is stored in a secure, password protected, encrypted database, and kept confidential to the extent provided by law. We never share our donor mailing list with other organizations. We produce an Annual Report each year which includes a Donor Honor Roll. Please contact us at [email protected] if you prefer to be anonymous, or if you would like to review your personal information or update your mailing preference.



