The Root Cellar always welcomes your financial support, since we do not receive or seek city, state or federal money. We do receive some small grants to run certain programs; other than that, 100% of our funding comes from individuals, businesses and churches like you that share our mission goals.
There are several options for financial donations, including:
- Make a Donation Now! (Click the PayPal button on your left)
- Planned giving
- Designated giving/Matching gifts
- Automated Monthly Giving Plan
- Memorial and Honor Gifts
- Church donations
- The Root Cellar’s commitment to good stewardship
Make Donation Now – 
If you would like to make a safe, secure donation using a debit or credit card to The Root Cellar, you can do that buy clicking the PayPal link and following the instructions from there. To your left you will see the PayPal link for dontating to the Portland Root Cellar.
Planned Giving
Develop a charitable legacy while enjoying enhanced tax benefits by donating gifts of assets during your lifetime or through a will or testamentary instrument. A planned gift to The Root Cellar helps maximize the meaning and impact of your investment while ensuring the growth and creative potential of The Root Cellar’s ministry. Gift options include:
Charitable Bequest
Including The Root Cellar in your will is a great way to build a legacy of community support that will continue into future generations.
Life Insurance Designation
The Root Cellar can be named as owner and/or beneficiary of a life insurance policy that will leverage your premium into a larger eventual gift.
IRA Designation
IRA assets can be left to The Root Cellar simply by naming the ministry as beneficiary to the account. This enables the investment to avoid income and estate taxes.
Gifts of Appreciated Assets
Your gift of long-term appreciated assets, such as stocks or real estate, allows you to make a sizable current gift to The Root Cellar with substantial immediate tax benefits.
Charitable Remainder Trust
A trustee makes scheduled payments of income to you and/or your beneficiaries until income rights have expired, upon which The Root Cellar receives the remainder of the trust.
Charitable Lead Trust
Those with very large estates may use this type of gift to benefit The Root Cellar and pass principal to family members with little or no tax penalty.
Private Annuity Gift
Naming The Root Cellar as beneficiary to your private annuity allows for 100% of the funds to pass income and estate tax-free to the ministry while providing income during your lifetime.
If you have any questions or if you are ready to make a financial contribution to The Root Cellar, please e-mail us and a staff member will contact you. Please include your phone number and the best time to reach you in the e-mail so that we can easily get in touch with you.
Designated Giving/Matching Gifts
Did you know you can write in The Root Cellar as the charity of your choice when giving to the United Way or Maine Share through your place of work?
If your workplace doesn’t offer MaineShare for payroll contributions, contact MaineShare at 207-622-0105 to find out more. If your employer offers the United Way, you can earmark your contribution to go to The Root Cellar through the write in option.
We are a tax-exempt, non-profit organization as described under the Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3).
If you have any questions about designated giving/matching gifts, please e-mail us and a staff member will contact you. Please include your phone number and the best time to reach you in the e-mail so that we can easily get in touch with you.
Automated Monthly Giving Plan
Your monthly support for The Root Cellar programs and services can be directly withdrawn from your bank account, credit or debit card.
Advantages include saving you time and the expense of postage and checks while saving The Root Cellar postage and processing as well as assuring the ministry of consistent income.
For more information or to sign up for the automated giving plan, please give us a call at (207) 774-3197 or send as an e-mail. Thank you in advance!
Memorial and Honor Gifts
Honor your loved one with a gift in their name to The Root Cellar. This option is perfect for birthdays, holidays, graduation, retirement or memorial. If you would like to make a gift “In honor of” or “In memory of” a loved one or if you would like more information, please e-mail us and a staff member will contact you. Please include your phone number and the best time to reach you in the e-mail so that we can easily get in touch with you. You may also feel free to call us at (207) 774-3197.
Church Donations
“The Root Cellar is a place where God’s love is demonstrated in real and tangible ways everyday.” – neighborhood father
The Root Cellar welcomes one-time or monthly gifts from churches who would like to ensure that this vital ministry has the means and resources to continue building relationships with neighborhood residents that demonstrate the love and hope of the living Jesus Christ.
Donations can be sent to:
The Root Cellar
94 Washington Avenue
Portland, ME 04101
The Root Cellar’s Commitment to Good Stewardship
Stewardship has always been a part of the Root Cellar culture. The Root Cellar is committed to be honest, accountable and respectful managers of our communications and the resources entrusted to us. We are committed to stewardship that is measurable, transparent and readily available so that our supporting churches, our volunteers and our donors have the confidence and trust necessary to deliver services with love to a needy neighborhood.
The Root Cellar has not only committed to full financial audits each year, we have also raised our level of accountability by becoming members in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
ECFA is an accreditation agency dedicated to helping Christian ministries earn the public’s trust through adherence to seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship which focus on board governance, financial transparency, integrity in fund-raising, and proper use of charity resources.
