Giving
The Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is committed to be a wise steward of your gifts to ensure … not another moment lost to seizures.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles depends upon the generosity of individuals to support the mission in our region. Thank you for considering how you want to be involved as a donor or for renewing your support.

Any and all current and interested donors are invited to contact the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to get more information or ask questions about any of the opportunities listed below.

Susan Pietsch-Escueta, MPH
Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles
310.670.2870 Ext. 101
Email

Make A Donation
Please consider making a one-time or sustaining donation to support the mission of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to almost 180,000 families affected by epilepsy in our 4-county region. The Foundation depends on the generosity of individuals to support our ongoing programs for individuals and families affected by epilepsy. On behalf of the members of the board and the staff, we thank you for your faithful help in word and deed and donations to the Foundation.

Most donations will be recognized to the best of our ability in our newsletter or annual report and, if applicable, donations of a certain value or more will be recognized on an event or camp T-shirt or Program. When you make your donation, please indicate if you do not want us to include your name on these lists.

[return to top]

Single And Sustaining Donations

Make a single and sustaining donation by clicking here.

 [return to top]

Gifts In Memory And Honor
If you want to give a gift in memory or in honor of someone, please indicate and include that information with your donation.

Please consider recognizing a special event, such as a birthday or anniversary, by inviting friends to use the opportunity to make a gift to the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

Gifts in memory and honor of someone can be made online, by phone or by mail, as indicated above. Please make sure to indicate that the gift is in memory or honor of someone so that person or their loved one can be informed of your gift as well.

Make a gift in memory and honor by clicking here.

[return to top]

Matching Gift Program
Does your company or your spouse’s company have a Matching Gift Program? Please ask. If so, please request their matching gift forms and send it along with your donation or at year-end, as directed by your company. We will complete the form and return it to the company. It’s a great way to double your generous gift!

Following are some of the companies that do have matching gift programs and have used those programs to support the work of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. Thank you for your support.

[return to top]

Employee Giving Program
Does your company or your spouse’s company have an Employee Giving Program? Some companies operate their own Employee Giving Program. Other companies participate with UNITED WAY or with COMMUNITY HEALTH CHARITIES and encourage their employees to give through payroll deduction to these agencies.

Please encourage your company to add the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to their list of charities.

Please designate the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles in your own giving through payroll deduction.

Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles – CFC Code #10568 (Community Health Charities)
The Epilepsy Foundation is a member agency of COMMUNITY HEALTH CHARITIIES.
- Call the Community Health Charities of California at 310-216-9495, or visit www.healthcharitiescal.org.

Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles – UNITED WAY #16076 (United Way)

Following are some of the companies that encourage employee giving and/or have employee giving programs and promote the local work of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

[return to top]

In-Kind Gifts Program
We welcome in-kind donations. Our wish list includes but is not limited to the following ideas:
- food and snacks for our family programs
- children’s gifts for our Holiday Party and Family Picnic
- bottled water or lunch for our Freedom Walk
- donated printing for T-shirts or printed materials
- gifts and prizes for our raffles and silent auctions
- prizes for our teen program
- donated storage space
- children’s safety helmets
- office supplies

Please call the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to discuss an in-kind donation so we can make sure we can find a use for it to optimize our programs and services.

[return to top]

Vehicle Donation Program
Please consider donating your old car or boat or RV to support the work of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. The funds from your donated vehicle will benefit the National and the local Epilepsy Foundation. Please call the number below and indicate that you want to help the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. We appreciate it if you also let us know you have made the vehicle donation so we can track the proceeds from the donation.
PHONE NUMBER OF EF NATIONAL FOR VEHICLE DONATIONS: 1-877-332-2777

[return to top]

Earmarked Gift (With Or Without Naming Opportunities)
Please consider a special earmarked gift to the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. Such a gift can provide special naming opportunities, if the donor wishes. You may want to consider such a gift in honor of a child in your life, or in memory of a loved one who has passed away, or on the occasion of a special event.

Below are some of the special opportunities which we invite you to consider for your special planned gift. If you have other ideas, please call us to discuss. We want to honor your request and desire to support certain programs and take advantage of naming opportunities.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles will entertain a donation for anything that helps us fulfill our mission – and that mission is vast and far-reaching when it comes to helping people with epilepsy and supporting research to cure epilepsy.

We encourage restricted gifts to be at least $2,500 per year if earmarked for specific projects. Gifts of smaller size will be recognized in our newsletter or website or annual report, but we cannot always provide reports or documentation for each and every gift.

Some ideas:

- Make a gift in memory of a parent or grandparent to endow the position of Camp Coordinator or Community Outreach Coordinator at the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. The suggested annual gift or interest from the gift would typically range from $20,000 to $40,000.

The [Your grandparents name] Camp Coordinator
The [Your grandparents name] Community Outreach Coordinator

- Make a gift in honor of a child and endow the Camp Endowment Fund. The minimum gift that can be earmarked for the Camp Endowment Fund is $2,500. We suggest that gifts less than $2,500 can be used to support Camp scholarship for the current year.

Camp Endowment Fund – Angel [your loved ones name]

- Make a gift in honor of someone who has inspired you.

The [your friend] Helpline for Hope

Such gifts will provide enduring and sustaining support for the mission of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

[return to top]

Planned Gift Program
Thank you for your interest in naming the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles in your Will. Following is some of the basic information you will need, but let us know if you and your financial advisor have other questions.

Organization: Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles
501(c)3 charitable organization
Tax ID: 95-204-6033
Address: 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 820, Los Angeles, California 90045
Contact: Susan Pietsch Escueta, Executive Director
Tel: 310-670-2870
Fax: 310-670-6124
Presently we have an endowment fund invested at WEDBUSH MORGAN SECURITIES
Attn: Earl Feldhorn
Address: Wedbush Morgan Securities, 1000 Wilshire Blvd., 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90030-0017
Phone: 213-688-8020
Fax: 213-688-6646
Email: Email Mr. Feldhorn 

These funds are utilized at the discretion of the Board of Trustees, unless earmarked by the donor. Please discuss earmarked gifts with the Development Director or Executive Director at 310.670.2870.

[return to top]

Support Events
Special events promote awareness and provide much needed support for the mission of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. Please consider chairing an auction, selling tickets, inviting friends, being a corporate sponsor, participating in a silent auction, and more …
» Events

[return to top]

Common Donor Questions

What is your relationship with the national Epilepsy Foundation in Landover, Maryland?
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which chooses to affiliate with the national Epilepsy Foundation in Maryland. Working with the national provides a strong, unified voice on behalf of people with epilepsy. As an affiliate, we are on the “front lines” of providing programs and services to families affected by epilepsy at the local level.

Do you pay dues to the national Epilepsy Foundation in Landover, Maryland?
As a reflection of our participation in this shared mission, each year our affiliate pays three percent of our income (up to $25,000) a year to the national organization. This enables us to qualify for travel-training grants to attend the annual Leadership Conference and Public Policy Institute in Washington DC. The dues also result in a slightly reduced rate when we purchase epilepsy brochures and materials. In addition, as an affiliate, we can apply for grants funded by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) through the national office. Our affiliate may be awarded one small grant every 2-3 years.

Where do you get your money?
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles relies heavily on the generosity of individual donors who give to the Foundation in response to special appeals or events. In addition, we receive funds in response to grant requests to corporations and foundations.

Does your local Epilepsy Foundation get any money from the state or federal government?
We do not receive federal or state funds to deliver our programs and services. Through the Lanterman Act, the state of California has established Regional Centers to serve individuals with developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. Thus, the Regional Centers get most of the available state funding to help individuals with epilepsy. However, we often find that only those with severe forms of epilepsy and/or with dual diagnosis are accepted as Regional Center clients. Many individuals with a sole diagnosis of epilepsy fall through the cracks and do not get services from the Regional Center and look to us for help.

How are decisions made about the budget?
The Board of Directors reviews and approves the budget each year and approves the salary of the Executive Director.

Where does my money go? How much of my money goes to programs and services?
Our Epilepsy Foundation is fortunate because we benefit from the Garnier Trust Fund which was established many years ago by the generosity of Mrs. Audette Garnier. The interest our Foundation gets from this Fund each year is about 10-15 percent of our budget. This basically covers our administrative costs and part of our fundraising costs. Thus, each year, at least 90% of your donation went to support programs and services offered by the Foundation.

How can I get more involved with the Foundation?
In addition to your faithful giving, there are other ways that you can get more involved with the Foundation. We invite you to be part of our special fundraising events as a committee member, a volunteer for the day, or as a participant. We also invite you to attend our camps and conferences and meet people served by your gift. We would welcome the opportunity of meeting with you to find out more about your interests and how you would like to be involved with us.

What if I want to support something specific? May I establish a special fund in my name or in honor of someone else?
The Board of Director welcomes designated gifts for activities that are already part of our programs and services and that help fulfill our mission.

If you wish to support an existing program through a restricted gift which requires special reporting, please talk to the Executive Director so that your generous wishes and expectations can be discussed and considered more carefully.

If you wish to give a restricted gift for a new program, please talk to the Executive Director. Together with you, the Executive Director and a member of the Board will discuss the proposed program and come to an understanding of whether and how the Foundation can meaningfully fulfill your wishes to establish a new program.

The Epilepsy Foundation is committed to be a wise steward of your gifts to ensure … not another moment lost to seizures.

[return to top]

Research

When it comes to supporting epilepsy research, the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is proud to be leading all the other Epilepsy Foundation Affiliates, nationwide, in donating the most money to epilepsy research. To read more about the research and epilepsy and how your local Epilepsy Foundation is involved with research, please click here.

Join us in supporting epilepsy research through the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. Click here to make a donation to support epilepsy research.

[return to top]

[return to top]

Give Time - Volunteer
Each year, almost 100 volunteers provide services equivalent to 3 full-time staff. The roots of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles are firmly grounded in volunteerism. The organization's very existence is dependent upon the talents and dedication of many men and women from all sectors of the community. Volunteers are the backbone of our organization and we are committed to volunteer recruitment, training, development, and support.

Volunteer Board membership
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is always on the search for board members that represent the ethnic diversity of our region, represent various industries, and can bring various types of expertise to the board. If you are interested in learning more about the Board of Trustees or the Professional Advisory Board, please contact
Rebekkah Halliwell at 310.670.2870 x103. The process for identifying and recruitment of board volunteers is somewhat different from the process for program volunteers.

Volunteer Program committee
A pool of talented and culturally diverse community volunteers are needed to assist in the delivery of timely and appropriate client-centered services. The services provided by the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles are the result of diligent work of many caring, dedicated, and creative volunteers. We invite you to join us in our effort to meet the needs of persons with epilepsy.

Volunteer Event committee
A pool of connected, talented and creative volunteers is needed to organize the annual special events. We invite you to join us in our effort so we can raise the funds to support the much needed services.

Volunteer internships
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles has benefited from the short and long- term involvement of college interns. Please contact us if you are interested in pursuing a volunteer internship with the Foundation. Please send the description and requirements of your internship so we can make sure we can fulfill our roles and responsibilities as well before the internship is started.

Volunteer once – volunteer often
If you can’t make a long-term commitment to serve on a board or committee or to complete a certain project, please consider a one-time or a one-day volunteer experience. That way you can get better acquainted with us, and us with you.

More specifics on volunteer opportunities are listed below.

For questions, contact Rebekkah Halliwell at 310.670.2870 Ext 103 or email.

How to become Volunteer with the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles
There is a four-step process for becoming a Volunteer with the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles:

Step 1:
Contact the local Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to speak with a staff member and to receive the Volunteer Application Form.

Credit for Volunteer Service
Many high schools and colleges and employers encourage volunteer service. EFGLA volunteers will be provided with a specific certificate/letter confirming hours of service upon request. Please alert your staff liaison in advance regarding any particular necessities and forms that may apply in your case.

Volunteer Opportunities
Browse some of the Volunteer Opportunities at the EFGLA to get a feel for where you might fit. Complete the volunteer application and begin the volunteer placement process today! Volunteer Services at EFGLA consist of direct client services and indirect services performed by many active volunteers include:

[return to top]