What will your legacy be?
Join the Little Bit Hearts and Hooves Legacy Giving Circle.
ABOUT LITTLE BIT THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center is a community where horses transform the bodies, minds, and spirits of people with disabilities. Founded in 1976, Little Bit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located on 14 acres in Redmond, Washington.
Little Bit is a national and regional leader in equine-assisted services for children and adults with disabilities. Our programs provide clients with therapeutic and recreational benefits that promote healthy outcomes. Our purpose is to help participants build skills for independence, improve daily functioning, and overcome physical, emotional, and cognitive health challenges.
Little Bit’s premier programs include Therapy (physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy), Adaptive Riding, Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy, and Equine-Assisted Learning.
Little Bit served 504 unduplicated participants across all our programs in 2022. That year, sixty-one percent of clients in Therapy and Adaptive Riding combined were under the age of 18. Nearly 100 diagnoses are represented, with 58 percent of clients having more than one diagnosis. The most frequently seen diagnoses include autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, attention deficit disorders, and Down syndrome.
LITTLE BIT PROVIDES VITAL SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY
More than 311,000 people in the two counties nearest to Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center have a disability, including over 21,000 under the age of 18(1). Little Bit is in the area with the highest self-sufficiency standard (cost) in the state (2), especially housing and transportation. Many people are waiting for program openings to receive services at Little Bit. By naming Little Bit as a beneficiary in your estate plans, or as part of your annual charitable giving, you can help Little Bit plan for vital needs in the future, including life-changing programs, a healthy herd of horses, functional and safe facilities, living wages for staff, and much more.
(1) United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2021
(2) University of Washington, The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Washington State, 2020
CREATING YOUR LEGACY AND ADDING STABILITY AT LITTLE BIT
Do you want to leave a legacy–to make a difference? You can help ensure that Little Bit has a secure future and the financial resources to sustain programs that transform the lives of people with disabilities. Make a difference by making your planned gift, in other words, a donation made as part of your charitable estate or tax planning, that will positively impact Little Bit for years to come. Tax benefits, peace of mind, community impact, and ensuring that your wishes are followed are all reasons to include Little Bit in your tax and estate plans today.
"My husband, Jerry, and I chose to include Little Bit in our estate planning, as we cannot think of a finer legacy than helping to continue the magical work done at Little Bit. It is a comfort to us to know that the horses that provide the bond and the service for their riders will continue to be cared for after we’re gone. The facility that houses them will remain safe and secure, and that is a comfort to us. The need for this work will continue on well into the future, and we want to contribute to the longevity of Little Bit at Dunmire Stables.” —Jerry and Sally Gregg
Thanks to legacy gifts received in the past few years, Little Bit is able to remain financially stable when facing emergencies, such as temporary closures caused by major weather events or a pandemic. You can help Little Bit be prepared for the next unexpected challenge.
To learn more about legacy giving, or to discuss legacy giving opportunities, please contact Director of Development Sharon Soldenwagner at 425-882-1554 x117.
CHOOSE HOW TO DESIGNATE YOUR DONATION
Unrestricted gift | Choosing to leave your planned gift unrestricted allows it to be used to meet Little Bit’s highest priority needs as determined by the Board of Trustees and Executive Director.
Restricted gift | If you feel passionate about a specific area of Little Bit’s operations, such as our horses, Therapy, Adaptive Riding, facilities, or mortgage, please reach out for a conversation before making this designation in your estate. We look forward to learning more about your vision.
LITTLE BIT IS A LEADER
“We are so grateful to have a facility like Little Bit in our community. We realize just how rare Little Bit is. Out of the entire West Coast, there is no therapeutic riding center that compares to Little Bit. As it has done for many decades, in many ways Little Bit continues to provide support and set an example for other therapeutic riding centers. In the industry, Little Bit is recognized as being a top therapeutic riding center.” —Anonymous 2021 end of year survey respondent
WAYS TO GIVE
Cash gift | Cash gifts to Little Bit, in any amount, are gratefully accepted year-round.
Publicly traded stock | Gifts of stock are easily transferred from owner to Little Bit through a broker. In some cases, capital gains tax can be avoided, and the donor is entitled to a charitable income tax deduction.
IRA distribution | Currently, if you are age 70½ years of age or over, you can make distributions of up to $100,000 a year to Little Bit directly from your IRA. These gifts count towards your required minimum distribution and are tax free.
Retirement account | Make Little Bit a beneficiary of your retirement plan account, such as your IRA or 401K. Most distributions from retirement plans are taxed, but generally, a charitable donation from one is not.
Beneficiary designation on donor advised funds | Make Little Bit a beneficiary of your donor advised fund. You can designate that Little Bit receives a percentage or the balance of the total remaining assets.
Bequest | A bequest is a donation, either a specific dollar amount or percentage, from your estate. Generally, it takes just a sentence or two in your will or trust to set up a bequest. Learn more about the language you can use.
Life insurance policy | Name Little Bit as a beneficiary of a policy that has outlasted its original intended purpose. Instead of letting your policy lapse or cashing out and having to pay taxes, make a tax-free charitable gift to Little Bit.
Property | Little Bit does not accept gifts of real or tangible property except by vote of the Board of Trustees and in accordance with identified and imminent organizational needs. If you wish to leave real or tangible property in your estate plans, please contact us to ensure we can accommodate your wishes.
Endowment gift | Gifts to Little Bit’s existing endowment fund are invested in perpetuity. A portion of the investment income provides tuition aid each year to Little Bit participants who are unable to pay the already reduced program fees, and another portion provides general operating funding.
Charitable Trust | Little Bit may be named as a beneficiary of either a charitable remainder trust or a charitable lead trust. Tax deductions vary depending on the donor’s life expectancy and the amount invested.
CELEBRATING WITH YOU
We’d love to celebrate with you now, not just with your friends and family after you’ve gone. If you’ve already included Little Bit in your charitable estate or tax planning, please reach out so that we can recognize you as a member of Little Bit’s Hearts and Hooves Legacy Giving Circle.
CONSULT YOUR ADVISOR
Please note that Little Bit employees may not give legal, financial, or tax advice, nor serve as personal representative, executor, trustee, or witness. Please consult your financial advisor or attorney to confirm any projected tax benefits or for legal advice.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND US
Sharon Soldenwagner, Director of Development
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center
18675 NE 106th ST, Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 882-1554
Tax ID #91-1012131
