Honor a Life Through the History They Loved

A memorial gift to Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center is more than a donation. It is a living tribute — one that continues to do meaningful work long after the moment of loss. When someone cared about Pennsylvania German heritage, family history, or the preservation of the past, a gift made in their name carries that care forward in the most fitting way possible.

What a Memorial or Tribute Gift Supports

Memorial and tribute gifts support the full breadth of Schwenkfelder's preservation and programming mission. Every gift — regardless of size — helps sustain the collections, research resources, educational programs, and community events that define this institution.

Your gift may support:

• Conservation of fraktur, textiles, and archival materials
• Genealogy and family history research services
• Educational programs for children, adults, and school groups
• Acquisitions that expand our Pennsylvania German collections
• Community lectures, exhibitions, and signature events

There is no minimum gift amount. A memorial gift of any size receives the same personal acknowledgment and is honored with the same care.

Making a Gift in Memory or in Honor

A memorial gift is made in memory of someone who has passed. A tribute gift is made in honor of someone living — to mark a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or other meaningful occasion. Both are accepted and acknowledged in the same way.

To make a memorial or tribute gift, you may donate online, by phone, or by mail. When you give, simply indicate:

• Whether the gift is in memory or in honor of someone
• The full name of the person being remembered or celebrated
• The name and mailing address of the family member or individual you would like us to notify

We will send a personal acknowledgment to the family on your behalf. The notification will confirm that a gift has been made in their loved one's name and describe the mission it supports. The amount of your gift is never disclosed.

How We Acknowledge Memorial Gifts

Every memorial and tribute gift is acknowledged through two separate communications. The donor receives a written acknowledgment confirming the gift and its tax-deductible status. The designated family member or honoree receives a personal letter from Schwenkfelder notifying them that a gift has been made in their loved one's name.

Our acknowledgment process is handled with discretion and care. We understand that memorial gifts are often made during difficult moments, and we treat every notification accordingly — personal, timely, and free of institutional formality.

Named Endowment Funds

For those wishing to establish a more permanent memorial, named endowment funds are available at a higher giving threshold. An endowed fund in a loved one's name generates ongoing support for a specific area of Schwenkfelder's mission — collections, programming, or research — in perpetuity. Contact us directly to discuss endowment options and minimum gift requirements.

The Brick Program

The Brick Program offers a tangible, lasting tribute. Engraved bricks bearing a loved one's name are installed on the Schwenkfelder grounds, creating a permanent, visible memorial that visitors encounter for generations. Bricks may be purchased individually or as a family tribute.

Artifact Adoption

The Adopt an Artifact program allows donors to support the conservation of a specific object from Schwenkfelder's collections. Adopting an artifact in a loved one's name connects their memory directly to a piece of Pennsylvania German history — a fraktur, a textile, a piece of farm equipment — that will be preserved and displayed for years to come.

Legacy and Planned Giving

A bequest or planned gift ensures that a loved one's values — and your own — shape Schwenkfelder's future long after the gift is made. Legacy gifts may be designated to a specific collection, program, or area of the institution. We welcome conversations about planned giving at any stage of the process.

Frequently Asked Questions About Memorial Gifts