Support Us

Thank You to Our Donors!

Your Gift Makes a Difference

  • The Cause(s) of ALS is not known; More Research is Needed
  • Grant Funding is Limited for ALS Research
  • We Need to Explore Multiple Lines of Investigation & Have the Expertise & Facilities
  • Time is in Short Supply; Research needs to be Expedited
  • To Fund our Ambitious, Collaborative Programs, we need Help and Cannot Afford to Wait

What are We Doing with Current Donations?

  • Basic science research in ALS (causes, disease mechanisms)
  • Supporting our Tissue Bank
  • Supporting DNA Banking
  • Education (website)
  • Purchase medical equipment and supplies for clinical research

What Can We Do with More Funding?

  • See Live Like Lou
  • Expand our Program to Discover Better Drugs to Treat ALS in Stem Cell and Animal Models
  • Design a Drug study in Patients using Several Available Drugs at the Same Time

WAYS TO GIVE

Outright gifts payable by check or credit card: Contributions are tax-deductible and can be for any amount.

To support basic science research see Live Like Lou.

To support development of clinical drug trials and patient education, please make checks payable to University of Pittsburgh and be sure to include ALS Research on the memo line. Mail to:

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
MDA-ALS Center
UPMC Presbyterian, F872 (HPU 01 08 06)
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA  15213

Credit card donations can be made by through the University's Office of Institutional Advancement or by contacting 1-800-817-8943 or giveto@ia.pitt.edu.

Gifts of stock or other assets:

Matching gifts: Your gift may be increased if you work for a company with a matching gift program. Spouse and retiree gifts may also be matched. This meaningful support maximizes the impact of your gift and makes a critical difference to our efforts. Please ask your employer for details.

Planned gifts: The term “Planned Giving” refers to charitable gifts that are arranged with forethought and executed over a period of time. Planned Giving can be an important element of your financial management or estate planning. Planned gifts can be made in a number of ways, each of which may provide significant benefits to the donor and his or her family.

Bequests of various kinds can be included in the body of your will or in a codicil. A bequest may entitle your estate to special tax benefits.

Life Income Gifts allow you and/or your loved ones to receive income while still making a meaningful contribution to ALS research. There are several types of life income gifts, including charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts.

Gifts of Life Insurance allow you to name the center as the owner and beneficiary of a life insurance policy, which may entitle you to an income tax deduction.

Gifts of Retirement Assets held in an IRA or qualified retirement plan can receive the greatest tax advantage when they are used as gifts to charitable organizations at death. Selecting the Center for ALS Research as a beneficiary may protect these assets from taxes that could significantly consume their value. Options include naming the center as the beneficiary or providing for your surviving spouse or children first and then the center by naming a charitable remainder trust as your plan’s beneficiary.

For additional, no obligation information about making a contribution, please contact:

University of Pittsburgh & UPMC
Medical and Health Sciences Foundation
Forbes Tower, Suite 8084
3600 Forbes Avenue at Meyran Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Phone: 412-578-9273