Gift Options to Support the River
Still holiday shopping? We have plenty of options for you to delight the friend of the river in your life with the perfect gift that will help make the river healthier and more accessible for people and wildlife.
Adopt an Animal of the River System
You can adopt a catfish, osprey, or painted turtle (symbolically). The Chicago and Calumet Rivers are teeming with an amazing diversity of animals, all of which are important to our local ecosystem and deserve our respect and protection. All symbolic wildlife adoptions come with certificates and other fun items celebrating these remarkable native species.
Gift a Membership
A gift membership of any size provides Friends with the operating support that affects all of our programs and initiatives and sustains our mission all year long. Membership is accompanied by fun benefits including discounts on paddling events and free admission to our McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum. Field trip and wildlife adoptions contain these benefits as well. Simply click the “Gift Membership” box on our donation form and include the recipient’s information so our staff can notify them.
Get Great Boating Gear
Now thru December 23 mention Friends of the Chicago River at the Boater's Closet Holiday Pop-up Store and 10% of your total will be donated to us! Choose a gift from a huge selection of great products from brands like Helly Hansen, Musto, Gill, Grundens, OluKai, Sperry, and more. The festive pop-up store is located at 1160 N. Halsted St., in Chicago.
Share your Love for the River with a Berman Subaru
Friends is the Hometown Charity of Berman Subaru of Chicago for the 17th Annual Subaru Share the Love® Event. Now through January 2, 2025, Berman Subaru of Chicago will donate $250 to Friends of the Chicago River for any new vehicle purchased or leased from the dealership located at 4330 West Irving Park Road in Chicago with additional donations from the dealer and those who get their cars repaired there. Click here to see Friends of the Chicago River in Berman Subaru’s Share the Love commercial.
Make a Tax Deductible Gift to Friends with your IRA
If you are 70 ½ or older, please consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) as your convenient, tax-free option to make a gift to Friends of the Chicago River this year or in years to come. Using QCD is an excellent strategy for managing your required minimum distributions (RMD) from an IRA while also supporting charitable causes. You may transfer up to $105,000 per year directly through your IRA or other qualified charitable distribution programs. Please contact Friends’ Director of Development, Annie Hanrahan, with any questions about giving this year, at ahanrahan@chicagoriver.org.
Any of these contributions made by December 31, 2024 will qualify for the 2024 tax year. Thank you for considering us during this season of giving.
