December 21, 2025
Dear Friends,
The new year, the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, promises to be exciting at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum as we build on tried-and-true programs, reinvent new ways of getting things done, and remain resilient through the changes coming our way. We are forever grateful to you, our supporters. Your generosity allows us to accomplish our mission to steward the 128-acre arboretum, educate the community about horticulture and history, and build a following of like-minded members who hope to protect and beautify this exceptional public space.
As a nonprofit organization, we rely on annual contributions to help cover essential out-of-pocket expenses that membership dues alone cannot fully support. We hope to keep membership dues and program fees at their current levels, but in 2026, we’ll face several important needs:
- The Friends’ Annual Plant Sale, one of the year’s most anticipated events at the arboretum, requires extra tent rentals this year and tent lighting to ensure a safe, welcoming experience for shoppers. The cost of plants, even at wholesale pricing, has increased dramatically and continues to skyrocket.
- Educational programs and lectures continue to grow in popularity, bringing with them rising hospitality costs and speaker fees.
- The cost of spring bulbs and summer annuals at Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s display gardens has also risen, requiring greater monetary demands from the Friends just to meet our usual installation practices.
- The Friends’ quarterly newsletter, Arboretum Leaves, and the weekly eblast remain important avenues to connect with membership and followers, but design, editorial, printing, and mailing costs have increased significantly.
- We are thrilled to be moving into a new office space in the historic mansion at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum—a long-anticipated restoration of our presence on site. While exciting, the space is currently unfurnished and requires basic furnishings and updated equipment to make it functional.
Your donation to our Annual Appeal will ensure that our programs, publications, and improvements continue to serve the community and the Friends mission. Every gift, no matter the size, directly supports the work we do and the experiences we can offer.
Thank you for helping us preserve the inspirational, natural beauty of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum and for entrusting us with the horticultural education of friends and homeowners. We could not do this without you.
Yours in horticulture,
Heather Emelander
President, Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum
THERE'S STILL TIME TO SUPPORT THE FRIENDS
AND THE FRELINGHUYSEN ARBORETUM
As the year draws to a close, many of us are thinking about making additional charitable contributions by December 31. Please consider including the Friends in your year-end donations. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation so your gift may be tax deductible as a charitable contribution, as allowed by law.
In addition to cash contributions, there are other types of donations that may have tax advantages for you.
- A gift of appreciated stock may provide a tax deduction for the fair market value of the security donated, as well as avoiding a tax on long term capital gains, had the security been sold.
- A gift made directly from your IRA account, known as a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), will reduce the amount of your required minimum distribution included in income. A QCD may be made from your IRA, provided you have reached age 70-1/2. This reduction in taxable income may also provide additional tax reduction benefits by reducing the taxability of other income, such as social security, as well as increasing the amount of medical expenses that may be allowed.
Some of you might already be familiar with donor-advised funds. These are investment accounts specifically created for the purpose of making donations to a charity you select at a future date. Please consider a grant to the Friends when you are reviewing your fund’s gifts.
There are a number of ways to include charitable giving in your Estate plan. These include:
- Specific bequests
- Life insurance policies
- Annuities
- Trusts, such as a charitable remainder trust
- Designating charities as beneficiaries of your IRA account.
An unrestricted gift could be used for many of the programs and grants the Friends support. These include:
- Spring bulbs and summer annuals at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum
- Scholarships to students in the Horticulture Technology Program at the County College of Morris
- Horticulture therapy programs for students with special needs
- Speakers on a wide range of horticultural, environmental and landscape design topics
- Conservation of books in the Elizabeth Donnell Kay Rare Book Collection.
If you wish to learn more about any of the topics mentioned here, please contact lbencivengo@arboretumfriends.net.
We are sincerely grateful for the ongoing support of our members. Thank you for all you do to help our organization thrive.
(The information provided is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please consult your tax or financial advisor to review your individual situation.)
PARK INFORMATION
The Frelinghuysen Arboretum is a facility of
the Morris County Park Commission
*|REWARDS|*
