At the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, every gift tells a story. Some are given in joyful moments — in celebration of a milestone or loved one, a donation to a favorite place or school. Others are planned quietly, thoughtfully, as part of someone’s lasting legacy. These gifts — their last gifts — reflect a lifetime of caring for community or a moment to give back.
Recently, an anonymous local couple did just that. Through their estate plan, they chose to create a new designated fund at the Community Foundation that will support 11 of their favorite local nonprofits — from food pantries to local parochial schools and basic-needs-serving organizations. It’s planning for a future gift that reflects their beliefs and values. It’s trusting that the Community Foundation will carry out their wishes faithfully, in perpetuity, for the benefit of the local nonprofits they love.
A Plan for Good
“When donors work with the Community Foundation on a planned gift, they’re not simply leaving money behind — they’re creating a plan for good,” shared Patti Manley, Community Foundation Board Chair. Whether it’s one organization, several nonprofits, a church, or the Foundation’s own community grantmaking, every planned gift begins with one question: How do you want your generosity to live on?
“For some of our donors, they want to establish a fund to support specific organizations year after year. For others, it’s a fund that ensures future grants will continue to support causes they cared about — like education, recreation, the arts, or animal welfare. And for many, it’s simply trusting the Foundation’s board and staff to steward their legacy where it’s needed most, through our unrestricted community grantmaking funds,” said Jackie Hanton, Vice President of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.
Each planned gift becomes part of a larger story — a story of a community that takes care of one another, generation after generation.
Legacy Society
Those who include the Foundation in their estate plans are welcomed into the Legacy Society, a circle of donors who have chosen to make their final act of giving one that endures. Some donors establish inactive funds during their lifetimes that will later receive a gift through a bequest in their will or trust. Others make a gift through a life insurance policy, retirement account beneficiary designation, or charitable remainder trust.
No matter the size or structure, every Legacy Society gift reflects the same belief: that our local nonprofits, community assets, schools, and neighborhoods matter — and that the work we do together should last.
As former Community Foundation Board Chair Hale Walker once said, “I want to make sure my final gift can do the most good it can. The Community Foundation already knows the needs and opportunities in our community — I trust them to make that decision when I’m no longer here.”
Why the Community Foundation?
A planned gift through the Community Foundation isn’t just a donation — it’s a partnership. We help donors and their professional advisors design charitable plans that align with their values and ensure that their intent is preserved forever.
Because we manage hundreds of funds and work closely with nonprofits across the region, we have the local knowledge and administrative expertise to carry out charitable wishes that range from simple to complex. And because we are an 81-year-old charity with deep roots in St. Clair County, your legacy remains local — supporting the people and places that made your life meaningful.
A Gift for Every Donor
You don’t need to be wealthy to leave a legacy. Some of the most meaningful planned gifts we’ve received have been modest — a few thousand dollars left in a will, a beneficiary designation from a life insurance policy, or a small percentage of a retirement account.
Every dollar will grow and give back for generations. Together, these gifts give the Community Foundation the opportunity to respond to changing needs and opportunities in every corner of the county — from Port Huron to Yale, from Marine City to Memphis.
To learn more about how you can join the Legacy Society or begin a conversation about your own charitable plan, visit stclairfoundation.org/legacy-society or contact the Foundation’s team.
Because your last gift can be your most powerful — one that carries your values, beliefs, and vision for our community.