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Don’t you hate missing out?

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Especially when you don’t have to.

This year’s Heritage Society Tailgate (on November 5 prior to the UGA vs. Tennessee game) was a tremendous success. More than 130 spirited Bulldogs braved the drizzly weather to enjoy food, drink and fun with their fellow Heritage Society Members. Check out the photo gallery from this year’s festivities. (And how ’bout that game? Truly a win for the ages! It’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog!)

Want to attend the event next year? Simply become a member of the Heritage Society. Learn how you can help ensure UGA’s future, make a positive impact, cement your legacy and maybe even enjoy tax benefits. It’s easier than you might think! Contact the Office of Gift and Estate Planning for more information about joining the Heritage Society. As you can see from the photos, they’re a fun bunch.

CONTACT UGA PLANNED GIVING

 

New PLC Chairs highlight importance of parent philanthropy

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Talia Murphy first stepped foot on campus as a freshman in 1980 just in time to experience the University of Georgia’s national championship win later that year. Now she enjoys the pride of yet another national championship victory for the Georgia Bulldogs, as her daughter, Lily, attends classes. Talia states, “being back on campus with this victory buzz in the air has been so fun, and finding our own place on campus through the Parents Leadership Council has strengthened the experience for our whole family.” Along with her husband, John, Talia serves as the chair of the Parents Leadership Council (PLC), an organization of parents who are eager to contribute to the university and support student-serving organizations.

After her graduation, Talia and John spent 30 years overseas with their three daughters. She was relatively removed from the university during this time, but when John was called back to Atlanta for his career at Coca-Cola, UGA was back on the couple’s radar—especially as their youngest daughter, Lily, was getting ready to apply for colleges. All it took for her to be sold on UGA was attending the renowned, annual Georgia-Georgia Tech football game. Through their daughter, John and Talia reconnected with UGA and have remained passionate ever since. Even though John, an Irish citizen who did not go to college in the United States, had no previous connection to UGA, he has become an avid Dawgs fan.

For the past few years, John and Talia have known they wanted to invest in UGA. Together, they have pledged to create a Georgia Commitment Scholarship, a need-based scholarship program built on private donations. In supporting Lily, the Murphys have developed a passion for supporting every UGA student across campus. As Talia states, “Where your kids are, that’s where you put your time, your effort, and your financial support.” This philosophy steered the couple to the Parents Leadership Council.

The Murphys became involved in the PLC during the height of the pandemic. Though they were unable to meet other members in person, they believed in the program and wanted to stay involved. As time went on, they were able to find a community in the PLC and encourage other parents to do the same.

“We love that there’s an organization where we can really make a difference as parents”, said Talia. “It taps parents into what’s happening on campus and allows us to address the needs of students as they come up through the grants program.”

After the Murphys dedicated over a year to the PLC, getting deeply involved with the campus community and student life, the two were presented with the opportunity to serve as chairs. The couple takes great pride in holding this position, and they are striving to make the PLC even more active and engaged with campus organizations. The PLC Grants Program, a longstanding PLC effort and a major focus for John and Talia, awarded $875,000 last year to 100 campus organizations. The Murphys, working with the PLC Grants Committee Chairs, want to raise more money for grant funding than ever before: their goal is to reach $1 million in donations from PLC members this year.

John and Talia encourage any interested parent to consider joining the PLC for the tight-knit community, the service to the university and an opportunity to continue supporting your children throughout their years in college, as well as many other students and student organizations. The PLC offers parents a unique chance to show up in a very tangible way for their children.

“Whether it’s attending meetings or mingling with fellow PLC members, council members have an opportunity to be on campus. But best of all, we have an opportunity to make a difference in a student’s life,” said the Murphys. “Exploring downtown restaurants with Lily and her friends is one thing, but now we are able to feel an extra sense of gratification knowing that we are supporting her journey one step further through the PLC.”

UGA wins Beat Week (again)

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It’s always an exciting matchup when UGA and Auburn go head-to-head, and Beat Week 2022 was no exception.

Beat Week is the philanthropic counterpart to “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry,” and the rules are simple: the university with the most gifts raised during the week leading up to the game wins!

Following UGA’s two consecutive victories, Auburn was looking for their first win this year—and for much of the week, it appeared they might just do it.

However, the UGA community rallied late in the week to take the lead after several days of trading back and forth with Auburn. The result was a double dose of victory for UGA on and off the field. And when the dust settled in the Gift Accounting office, the final score stood:

UGA–2,984

Auburn–1,817

A good coach always acknowledges that every win is a team effort, and that’s certainly true for Beat Week. Everyone played a role: alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends!

UGA’s student body had an impressive outing worthy of SportsCenter’s Top-10 performances; over 700 students flexed their philanthropic muscles and took part in the effort!

Beat Week raised over $1 million to over 300 fund designations across campus supporting scholarships, research, academic programming and a lot more; proving that UGA isn’t just No. 1 in the newest AP Poll, but also in generosity.

Thank you to everyone who made Beat Week a success! GO DAWGS!

UGA breaks fundraising record with over $257M in FY22

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University of Georgia alumni and friends gave back to UGA at unprecedented levels over the past fiscal year, breaking the university’s fundraising record with over $257.4 million in donations.

“It has been an exceptional year for our university, and the generous contributions provided by UGA alumni and friends have been a major factor in our success,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I offer sincere thanks to the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees and each and every donor for helping our students turn their dreams into reality, supporting our faculty to advance their teaching and scholarship, and growing our public service and outreach programs that strengthen communities and expand economic development.”

The record-breaking amount came from 71,302 donors. In five of the last six years, UGA’s yearly fundraising total has been over $200 million, and the university’s three-year rolling average, which averages the three most recent years of giving, reached $212.5 million for FY22.

“The remarkable generosity of UGA donors illustrates the strong and distinctive philanthropic culture throughout the UGA community,” said Neal Quirk, Chair of the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees. “This record-setting year will benefit our students, our campus and our state long into the future, and our Trustees are extremely grateful to all donors who made this happen.”

Collectively, donors created 116 scholarship funds and 18 endowed faculty positions, bringing the university’s total to 340 endowed faculty positions.

Private giving to the university fueled significant progress across all areas of campus, including several marquee and priority projects.

  • The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation committed $15 million to the $30 million renovation of the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building, the historic north campus building named for Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, UGA’s first Black students. The project will include an array of improvements that will significantly enhance functionality while also restoring historic features of the building and honoring Holmes and Hunter-Gault.
  • Following a transformational gift of over $3.5 million from the estate of M. Louise McBee, UGA paid tribute to the former administrator and state legislator with the naming of the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education. The gift—the largest in the institute’s nearly 60-year history—will benefit the Louise McBee Distinguished Professorship in Higher Education and the Louise McBee Lecture in Higher Education and create an endowment providing broad support for the institute.
  • The $54.1 million Poultry Science Building project is receiving robust support from industry, alumni and other donors. Gifts to the project total over $10 million as of July—significant progress toward the $27 million private funding goal. The state-of-the-art facility, expected to be complete in fall 2023, will train future generations of leaders in one of Georgia’s most important industries.
  • The successful Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program continued to attract donors and expand support for students with financial need. In August, the UGA Foundation allocated an additional $1 million in matching funds—a popular component of the program that allows donors to immediately double their impact. These funds were quickly accounted for, and today, the program is responsible for more than 650 scholarships and nearly $100 million in commitments to need-based aid.

Donors also made a significant impact on March 31—Georgia Giving Day—when UGA supporters gave 9,339 gifts to the university in 24 hours, far surpassing the day’s initial goal of 1,785 gifts. Georgia Giving Day gifts totaled $5.3 million, and each of UGA’s 18 schools and colleges received donations. Donors—including over 600 students—originated from 130 Georgia counties, all 50 states and 16 countries.

“This year, more donors gave to the University of Georgia than ever before. All of our metrics indicate that Bulldogs’ commitment to giving back is not just sustained but strengthening,” said Kelly Kerner, UGA vice president for development and alumni relations. “I don’t know if there’s ever been a better time to be a Georgia Bulldog than the last 12 months.”

$1 million gift to promote Terry College study abroad scholarships

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This story, written by Ed Morales, was originally published on UGA Terry College of Business on June 28, 2022.

The University of Georgia received a $1 million gift to the Terry College of Business to support students and faculty pursuing work and study abroad opportunities in the risk management industry.

The gift from the family of Scott and Linda Sink of Birmingham, Alabama, will help fund travel, research, internships and other expenses, with first priority supporting study abroad trips to Bermuda and London for students in Terry’s Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) program. The RMI program administers the Insurance Market in Bermuda trip during spring break and the Insurance Market in London trip during Maymester. The endowment will also supply financial resources to bring visiting faculty and international scholars to UGA who provide a global perspective on risk management.

Scott Sink serves as Senior EVP and Energy Division Practice Leader at McGriff Insurance Services, Inc., an insurance broker specializing in business and personal insurance, employee benefit solutions, risk management services and more. He graduated from the Terry College in 1984 with a BBA in risk management and insurance, serves on the RMI Program Advisory Board, and was named Terry’s 2012 Risk Management Alumnus of the Year. The Sinks are members of the Terry College Shareholders’ Society, which helps fund college initiatives to support students, programs, and faculty teaching and research.

“We recognize the importance of international business experience and exposure to other cultures to cultivate a global mindset when starting your career,” Scott Sink said. “Terry’s RMI program has provided our family with an abundance of opportunities, and we are thrilled to make these experiences more accessible to Terry students.”

Expanding study abroad is a key initiative for the Terry College of Business, which seeks to provide vast and diverse access to international learning experiences needed to excel in a global business environment, said Dean Benjamin C. Ayers. The average cost for a study abroad experience is $5,000, and the college currently offers fewer than 10 endowed donor-supported study abroad scholarships.

“This important gift will open the doors in perpetuity for more Terry students to have the ability to learn and experience international business firsthand,” Ayers said. “About a third of our students have financial need, and the Sinks’ generosity helps the college lift that barrier to provide opportunities to study abroad to more of our students.”

Ranked No. 1 overall by U.S. News & World Report, Terry’s RMI program is the largest undergraduate program of its kind in the U.S., boasting more than 500 students.

To learn more about study abroad opportunities at the Terry College, please contact Kathy Ortstadt in the Terry Development and Alumni Relations Office at ortstadt@uga.edu.

SUPPORT THE TERRY COLLEGE STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Donors make 9,339 gifts on Georgia Giving Day

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UGA’s first 24-hour fundraising campaign smashes goals, nets $5.3 million to areas across campus

The University of Georgia’s first institution-wide, 24-hour fundraising effort, Georgia Giving Day, finished at midnight PST on April 1 after receiving 9,339 gifts.

UGA’s goal for its inaugural giving day was 1,785 gifts, but overwhelming support pushed the campaign past its first goal, a second goal of 3,318 and even a third goal of 6,000.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who contributed to this astonishing result, and I want them to know that they are part of more than just a successful fundraising effort,” said Kelly Kerner, UGA vice president for development and alumni relations. “They are now part of a student’s journey to Athens, a community solving local issues through UGA research, a team of students and faculty finishing a project that puts them on the national stage. All these things and many more are made possible with the help of our donors.”

Georgia Giving Day generated $5.3 million in new funding, with gifts going to each of UGA’s 18 schools and colleges. Donors came from 50 states and 16 countries.

Some donors did more than donate, however. UGA alumni chapters across the U.S. organized events for Georgia Giving Day that encouraged attendees to make gifts while participating in a variety of activities. Events from St. Louis to Dallas to Savannah to Boston saw Bulldogs giving back while bowling, brunching, wine tasting and more.

UGA enlisted a number of prominent alumni to promote the effort. UGA head football coach Kirby Smart, broadcasters Deborah Roberts and Maria Taylor, author and Super Bowl champion Malcolm Mitchell and J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks—all Georgia Giving Day donors themselves—helped reach out to UGA supporters.

“When Bulldogs come together, our wins extend beyond the football field into the very heart of what UGA stands for: a better quality of life for everyone,” said Smart in a Georgia Giving Day promotional video. “With all of the Bulldog Nation working together, there’s no limit to who and where we can help.”

Students played a notable role in the day’s success through the annual Senior Signature campaign, which allows graduating students to have their names included on a plaque in Tate Plaza with a $30 gift supporting UGA and the school or college of their choice. The campaign’s final day was March 31, and thanks to Georgia Giving Day efforts, it acquired nearly 22 percent of its student donor goal in a single day.

Those who were unable to donate on Georgia Giving Day can still make a difference at UGA. Visit givingday.uga.edu to make a gift, learn more about Georgia Giving Day and watch a special video from Coach Smart.

UGA sorority alumnae establish endowed scholarship

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UPDATE: As detailed in the original story below, in addition to establishing a Georgia Commitment Scholarship in 2022—which has since been awarded to its first recipient—Alpha Kappa Alpha alumnae took on a fundraising campaign to establish a second, merit-based scholarship to support Franklin College students who are committed to furthering the advancement of girls and women in their community and in higher education. In the year since this story was published, 233 donors gave over $100,000 to establish this scholarship. This accomplishment was one of the many celebrated at the Eta Xi chapter’s 50th anniversary gala in Athens on March 14, 2023.

Alumnae of the Eta Xi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha gathered in Athens to celebrate the chapter's 50th anniversary on March 14, 2023.

Alumnae of the Eta Xi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha gathered in Athens to celebrate the chapter’s 50th anniversary on March 14, 2023.

More than 100 alumnae of the University of Georgia’s Eta Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., gave a total of over $50,000 to establish the 1973 Eta Xi Alumni Association Inc. Georgia Commitment Scholarship, which will provide need-based aid to UGA students in perpetuity.

“I am grateful to UGA’s Alpha Kappa Alpha alumnae, who are setting an outstanding example of generosity at our university,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Their support of current students through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program will make a lasting impact on the lives of UGA students as well as their families and communities.”

Near the beginning of 2021, Eta Xi alumnae set out to raise $50,000 by the end of the year to create a scholarship that would help ease students’ financial burdens and introduce different perspectives to the campus community. Once that goal was met, their collective gift was matched by the UGA Foundation (UGAF) with an additional $50,000 through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program, thanks to funding provided in August 2021 by the UGAF board of trustees.

The scholarship will benefit students in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and the first recipient will be named in fall 2022.

“Giving to student scholarships enables me to honor the rich history of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at UGA through Eta Xi Chapter while also celebrating current students,” said Natalie Lewis (ABJ ‘91), a member of the Black Alumni Leadership Council and life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. “As an alumna, I am truly proud to support UGA students’ success and grateful for all the donors to this effort. The tenacity and drive—particularly of students of color—are remarkable in these tough times.”

Since surpassing their fundraising goal, the Eta Xi alumnae group has continued raising support for scholarships. They are currently raising funds for a second Eta Xi alumnae scholarship, which will be a merit-based scholarship to support students who are committed to furthering the advancement of girls and women in their community and in higher education.

“I give to UGA because I am a firm believer that education and exposure are the keys that unlock potential and opportunity,” said V. Gail Bibbs Holmes (BBA ’92), Eta Xi alumna. “When a young person is fortunate enough to interact and learn with people from all over the world, their perspective grows, their thoughts expand and, hopefully, they are positively influenced by this experience. Unfortunately, there are still too many young people who have the desire and capability to attend college but do not have the financial means.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. was the first Greek-letter organization established by African American college women. Sixty-five years after its founding, on January 13, 1973, the Eta Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha was instituted at UGA by women who sought to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards and promote unity and friendship among college women.

Today, Eta Xi members and alumnae strive to build upon the sorority’s legacy through a commitment to scholarship, leadership and service to the university and Athens-Clarke County communities. The need-based scholarship they have established and the merit-based scholarship to come are the latest demonstrations of that commitment.

Scholarship support allows deserving UGA students to focus more on their coursework and participate in extracurriculars that promote growth and experiential learning opportunities. To learn more about supporting student scholarships at UGA, visit give.uga.edu/removing-barriers.

Family ties lead to lesson in giving

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Parents’ philanthropy inspires new generation of Bulldogs

Jeff and Allison Mitchell live on a steady diet of maroon and orange in the college town of Blacksburg, Virginia, where both Jeff and Allison are Virginia Tech alumni, regularly attending football games to cheer on the Hokies. Despite this familiar connection with Virginia Tech, their daughter Elizabeth Grace (ABJ ’21) elected to forge her own path at the University of Georgia.

Elizabeth Grace’s time in Athens offered her an education needed to succeed beyond graduation and it provided valuable lessons around the importance of giving and service. So, while Jeff and Allison may have earned their degrees elsewhere, they’re now building a legacy of giving alongside their daughter at UGA.

New Colors, Same Focus

When Elizabeth Grace arrived on campus, Jeff and Allison instantly joined the Bulldog family, swapping out their Hokies’ attire for red and black. They regularly visited the Classic City during Elizabeth Grace’s four years in Athens, engaging, giving and serving, primarily through service on UGA’s Parents Leadership Council, to demonstrate what a legacy of giving looks like.

“We wanted Elizabeth Grace to understand that supporting her university is something she needed to take the long-term view on,” Jeff said. “Don’t put it off and think ‘I’ll start giving later;’ get started now.”

Giving back is as natural for Jeff and Allison as breathing; they provide ample philanthropic support to a host of institutions and organizations, including their alma mater. They lead by example to ensure those lessons of generous giving are passed on to Elizabeth Grace.

Creating a New Legacy

As graduation neared, Jeff and Allison wanted to honor their daughter’s time at UGA and illustrate why giving is important. The Mitchells decided to recognize her with a legacy gift — a philanthropic gift made in honor of her time at UGA — establishing the Elizabeth Grace Mitchell Student Support Fund.

They sought her involvement, working with her to identify what she wanted the fund to address on campus. Elizabeth Grace recommended that the fund provide financial support to students in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication who are majoring in her field of study, entertainment and media studies (EMST).

“The Mitchell family’s support of student projects will help us fuel EMST film projects – the very heart of the department’s experiential learning efforts,” said Charles Davis (MA ’92) the dean of the Grady College. “This sort of support takes on increasing importance the more hands-on work we do as a college, so we deeply appreciate the fund and what it signifies.”

photo of the Mitchell family with Grady College Dean Charles Davis

Jeff and Allison Mitchell (far left and right) with their daughter, Elizabeth Grace Mitchell (AB ’21) and Grady College Dean Charles Davis (MA ’92) in December 2021.

The fund also gives the opportunity for Elizabeth Grace to engage philanthropically with UGA right after graduation. She’ll contribute directly to it, allowing her to start her own journey of giving while building a legacy that endures long after she’s graduated.

More Opportunities with PLC

In addition to the legacy gift, the Mitchells joined the Parents Leadership Council (PLC) during Elizabeth Grace’s freshman year. Ultimately, this decision launched the couple’s philanthropic journey at UGA.

The PLC offered the chance for their family to build a meaningful connection with the university, including a social network that Jeff and Allison could trust would support Elizabeth Grace during her time in Athens. The service-oriented group provides funding through parents’ annual gifts to various student programs and initiatives on campus.

In the last decade, the group has awarded more than $3.8 million to undergraduate student organizations and is the top supporter of the President’s Venture Fund. The response to these types of needs, as well as the opportunity to help prioritize what needs should be addressed, resonated with Jeff and Allison. It allowed them to proactively help determine how their contributions improved campus—something they offered their daughter when setting up the Elizabeth Grace Mitchell Student Support Fund.

Forever Connected to the Bulldog Family

For Jeff and Allison, establishing the legacy gift for Elizabeth Grace is the culmination of a series of relationships, experiences and opportunities that ultimately will connect them to UGA for the rest of their lives.

“Everybody knows the University of Georgia, but to have your daughter attend from out-of-state and understand the brand and the legacy here, it’s just special,” Jeff said. “We’ve met many, many passionate UGA alumni, and their joy and passion are infectious. You spend any time here, and you just get it. So, we’re happy to celebrate Elizabeth Grace and support the University of Georgia.”

Jeff and Allison hope their philanthropy will inspire other Bulldog parents to establish their own legacies in honor of their students’ UGA experiences. Doing so enables the next generation to strengthen UGA by creating new avenues to success for future Bulldogs.

Want to know more? Consider being a part of parent philanthropy at UGA and establishing your own legacy gift to benefit future generations of Bulldogs! Learn more about UGA’s Parent Fund and Parent Leadership Council.

Learn More About the Parent Fund Learn More About the PLC

Written by Johnathan McGinty (ABJ ’00)

UGA claims Beat Week victory (again)

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It’s always an exciting matchup when UGA and Auburn go head-to-head, and Beat Week 2021 was no exception.

Beat Week is the philanthropic counterpart to “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry,” and the rules are simple: the university with the most gifts raised during the week leading up to the game wins!

Following our narrow 3,200 to 2,900 victory last season, Auburn was looking to even the series this year—and early on, it appeared they might just do it.

However, the UGA community overcame a slow start and took a Monday afternoon lead, which they never relinquished. The result was a double dose of victory for UGA on and off the field. And when the dust settled in the Gift Accounting office, the final score stood:

  • UGA–2,790
  • Auburn–2,247

A good coach always acknowledges that every win is a team effort, and that’s certainly true for Beat Week. Everyone played a role: alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of UGA!

UGA’s student body had an impressive outing worthy of SportsCenter’s Top-10 performances; over 800 students flexed their philanthropic muscles and took part in the effort!

Beat Week raised over $650,000 to over 200 fund designations across campus supporting scholarships, research, academic programming and a lot more; proving that UGA isn’t just No. 1 in the latest AP Poll, but also in generosity.

Thank you to everyone who made Beat Week a success! GO DAWGS!

Written by Evan Tighe (BSED ’08, MA ’11), Senior Director of Annual and Special Giving

A holistic Dawg

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Nancy Juneau’s commitment to the University of Georgia is a way of life.

She’s a UGA grad (BSED ’82), a Georgia Bulldogs sports fan and the mother of a UGA alumna. Her company, Juneau Construction, helped grow UGA’s campus and build new residence halls on East Campus. And when she became a UGA Foundation Trustee, she visited every UGA school and college to meet their development directors to learn about what mattered to their area of campus. She followed those discussions by making separate donations in support of each and every school/college. And then, she and her husband, Les, funded four Georgia Commitment Scholarships, and she mentors those scholarship recipients. “There are so many ways you can make a difference!” she always says.

Underscoring her commitment, Nancy also is a member of the Heritage Society. She included language in her will that specifies a gift to the University of Georgia Foundation as part of her estate plan. “Paying it forward and giving others opportunity. This is what is important to me,” Nancy explains. “UGA made it easy and personal.”

Nancy and Les Juneau

What it means to give holistically

A ‘blended gift’ combines annual giving with a planned gift, allowing you to see the impact of your philanthropy today while continuing to support the university’s mission well into the future. The planned giving team in UGA’s Office of Gift and Estate Planning are happy to show you how to give in the way that is most advantageous to you. Just a few minutes of your time can ensure your generosity has the greatest impact now and long after you’re gone.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANNED GIVING