This short fictional story is presented to set the stage for becoming a philanthropist.
An elderly man was lying on his death bed and in his bank account was $300,000. Being a man that didn’t trust wills, he decided to seek help from his three most trusted people. He called over his pastor, his lawyer, and his doctor and emptied the contents of his bank account, giving each of them $100,000 in cash. He then informed them that he wished to be buried with his wealth, so they were to drop the $100,000 he gave them into his coffin before he was buried.
After the burial and before leaving the cemetery, the three people he trusted most talked about the man’s wishes. The pastor began by saying he hadn’t included the $100,000 in the coffin but instead had donated the money to the church’s food bank. “People are hungry and need food,” he said. “Surely he would be pleased the $100,000 will help so many people in need, especially the children.”
The doctor then chimed in and said she too hadn’t put the money in his coffin because she gave the $100,000 to the hospital for the purchase of a new MRI machine. “The new machine will save many lives” she proclaimed. “Surely he will be happy to help people who are ill.”
The lawyer took a step back and looked at both with disdain. “Shame on you for dishonoring a dying man’s last wish. I’ll have you know I enclosed a personal check for the full S100,000 in his coffin before he was buried.”
Although the elderly man’s story provides an obvious reason for sound estate planning, it also illustrates that becoming a philanthropist means using resources to help others. In the story, two of the individuals decided to use wealth to be philanthropic and contribute to the betterment of the community that they shared.
“Our Community Foundation’s mission is to foster this culture of local philanthropy, “ says Mary Smith, Executive Director. “We help people become philanthropists for Daviess County. Our local expertise, personalized services, national accreditation, and exclusive Daviess County focus offers individuals, families, and organizations a way to contribute to the charitable causes they care about and contribute to Daviess County’s betterment.”
Smith said since the Foundation was organized in 2021, 235 individuals, organizations, and groups have become philanthropists for Daviess County by donating to one or more of the funds held by Our Community Foundation.
“Not every donor establishes a fund,” said Smith. “Many make donations to funds that have been established by others because they want to support the same charitable cause.”
Since the decision by the Daviess County Community Foundation County Services Committee to separate from the Community Foundation Alliance and form a standalone community foundation to serve Daviess County, 26 funds have been established at Our Community Foundation. For a listing, visit the Foundation’s website at www.localforever.org or call the office at (812) 698-5413.
“When you give to Our Community Foundation or create a fund, you work with people who share your values and love for our Daviess County community,” says Smith “We provide personalized services to help make the process of becoming a philanthropist for Daviess County easy.”
Gifts to Our Community Foundation are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. For more information, visit the Foundation’s website or call 812 698-5413.
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