ABOUT you A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE
P HI L A NT HROP Y: IT ’ S ALL
Bob and Frances Bean at HCF’s Legacy Lunch event
“A legacy gift, no matter what size, can make a big difference in our community. Anyone can do it, and HCF will ensure that the greatest impact is being made now and into the future.” - Bob Bean, founder of Alert Alarm and member of the HCF Board of Governors
Leaving a Legacy:
A Gift for Today and Generations to Come ➻
THEY PILE UP ON OUR DESK and in our
in-box — the requests for donations, invitations to fundraisers, pleas for support — so many vital organizations seeing to the needs of our youth, our elderly, our aina, stitching together the fabric of the community. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to start, how to really make a difference. Hawai‘i Community Foundation understands and makes it their mission to help those who want to do good do greater. That’s why many in the community turn to HCF to establish legacy funds — a designated
portion of their estate in their will or trust — focused on supporting those needs most important to them for generations to come. Bob Bean, founder of Alert Alarm and a member of the HCF Board of Governors, did just that. “My wife and I have a great love for animals,” he said, “So we established our legacy fund at HCF because we know they’ll carry out our wishes to continue to support animal rights and other causes we care about in our name after we have gone.” While Hawai‘i continues to enjoy generous giving from households across the state, research shows that those with the greatest resources
have more potential to give, to do more with their money and make a more lasting contribution right here at home. Across the country, 30% of families with means establish some sort of legacy fund to benefit their community after they pass. In Hawai‘i, however, the numbers lag, with only 17% committing to a legacy gift. These gifts — everything from scholarship funds to beach preservation efforts to ongoing support for under-served communities — lay the foundation for a community’s health and wellbeing over generations. Legacy gifts are structured to meet the interests and preferences of the donor and are easily done with the help of a financial advisor. While people often think first of outright bequests to HCF, legacy gifts can be as simple as naming HCF as a retirement plan or life insurance beneficiary. “HCF is so incredibly important to Hawai‘i,” Bean said. “As government grants to fund charitable projects have been severely reduced, HCF has stepped in, helping fund things like early childhood and senior assistance programs.” Legacy gifts are one more way to ensure the many needs of our communities are met, guided by those in the community who know and understand Hawai‘i.
Did You Know … If Hawai‘i’s families designated just 10% of their estate to a charitable cause, their investment could mean up to $6 billion back into the community over time.
» Let HCF help you to create your legacy gift. HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org/leave-a-legacy AUGUST 2016 · HAWAII BUSINESS 113