Philanthropy doesn’t have to wait until retirement. This is something Scott and Jen Breen are already teaching their children, Tyler (11) and Samantha (9). The Breens started a family advised fund with the Coopersville Area Community Foundation (CACF) in 2014 “with the hope that we could pass it on to our children someday, and use it to help instill the gift of philanthropy in the next generation. We hope that they will enjoy serving in this way like we have,” said Jen.
Jen homeschools Tyler and Samantha, but she still makes time to be the director of a local nonprofit that serves families affected by autism, as well as serving on the CACF board. Scott co-owns Standard Lifters, Inc., a manufacturing facility based in Walker that produces parts for the tooling industry.
“Our main motivation for giving is our faith,” the couple said. “We are trying to honor God with all of our resources. Sometimes that’s a financial gift, and sometimes it’s by volunteering our time. We try to serve others in a way that would make Jesus smile.”
Through their fund at the community foundation, the Breens support Autism Family Network, 3-Mile Project, CAPS, Other Way, and Young Life, among others. “We love working with the foundation. We value the resources they provide when looking into a new organization and it’s a great tool for giving when you wish to remain anonymous.”
If you’d like to learn more about opening a donor advised fund, call Chris Riker at 616-842-6378 or email at criker@ghacf.org.