Last week, Governor Snyder declared May 2018 to be Leave a Legacy Month to encourage gifts that support the nonprofit sector and the communities we serve. Click to read the proclamation.

The Legacy Society at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation recognizes individuals and couples who have named us as the beneficiary of any type of planned or deferred gift.

Including the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation in your estate plan is an easy way to make a long-lasting, meaningful, and significant impact on the community around you.

Joining the Legacy Society requires two steps. First, arrange for a planned gift in favor of the Foundation. Second, inform the Foundation by submitting this Legacy Society form. These forms are available through many area attorneys and financial planners, or from the Foundation office or website.

We will not ask how much is being left to the Foundation. You are, however, encouraged to discuss your gifts with us to make sure we can comply with your wishes. You are then assured that your plans will be followed exactly as you have outlined them to us. Your instructions to us can be changed at any time with a simple phone call to the office.

Bequests from a Will are the most common way to leave a gift to the GHACF; however, some have made the Foundation the beneficiary of 401K/IRA plans or insurance policies. Others have established a Charitable Gift Annuity or a Charitable Remainder Trust in favor of the Foundation.

Because of the generosity of people like you, Northwest Ottawa County will continue to be a wonderful place to call home now and for generations to come!

There are many ways to turn a specific asset into a lasting legacy. Call me with any questions at 616-842-6378, or email criker@ghacf.org.