Meet Our Donors
We are thankful for those who have made an estate gift to Northwest Harvest. Here are their stories.
Dale A. Wilson: A Life Lived With Purpose
As I sit down to share a bit about Dale A. Wilson, I cannot help but get the sense that many of you may have already met Dale through his years of work at Northwest Hospital. But first, a bit about his early years.
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A Surprise Gift
In her mid-90s, Hester updated her last will and testament. Having outlived all close relatives, she decided to benefit both an animal welfare organization and Northwest Harvest.
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A Wonderful Legacy Gift
In creating her estate plan through a will, a portion of her wealth went into a trust that would provide monthly income to a close friend for their lifetime, with the amount remaining after their death to go to the nonprofits.
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Passing Along the Act of Generosity
The following story reinforces three secrets of philanthropy for many Americans: frugality, consistency and generosity. It also demonstrates how the Hill family used trusts to fulfill family goals and strengthen communities.
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Creating a Legacy that Reflects a Passion for Family and Community
In 2018 we received notice of a legacy gift from Natalie Gendler. Natalie was known to us not only for her support of Northwest Harvest but her involvement in the community, especially the Arts. In talking with her two daughters, it was quickly evident that Natalie’s passion for supporting the community and being there for others was nurtured early in her life in New York by her father and mother.
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Landmark Gift Secures Meals For Millions
Leading Seattle philanthropist, Floyd Jones, a man who grew up picking cotton during the Great Depression, is contributing approximately $5 million to Northwest Harvest. The bequest is the single largest gift in the organization’s 50-year history. Jones made this announcement January 16 to Northwest Harvest CEO, Shelley Rotondo, and Donor Relations Manager, Todd Girouard.
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Bette Richardson: A Great Character, A Lasting Legacy
Bequest gifts to Northwest Harvest often represent legacy gifts by those who have been longtime supporters of Northwest Harvest. Their lives reflected a concern for those in need, and they wanted their estate plans to reflect those values. These gifts play an important role in supplementing the strong annual support we have throughout Washington.
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Steps to Leaving a Legacy
Northwest Harvest is committed to sharing important information about how charitable giving can be a part of your financial plans. Estate gifts are key in helping us provide for Washington’s food banking community—while also helping grow our endowment.
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Celebrating a Legacy of Passion for Family and Community
We knew Natalie Gendler not only for her support of Northwest Harvest but also for her involvement in the community. She left a legacy gift to Northwest Harvest, and we continue to be grateful. We recently spoke with her two daughters, and through this conversation it became clear that this passion for community was instilled early in her life.
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A Legacy to Lessen Struggle
Born into a cotton sharecropping community in rural Arkansas, and one of 12 children in a family that struggled mightily to put food on the table, Floyd Jones was not the most obvious choice to become one of the most generous Seattleites of his generation. Yet, that’s exactly what Floyd’s legacy is.
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Be Smart About Giving: Benefits of a Donor Advised Fund
With the passage of the Trump tax act in December 2017, and with its doubling of the standard deduction, many donors found themselves discontinuing itemization on their tax returns. This impacted the tax savings they had previously experienced through their philanthropic gifts. The new mantra was to combine several years of charitable giving into one year which might make itemizing beneficial for the donor. For many of these donors, establishing a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) may be the best vehicle for merging your philanthropic giving in a way that may also produce tax savings.
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Bequest Giving at Northwest Harvest
Current and bequest gifts are the backbone of support at Northwest Harvest, ensuring we can serve our statewide network of 375 partner programs with nutritious food. This past year we’ve experienced the largest level ever of bequest gifts. These bequests ranged from several thousand dollars up to the $6 million endowment gift by long-time donor Floyd Jones.
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