Articles of Interest

Friendship Fund Keeps Going and Going and Going

by Jeff Cory, CFP, ChFC,
Executive Director

The little bunny in the commercial promoting long-lasting battery power reminds me of the enduring character of the Shell Point Friendship Fund.

Established in 1987 by Mr. and Mrs. Gus Zimmerman, the Friendship Fund is an endowment that keeps paying out money year after year to residents who have exhausted their funds (through no fault of their own) to help them remain here at home at Shell Point. But, unlike the battery that eventually runs down, an endowment such as The Friendship Fund lasts in perpetuity... and that's a long time!

The permanence of an endowment fund is exactly what attracts some donors to this means of supporting their favorite charities. They like knowing that the principal of their gift stays intact, while the interest is being used to help others.

If your heart beats for a specific Shell Point program or service, or you see a need you'd like to help meet, chances are that together we can develop an endowment fund to meet your personal objectives while at the same time making Shell Point a better place to live for everyone. You can create an endowment in your name, or you can honor or memorialize a loved one or friend. Endowments can be established today using cash, securities, real estate - almost anything of value. Or you can arrange for an endowment to be established through your will at the time of death. Some people do both.

An endowment such as the Friendship Fund can also serve as an inspiration for future giving by others. Since its inception in 1987, the Friendship Fund has received numerous contributions by people interested in helping friends and neighbors who have made a positive impact on their life.

To learn how you can make a difference with an endowment fund at Shell Point, to share your giving ideas, or to remember an existing Shell Point endowment fund in your giving plans, contact Jeff Cory, CFP, ChFC at The Legacy Foundation at 466-8484. Endowments may be established at Shell Point with gifts of $10,000 or more.