Estate Gift Deepens Family Connection To CARES Northwest

Not many human resources professionals have had the unique assignment of onboarding a dog to their organization’s staff. Sue Girvan is one of those lucky few. In addition to adding a bit of variety to her work, the experience helped create a lasting connection between Sue and CARES Northwest.

As a member of the employee relations team at Legacy Health, Sue first learned about CARES Northwest when she was assigned as our departmental contact. When arranging for therapy dog Harmony to join the team, Sue gained a deeper understanding of our staff and the work we do.

“I knew about the different roles, but I didn't realize the level of collaboration that takes place to provide resources to clients. They tend to the psychological, social and emotional needs of the whole family,” she said. "It really does take a village."

Impressed by what she saw, Sue began making personal donations to CARES Northwest through Legacy Health’s employee giving campaign. When she and her husband, Chris, began thinking about their estate plan, they knew it would provide the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to causes close to their heart.

They worked with their attorney to designate donations to CARES Northwest, among other organizations, in their trust. “It was actually a simple process and an easy way to do something incredibly meaningful for both of us.”

Sue points out estate gifts can make philanthropy attainable for many people. “I think a lot of us get bogged down by feeling we have to be ultra-rich in order to make a difference,” she said. “But that’s really not true. Every gift has its own meaning and impact.”

She is also making sure that the rest of her family understands why she is passionate about supporting CARES Northwest. Lindsey, Sue’s daughter and the executor of her estate, recently came with her husband to join Sue at one of our fundraising events. “I wanted them to learn more and help them understand why we believe in this work and why CARES Northwest is included in our trust,” Sue said. “And the event moved their hearts, too. It’s wonderful that our family now all has this connection to CARES Northwest.”

There are many ways that you can support CARES Northwest through your estate or other planned gifts that may have tax advantages. For more information, please visit our gift planning website.