Donor Stories

For a complete list of Legacy Society members, who have named Pasadena Community Foundation as a beneficiary in their estate plans, click here.

A Designated Endowment Through Bequest

BobOrinStandingRobert Blehler & Orin Burgess

“The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) was a good fit for what we wanted: to make a provision in our estate plan for an organization we care about in Pasadena. We spoke to PCF and then worked with our attorney to update our trust.”

According to Jennifer DeVoll, Executive Director of PCF, “We work with our donors’ trusted advisors to create charitable funds. We provide the tax deduction and offer charitable vehicles such as donor advised funds. We also work with people to create permanent charitable funds through their estate plans.”

A Gift of Life Insurance

r-lene_delangR-lene mijares de Lang, Legacy Society member

“I was pleased to chair the Pasadena Community Foundation Board during their 60th anniversary year. It was important to me to take this opportunity to honor the work they have done in the community and to create a legacy for the future. Making them a beneficiary of my life insurance policy was a way to make a significant and lasting gift beyond what I could do by writing a check.

Through my Board tenure, I have learned how blessed we are in Pasadena to have our own hometown foundation. I love the agencies we support but I can’t give to everything. For me PCF is great a one-stop philanthropy option.

My family is very supportive of this gift to the community. We want more people to know about PCF and hope this gift will inspire others to think about their own legacy for Pasadena.”

An Endowment for Underprivileged Children

jolly_urnerJolly Urner

Born in Maryland and educated at Sweet Briar College, Jolly moved to California early in her career. She earned a Master’s in Education at Stanford and taught in several schools in San Francisco. Little did she know when she was offered the job as Head of the Lower School at Polytechnic that Pasadena would become her home. A memorable 30 years at Poly was accompanied by many volunteer experiences in this dynamic community.

“My life’s work has been with children. Even now as a retiree I am committed to the betterment of children’s health and welfare through my role as a Board member and current President of the Pasadena Child Health Foundation.”

Recently, Jolly had occasion to revisit her estate plan with her attorney, Gloria Pitzer. She decided that along with her desire to benefit some specific non-profits that were important to her, she also wanted a portion of her estate to benefit the children of Pasadena. After several conversations with the Pasadena Community Foundation, she worked with Jennifer to develop a statement of purpose for a fund to be created by bequest, the Jolly Urner Endowment for Underprivileged Children.

“I would very much like my endowed fund to support and contribute to the lives of Underprivileged Children in Pasadena. This could include disabled and special needs children as well as those with pediatric cancer and other debilitating illnesses.”

Gloria Pitzer, Estate Planning Attorney

“I have had several clients for whom the community foundation was a fit for their charitable goals within their estate plan or trust. The Pasadena Community Foundation is flexible and works to help my clients understand their options so that I can draft a trust document that reflects their intentions.”

To Ensure Support for Issues We Care About

McAustinsJohn & Margaret McAustin

John & Margaret fell in love with each other and with Pasadena. They love its neighborhoods and its people’s commitment to the local community. Margaret’s belief that “You are what you do” led her to volunteer for local non-profits and she now serves as a member of Pasadena City Council.

John, like Margaret, was raised in a large Catholic family. At the University of Notre Dame, he strengthened his spiritual roots and embraced the importance of giving back. He shares Margaret’s commitment to service.

When John and Margaret married, they updated their estate plan. Not having children and recognizing those who’d made a difference in their own lives, the McAustin’s sought to make a difference, locally. Through the Pasadena Community Foundation, their future bequest will establish the John & Margaret McAustin Endowment. The fund will support causes important to them: affordable housing; youth educational enrichment and women who seek to rebuild their lives and escape poverty.

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