Often you hear the phrase, “Charity begins at home.” The story of this family can be characterized by the phrase, “Charity begins and ends at home.” Wayne was only in his 20s and attending college in Arizona when he was diagnosed with arthritis. “I remember him saying his back hurt so bad that when he had to cough or sneeze, he found a convenient tree or wall to brace up against it,” says his wife Carole, a retired high school English teacher.
Years later, Carole and Wayne were browsing through a copy ofArthritis Today magazinewhen an advertisement caught their attention. The ad featured an opportunity to receive guaranteed payout rates for life and other financial benefits – while they helped the Foundation find a cure for arthritis.
This type of giving is a simple agreement called acharitable gift annuity. They both made gifts to the Arthritis Foundation, and in exchange, they were guaranteed income for life and tax benefits. “The gift annuity gave me the freedom from worry for the rest of my life because the income is guaranteed and will never fluctuate, despite the stock market’s ups and downs. The quarterly checks are a gift to me,” she said.
Wayne created a second gift annuity, but sadly he passed away a few years later. Today, Carole finds great comfort knowing that his legacy helps maintain the Foundation’s focus on finding a cure and championing the fight against America’s number one cause of disability – through life changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections.
A few years later, Carole’s mother, Elsie, also decided to set up a charitable gift annuity. Elsie was almost 90 at the time and refused to spend any of her life savings on herself. When this concept was presented, she smiled and said, “Now we can have some fun when I get my quarterly checks.” “I laugh at that,” Carole said. “Mom’s already planning a series of mini-vacations. It was a fantastic way in which to encourage her to use some of those funds she’d never touch which were just sitting there in a bank drawing almost no interest at all.”
Elsie also decided to set up a gift annuity for another daughter to provide her with additional income that will help her through some difficult times. “The combination of life-long income, the satisfaction of doing good for others, the fantastic payout rate, all bundle into a wonderful experience,” Carole said. Helping the Arthritis Foundation find a cure for arthritis became a family affair, with a lasting legacy that embodies the phrase, “Charity begins and ends at home.”
If you think you might be interested in setting up acharitable gift annuityor if you’d like further information on how to make a gift to the Arthritis Foundation, please call toll-free 1-866-528-8687.