Gift Planning
Impact our future through gift planning
- Keep us thriving with your gift
- Take advantage of numerous tax and financial benefits
- Leave a legacy to be remembered by future generations
When you first meet Jody, you are greeted with a bright smile and a warm "Hello! Come on in and make yourself comfortable!" She is welcoming and loves to chat yet would rather be talking about anything other than her own story. It took a little friendly convincing, but when she was told that others may be inspired by her passion for the work of Anne Carlsen, she was happy to tell us a little about her life and what inspires her philanthropic desire to give back to the mission that she is most passionate about.
Jody grew up in Thief River Falls, MN with an appetite for giving and helping others that was instilled by her parents and her family's faith. Growing up, Jody's mother gave often to her church and her father was an agricultural banker who specialized in giving loans to farmers, often extending loans with a healthy amount of "good faith" during lean times. Jody grew up as one of four children, became a student teacher in Thief River Falls and then met her late husband Jim, who was a detective with the Grand Forks Police Department.
Jody later managed two group homes in Thief River Falls for 29 years. In 2012, Jody applied and became the Operations Manager for Anne Carlsen in Grand Forks. Jody implemented her many years of experience and tireless work ethic to more than double the number of Anne Carlsen's clients and employees within a very short time. Eric Monson, the CEO of Anne Carlsen at the time, remembers Jody's strong contribution to the growth of Anne Carlsen's community-based services in Grand Forks and across the state saying, "Through her positive attitude, client-centered focus, and ability to empower employees, Jody grew the Grand Forks programs very quickly. One of the key objectives of Anne Carlsen community-based services was engaging with the community and this was something that came naturally to Jody. She engaged with the Grand Forks community in so many meaningful ways. She modeled the behavior and was able to communicate that objective so well to the rest of the Grand Forks team to the benefit of Anne Carlsen clients, our reason for existence. I could sense the excitement and team play that was evident when I visited the Grand Forks office and had the opportunity to interact with the entire Grand Forks Team. All of this enhanced the quality and richness of the experience for those we served. Jody brought on wonderful team members and guided all to high standards of operation and service. Naturally, when we needed system-wide service, the choice was obvious. We wanted to implement the level of service, engagement, and standards throughout all the Anne Carlsen communities." This explains the reasons for asking Jody to lead the Day and In-Home Community-Based services for Anne Carlsen and why her skills matched the objectives so well.
"I care for all our clients young and old, but I do have a special place in my heart for children and young adults with a diagnosis of Down syndrome. They would often come into my office and sit down next to me and always say, "Love you!" They see kindness and love in everyone. They are so accepting of others."
This past April, Jody's husband Jim passed away. This greatly affected her thoughts and plans about what kind of legacy she wanted to leave for others. The mission of Anne Carlsen heavily influenced her giving decisions. Jody smiles and fondly remembers an occasion she gave to Anne Carlsen, "When I gave during Giving Hearts Day, I received a thank you call within minutes of donating! That shows me that they care and appreciate my gift. After 10 years of commitment to the mission, staff, and persons served by Anne Carlsen, I know that all gifts, large or small, make an impact on the children they serve. That is one of the many reasons that contributed to my decision to give part of my estate to Anne Carlsen."
Jody describes herself as a giver and has always had the philosophy that it isn't what you receive its about what you give. Including Anne Carlsen in her estate plan was a natural and important step in her life journey. It was her opportunity to plan how her funds will benefit Anne Carlsen after her lifetime. Jody chose to specify a dollar amount to benefit Anne Carlsen and by working with the Foundation was able to designate it to the fund of her choosing.
"Including a gift in her will, often called a bequest, is a great way to support the future of our organization without giving away any of your assets today," says Becky Scheerer, Director of Planned Giving. A bequest is a gift that can be changed at any time if your circumstances change.
Some of the ways individuals can support Anne Carlsen through a charitable bequest are:
