A Donor's
Perspective On
Society's Kids
"The community has a
responsibility to care for kids, especially when they fall through the
cracks. After all, they are God's children" -- Marcy Fredrickson
Marcy Fredrickson has seen
kids who have run away from their homes. She has known young people whose
parents refuse - or can't - parent their own children. She has taught kids
in her high school classes who have been all but forgotten by their
families.
Her own son, even, had his
challenges, despite a caring mother and stable home life.
All of these kids are the
kinds of kids Marcy Fredrickson sees as her responsibility.
When she encountered them in
her special education classes at Robbinsdale High School, she knew the
value of an extra set of ears and spent time listening as they talk of
their lives to her. She would gently advise, offering a message of care
and hope.
When Marcy's son Doug was
killed in a motorcycle accident almost 20 years ago, she knew immediately
that she would use Doug's insurance payment as the basis for a scholarship
fund. The dollars would help some lucky young people realize their dreams
through an education.
The money was invested through
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (then Lutheran Brotherhood), and it grew
substantially.
Since then, Marcy has modified
her plan. While there are hundreds of scholarship funds to help kids with
their educational needs, there are few funds that help kids who fall
through the cracks. LSS is one place she found that helped kids who were
on the streets or who were vulnerable to street life. She says that she
feels good about that.
"I don't believe that we can
ever give up on young people; we have to believe that they can be
reached," she advises. "If you give up on our kids, you give up on our
future; and that's unthinkable."
She's put her commitment into
action, through a substantial donation to LSS. The donation will be used
to fund programs needed by the kids who have run away from home or who
have been thrown away by their families. "My dollars allow professionals
to care for these kids in ways that I can't," she explained. "I feel good
know that I am doing my part to assure a future for kids who cannot see
much joy in their lives or in their future."
Working with LSS' Major Gift
Officer, Mary Harty, Marcy was able to convert assets into a gift plan for
LSS that maximized the impact, yet still offered her the safety and
directionality of the gift that she wanted. She takes advantage of
Thrivent Financial's Simply Giving program which allows for a partial
matched contribution since LSS is an official Lutheran institution.
Marcy is a great example of a
donor using the resources they have to maximize the potential," said Mary
Harty, an LSS development associate who has worked with Marcy to create
this maximum-impact gift to the kids LSS helps.
