Over her 97 years, Ursula Hubby's generosity and kindness benefited countless Central New Yorkers. Now, her caring spirit carries on through charitable legacy that will continue to help others for generations.

Sitting down to write your own obituary probably doesn’t sound like an ideal way to spend an afternoon. But, after many years of charitable planning, I have found that it can also be the key to unlocking deeper purpose and clarity.

OSWEGO, NY: A portrait of Nancy Bellow.  

Photo by Ben Cleeton

Bellow, a native of Oswego, NY, chose to make the community her lifelong home. Through her legacy fund, Bellow plans to provide support to many groups, all of which reflect the causes most important to her — women, education, community needs and history.

Last year, we shared Lucy's story as an example of how even the most surprising gifts can leave a legacy. Since then, we have received additional photos of Lucy's life from her remaining family.

Man and woman standing in front of church

Jeff and Rachel embrace giving in every facet of life—through faith, family and community. Their philanthropy emphasizes local impact, inspiring others to give in meaningful ways.

إن الطبيعة غير المتوقعة وغير المقيدة لوصية لوسي تعكس التأثير الهادئ والعميق الذي يمكن أن يحدثه الأفراد على القضايا التي يعتزون بها، حتى في غياب الدعم العلني خلال حياتهم.

Koerner Family outside

كان التعليم حجر الزاوية بالنسبة لأطفال كويرنر الذي غرسه آباؤهم الناجحون والمدنيون. والآن، يستمر إرث والديهم في تشكيل عقول الشباب لدعم القضايا الحيوية من خلال مؤسسة المجتمع، مما يضمن مستقبلاً أكثر إشراقاً للأجيال القادمة.

وقد لاقت مبادرة 5forCNY التي أطلقتها مؤسسة المجتمع التي تدعو أفراد المجتمع المحلي إلى رد الجميل للمنطقة من خلال تخصيص جزء من أصولهم للجمعيات الخيرية في وسط نيويورك، صدى فورياً لدى مايكل وسوزان ميث.

Woman standing in front of statue

Gwen's parents grew up in the Jim Crow South and met while studying at North Carolina A&T, a historically Black college and university. Her father entered a segregated Army and her mother was a teacher. It is this keen awareness of the sacrifices and triumphs...

A century ago, Cleveland banker Frederick Goff had a vision: pool the charitable resources of his community’s philanthropists into a single permanent endowment for the betterment of the city. That vision led to the formation of the Cleveland Foundation and a movement that has transformed...