It’s always been important for Craig to give back to the community. He believes that if you are fortunate enough to have more assets than you absolutely need, it makes sense to figure out how you can help others.
Craig’s initial involvement with the Community Foundation began with the Lowell Smith Circle of Courage project. When his close friend, Lowell Smith, passed away after being diagnosed with ALS, a group of friends created a designated fund in his honor. The fund has allowed them the opportunity to continue providing support for Lowell’s favorite charities in perpetuity.
In addition, Craig and his wife developed a donor-advised fund to facilitate their annual giving. “Instead of sending multiple checks to different charities, we only have to write one check to the Community Foundation each year,” he said. “We can then easily use our fund to support the causes we care about with no hassle.”
Craig often recommends us to his clients because creating a fund is a simple and convenient way to give back to the community while receiving tax-saving benefits. “Fundholders have access to resources like due diligence on local charities and have the ability to make a single donation of appreciated securities while avoiding capital gains tax,” he said.
Craig felt fortunate to serve on our board and stated that he was always impressed with our staff’s consistent, detailed attention while establishing priorities for how money should be distributed. “I recognized the multitude of organizations and projects that we support in Central New York and found it very rewarding to witness that impact,” he said.
Central New York is where Craig and his children have grown up and it continues to be his home today. Craig believes it is vital to continue providing funding for local organizations to ensure a prosperous region for generations to come.
