Communities In Schools of Peninsula (CISP), a non-profit organization serving Peninsula School District children and families since 1999, has recently launched a planned giving campaign. The goal of the campaign is to establish an endowment fund that will build their organizational capacity to offer programs and services for generations to come.
Connie Schick, a long-time Gig Harbor resident and retired business owner, has been volunteering as a reading mentor for CISP’s after school programs for several years. When Colleen Speer, CISP Executive Director asked her Executive Committee whom she could approach for the founding gift of the campaign, they instantly thought of Connie Schick. “Because Connie has a great passion for working with struggling readers, I knew he would be interested in wanting to make a lasting gift that would help us continue making a difference in the lives of kids,” Speer said. Schick has since pledged a portion of his estate to CISP’s endowment in his will.
Gerry and Joan Baldwin made the second gift to the CISP campaign. Gerry is a CISP board member and the Resource Development Committee Chair. He and his wife, Joan, have volunteered as CISP reading and math mentors for the past four years.
“People of any age want an opportunity to give back. My wife, Joan, and I owe all we have to our education. Communities In Schools of Peninsula gives us an opportunity to give back by helping children catch up in reading and math. We hope to keep that help alive long after we have gone.” ~ Gerry Baldwin
John and Sharon Cicarrelli made the third gift to the CISP campaign. John is a CISP board member and the Strategic Planning Chair. He and his wife Sharon have volunteered as CISP reading mentors for the past five years. According to John Ciccarelli, “We talk a lot about investments and return on investments. After many years volunteering as reading tutors, my wife and I find that a little money invested in this program reaps huge rewards and keeps many kids out of the expensive criminal justice system.”
Donations to the endowment do not go into CISP’s operating budget but rather accrue interest for future work of the organization. Gifts to the endowment can be cash or any type of appreciated asset including: real estate, individual stocks, mutual funds, or even assets from retirement plans. Gifts can be made during one’s lifetime or at death. Gifts of appreciated assets, property, or inclusion of CISP in one’s will are giving options that potential donors may wish to consider.
CISP’s endowment fund, managed by the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, assures sound management and provides a sustaining income source to fund CISP programs serving our local youth. The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation is the region’s leading local provider of philanthropic gift management and donor investment services. It provides a simple, safe, efficient vehicle for donors to invest their charitable dollars; they currently oversee and prudently invest more than $53 million is assets.
You too can contribute to the fund immediately or over time. You can also plan an endowed gift to CISP. To learn more, telephone Colleen Speer at 253.884.5733.