Mary Louise Little Legacy Society

What if you could make annual gifts to your church or cherished nonprofit after you are no longer living, and ensure that the gifts are used for a similar purpose? The good news is you can! By working with your financial advisor, you can create a planned gift through a bequest in your will, or you may designate the Community Foundation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, trust, IRA, or charitable gift annuity. With a planned gift, you will leave a legacy of generosity, which will play a significant role in shaping the future for Wabash County residents.

Mary Louise Little was an active community leader who served as President of what was then called the North Manchester Community Foundation until her death in 1977. Throughout her life, Mary had been active in many civic groups and was a great supporter of Manchester University. In her will, Mary included a provision to establish a charitable remainder unitrust at the time of her death. The trust endowed a scholarship at Manchester University in her name, and when the trust closed in 1993, the principal of the scholarship fund was $100,000.

During this time, the Community Foundation of Wabash County was participating in the Lilly Endowment Giving Indiana Funds Tomorrow (GIFT) I initiative that enabled a match of $1 to every $2 raised. Leveraging the opportunity, Manchester University transferred the $100,000 fund to the Community Foundation, which was then matched with $50,000 by Lilly Endowment.

To honor Mary Louise Little’s dedication to the community and her foresight to provide support for Wabash County well into the future, the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors named their planned giving society after her. If you are interested in making a planned gift and joining the Mary Louise Little Legacy Society, we will be pleased to work with you and your advisor to consider the best arrangements to meet your financial and charitable goals. Contact melissa@cfwabash.org to learn more.