By Michelle Gladden
Fair Haven resident Nancy Karpf not only understands the power behind giving back to one’s community, but also recognizes the value of supporting underfunded neighborhoods.
“My ex-husband and I started dropping off gifts for the kids many Christmases ago,” the Manalapan native said. “I’m sure it’s been well over a decade, but one year early on, we met a Club kid named George who couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years old. I was instantly smitten. His gigantic smile lit up the room and melted my heart. I learned about his backstory and became fixated on helping him and other Club kids like him.”
Today, the managing director at a global investment management firm has solidified that commitment by establishing a legacy giving plan that includes a bequest for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County.
“I know that I’ve been lucky in life, and things could’ve turned out very differently for me if I grew up just a few ZIP codes away from my hometown,” said Karpf, who also donates her time as a member
of the organization’s board of directors. “I’m a big believer in giving back to one’s community however possible. I had supported the Club financially for many years and continue to do so. But I wanted to join the board to have even more of an impact.”
“I know that I’ve been lucky in life, and things could’ve turned out very differently for me if I grew up just a few ZIP codes away from my hometown. I’m a big believer in giving back to one’s community however possible. I had supported the Club financially for many years and continue to do so. But I wanted to join the board to have even more of an impact.”
For Karpf, the Club’s direct and measurable impact on the lives of the children and families helped confirm her decision. “As a single woman of a certain age [late 40s], with no children, the idea of leaving a legacy has become increasingly important to me,” she said. “I want to ensure that the people and nonprofits that I love and care deeply about are taken care of long after I’m gone. Naming the Club and a handful of other local nonprofits as beneficiaries in my will and 401(k) retirement account was a fast and easy way to ensure that my life’s work will have lasting impact in my community. A few keystrokes and that was it.”
In fact, planned giving is becoming an increasingly popular way of ensuring one’s financial assets are placed in the right hands, or rather, supporting a nonprofit of choice. Whether you choose to designate a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a portion of the residual of your estate, it can, as with Karpf, continue the lasting impact you have made. “I could never get tired of talking about the Club’s mission and impact,” Karpf said. “Every child has the ability to do great things, and all of us in the community, especially those of us who are more fortunate, have the responsibility and privilege to help them unlock that potential.”
Learn how your support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County can make a lasting impact by speaking to our Resource Development Director, Ray Brush: 732-775-7862 ext. 12.
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