CASA OF THE BRAZOS VALLEY FOUNDATION
The endowment fund established by the CASA of the Brazos Valley Foundation works to provide funding in perpetuity for Voices for Children, Inc. There are many ways to give – just a few are outlined below. Leave a legacy of hope for local children in foster care.
PLANNNED GIVING
Below is a summary of some common planned giving options. These are not offered as professional tax or legal advice and may not apply in all cases. Please consult your tax, legal and financial advisors about your specific situation.
BEQUESTS
A bequest through a Will is the most common type of planned gift and does not draw on assets during a donor’s lifetime. Bequests can be estate distributions of cash, securities, real estate, or personal property. Types of bequests include a percentage bequest, a fixed-dollar bequest, a residual bequest, and a contingent bequest. Important estate tax savings may result from a bequest. Contact us for suggested bequest language.
RETIREMENT PLANS
Donors may consider making Voices for Children a beneficiary of a percentage of their pre-tax qualified retirement plan, such as an Individual Retirement Account, 401k, 403b, or Thrift Savings Plan to name a few. This is done via a beneficiary designation form. These pre-tax assets are received by a qualified non-profit free from income tax liability, leaving other tax-friendly assets available to pass along to your family and other heirs. Contact us for the needed information to put on the beneficiary designation form.
CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS (CRTS)
CRTs allow a donor to make a gift to Voices for Children while at the same time achieving several other financial objectives. When you create a CRT, you irrevocably transfer money, securities, real estate, or other assets to a trust that will then pay you an income for life or for a period of years. If you wish, the trust also can pay an income to another beneficiary. At the death of the surviving beneficiary, the remaining principal in the trust goes to Voices for Children. Several types of CRTs allow the donor to tailor their gifts to best serve their own needs.
LIFE INSURANCE
Many donors choose to give life insurance policies to the Foundation either as an immediate gift or as a provision upon their passing. This can be an easy way to make a gift to the Voices for Children without revising your will and may have advantageous estate tax consequences. Donors may make Voices for Children either a beneficiary or an owner and beneficiary of a life insurance policy. Donors who consider giving life insurance policies do so because they have no heirs or because they already have made provisions for beneficiaries through other financial vehicles. Contact us for the information to put on the beneficiary designation form.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The CASA of the Brazos Valley Foundation is a nonprofit corporation formed to raise money and provide financial support for the charitable programs and advocacy for children in the child welfare system due to abuse and/or neglect provided by Voices for Children - CASA, a nonprofit corporation recognized as tax-exempt under internal revenue code chapter 501(c)3 TIN 74-2970407.
To discuss planned giving opportunities or for additional information please contact the Foundation by clicking the button below to send an email!
The Jan & Gary Barnett Scholarship is overseen by the CASA Brazos Valley Foundation board and welcomes additional contributions via current gifts or future planned gifts. Contact the Foundation today to learn more.
The Jan & Gary Barnett Scholarship Fund
The Jan & Gary Barnett Scholarship fund is dedicated to the proposition that…
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Sir Winston Churchill
The Jan & Gary Barnett Scholarship fund was originally established in 2016, in memory of Gary Barnett, former Voices for Children (VFC) board member and CASA volunteer. Gary grew up without a father and was on his own at the age of 15. With the help of friends, he graduated from high school and after working for a few years, began taking classes at the University of Houston. He graduated, became a CPA, and a successful businessman. Jan was born into a poor but loving family. After Gary earned his college degree, Jan attended classes at night earning a Bachelor's degree in education and later a Master's degree. She worked in education for over 35 years and saw the struggles of many young people coming out of the foster care program and wanting to further their education or training. At the time of Jan’s passing, the name of the scholarship was changed to include her name.
Throughout the years, the Barnetts dedicated their time, talents, and treasure to helping young men and women through various organizations such as scouts, church, and various school activities. After retiring and later moving to Bryan/College Station, Jan and Gary became a part of Voices for Children and believed strongly in the work being done by this organization. They wanted to have a way to “pay forward” to those who helped Gary and to assist the young people graduating from foster care with the funds and guidance necessary for them to become self-supporting and responsible adults. They fervently believed that by giving these young people a chance to make a living we might build a self-perpetuating community that pays it forward.
Scholarship funding is available to foster children who are graduating from high school, are completing their GED, or have recently (two years or less) aged out of the system. Funds may be used for continuing education or vocational training. Applications must go through VFC and can be obtained from either the foster child’s caseworker, high school counselor, or CASA Advocate. VFC is prepared to advise applicants on their eligibility and assist in the completion of the application.
Your help is needed to continue Jan and Gary’s important work!
