Jenny Fife Meet

Through a smile, the newest member of the Navigators Society Jenny Fife stated, “As a follower of Christ, I strive to live a life of helping others. I am delighted that I have the opportunity to leave a gift to the young men of Boys Home. The decision fills me with joy!” The Navigators Society is comprised of individuals who have included Boys Home in a bequest, trust, will or other planned giving instrument.

Jenny has been a resident of Roanoke, Virginia, since 1999. The move to Roanoke was prompted by a new rector position for her husband Richard with St. Elizabeth’s in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. Jenny stated, “I was first introduced to Boys Home by being part of the Episcopal Diocese. I have been an active member my whole life. Boys Home and its mission are truly a jewel of the Episcopal church. I was blown away during my visit to campus for the 2022 Fall Open House. The visit electrified me after hearing about the program and messages from staff and students The students spoke candidly about their lives at Boys Home and their faith journeys”

Jenny’s passion for at-risk youth began many years before her visit in 2022 After twenty-eight years as a public educator in Charlottesville, Albemarle County and Roanoke, Virginia, she was ready to retire She spent the next seven years working as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for neglected or abused children in the foster care system “It truly makes me happy to see a child succeed Places like Boys Home are a blessing to young men in need of assistance It is a place for them to flourish The model takes the student where they are developmentally and moves them toward success”

During the interview, Jenny was asked about the process for arranging the legacy gift She stated, “It was easy! The decision was made when my husband and I were reviewing our wills Like every teacher in Virginia, I had an insurance policy Boys Home felt like a wonderful fit for that policy I called Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and asked for a form to change my beneficiary Once I completed the form, I mailed it back and they made the change My advice to those interested in a similar gift would be to think creatively about a way to access different funds or creative ways to help. I sincerely believe Boys Home of Virginia is a holy place where you can see God’s work. I wanted to be part of sustaining that incredible story and its future through a meaningful gift.”

If you would like to learn more about planned gifts or have any questions, please contact Executive Director Chris Doyle at (540) 965-7704 or cdoyle@boyshomeofva.org.