Legacy of Giving The Spartanburg County Foundation's data-driven approach to philanthropy serves a key role in establishing trust with donors. This level of trust often extends beyond one-time donations to generational giving, which has been vital to the Foundation's efforts as a catalyst for effective, positive change in Spartanburg. Many of our legacy donors unrestricted their funds in 2020, allowing the Foundation to help the community's unprecedented hardships and rapidly changing needs. THE BALMER FOUNDATION One such example of legacy giving is the generosity of the Balmer family. Monty Mullen continues the legacy of her sister and brother-in-law, Lucia and Hans Balmer. In February of 2020, prior to the pandemic, an EF-1 tornado struck the Spartanburg community, leaving large areas of damage and destruction. Shortly thereafter, the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, bringing economic strain to organizations unseen in a lifetime. Monty and the Balmer Foundation Board recognized this unprecedented time of need as an opportunity to invest in the community outside of their typical areas of interest. "Community nonprofits needed our help, but it wasn't just the ones Hans and Lucia had designated. It was the community as a whole. We had never seen anything like it, and we wanted to do whatever we could to help."
Monty Mullen Fundholder
The Spartanburg County Foundation | 2020 Annual Report
The longstanding trust between the Foundation and Monty's family facilitated the decision for the Balmer Foundation Board to align its investment with The Community Fund. This unrestricted fund was established to help the Spartanburg community at large in times of disaster. This flexibility of giving allows The Spartanburg County Foundation to use data-driven decisions to identify how funds can be dispersed to provide the most impact during times of need.
THE WARDLAW FAMILY Saunders Wardlaw McCollum is no stranger to the inner workings of community philanthropy. Her grandfather James Wardlaw served as a Foundation Trustee in the 1950s, followed by her father, John Wardlaw, who also served as a Foundation trustee in the 1980s. Saunders often suggests, "The Spartanburg County Foundation is in our family DNA." For generations, the Wardlaw family has invested in Spartanburg both financially and through volunteer work, helping those most in need. As the pandemic unfolded, Saunders knew that area nonprofits, organizations, and the community at large were struggling but was unsure how she could provide help in the most meaningful way. She placed her trust in the
John and Putsy Wardlaw
Foundation through unrestricted funds, allowing missionspecific support to areas of need as they unfolded. This level of impact could not have been possible without the flexibility her decision enabled.
"I am blessed to be part of a family with a long legacy of philanthropy. My parents, John and Putsy Wardlaw, were invested in the Spartanburg community because they loved it so much."
Saunders Wardlaw McCollum Fundholder
THE FEATHERSTON FAMILY John Featherston and his wife, Lisa, continue the legacy of John's parents throughout the Southeast and beyond, dedicating their contributions to lifting up marginalized communities through grants, scholarships, and promoting education. After the tornado and throughout the pandemic, they saw a greater need to give back to their community. While the Featherston's previous contributions were specific, they knew unrestricted giving was the best way to help continue their legacy. "We trust the Foundation and want to make funds accessible to the community. I have been very confident in the Foundation's ability to take unrestricted giving and direct the funds to the areas they are most needed."
John and Lisa Featherston Fundholders
The Spartanburg County Foundation is grateful for the unrestricted giving by these generous families and many others. Their decisions allowed the Foundation to make proactive, timely, and data-driven decisions in addressing our community's greatest areas of need.
THE DECK FAMILY “At our core, we believe it is far better to GIVE than to receive. At the onset of 2020, we began having conversations about updating our charitable plans. Without knowledge of the impending global pandemic and its effect on our lives, we chose to establish the Deck Family Fund at The Spartanburg County Foundation. With the assistance of Troy Hanna, we decided the Donor-Advised Fund was the appropriate vehicle to facilitate our philanthropy, without impacting our current finances. After surviving the uncertainty of COVID-19, we have a deeper understanding of the significance of creating a plan for our assets that will continue supporting our community beyond our lifetime.”
Avery and Dawn Deck Fundholders, Planned Giving Legacy Society
Legacy of Giving
13
