Giving for the future of our community
I have become interested in a way to help our local community organizations continue to serve us.
A successful example is the Peabody-Burns High School Alumni scholarship. Established in 1963 under the leadership of Superintendent Harry Brown, it is a fund of gifts, memorials, or bequests. Interest from the monetary gifts is given to deserving PBHS alumni in the form of scholarships for continuing education.
In 40 years $89,450 has been given to local graduates. The PBHS Alumni scholarship fund continues to grow. Scholarships are funded from the interest generated while the principle remains in tact.
Now the Peabody Community Foundation has been established to do essentially the same thing in other areas of the community.
Are you interested in the work done by the Peabody Main Street Association, Peabody Historical Society, or Peabody Township Library? Peabody Senior Center serves 24 housebound people a day with its Meals on Wheels program. Is that a program you would like to support? Are you interested in contributing to a fund that could eventually add an auditorium to the high school campus?
When you give to the Peabody Community Fund you name the recipient of your gift. Your gift stays in that account to support the program of your choice for as long as the program exists.
Think about this: you decide to drink tap water instead of soda or bottled water twice a week. That "savings" is given to the Peabody Community Fund once a year in the name of the organization of your choice. Eventually enough interest would accrue and it would be returned to that organization, which could then use the money to do the work you value. Your donation would remain intact and, combined with donations from others, would earn interest over and over again for your favorite program.
Many worthy worldwide organizations exist using this kind of investment of citizen donations. Now we can support Peabody in the same manner.
Support is not limited to the groups I listed above. To find out how to add an organization to the Peabody Community Fund contact Chuck Good, PCF treasurer, at Peabody State Bank, 983-2181.
Peabody Community Foundation also maintains an unrestricted fund. Interest from this fund provides grants to local groups from time to time. PCF board of citizens concerned for Peabody's future selects grant recipients.
I hope you have become interested in this choice of giving. PCF is a 501(c)3 organization and your gift is wholly tax deductible. Please consider Peabody Community Foundation as you plan your year-end giving.
— Joan Berns
