Transformative Giving

By Alexandra Fotos

Last year, Touchstones received an extraordinary gift from the estate of Elliott Zuckerman. Dr. Zuckerman, an accomplished painter, musician, poet, and tutor emeritus of St. John’s College, made a gift through his estate to Touchstones Discussion Project of more than 180 of his original paintings. His wishes were for Touchstones to sell his paintings to support community discussion programs, teacher workshops and coaching, and new educational program development. So far, sales of Elliott’s paintings have brought more than $15,000 to Touchstones!

Elliott understood the importance of Planned Giving, as estate gifts help secure a non-profit’s long-term financial health. Planned gifts can be any amount of money, appreciated securities, artwork, charitable lead trusts, IRAs, and life insurance policies. Gifts like these help Touchstones staff to provide teachers annually with class sets of our discussion programs and on-site training and coaching even when school funding is scarce—a growing reality in the U.S. Estate gifts also ensure continuation of our free public programming for under-resourced groups and communities, including veterans, homeless adults and youth,

detained youth, and incarcerated adults. In addition, legacy gifts provide funding to make new discussion program development possible—from early childhood education to specifically tailored programs throughout all stages of adulthood.

Planned Gifts can be made via a will, bequest, or trust and are among the most significant gifts a donor can make. They are a way to demonstrate one’s support for an organization and mission in

perpetuity. Touchstones began in 1984 and with your support of a legacy gift Touchstones will continue its important work for many more decades to come. Please feel free to contact us with questions or for more information. We want this opportunity to be as meaningful for you as it will be for the people whose lives will be transformed through your estate gift to Touchstones.