Building a Legacy of Giving to the Causes They Care About

For KC Cooper and Jim Hart, planning for the future includes making sure the causes they care about continue to benefit from their generosity after they’re gone. 

Because they don’t have children, KC and Jim began thinking about how they wanted their assets distributed as they got older. They decided to establish a fund at Oregon Community Foundation, with plans to contribute at least annually during their lifetimes and name OCF as a beneficiary of their estate. 

They’re already making gifts through the fund. 

“It has been gratifying to see how our contributions, among those of other donors, have made a real impact,” KC said. 

KC and Jim’s philanthropy benefits communities and causes they’ve encountered through years of volunteering. They support Portland-area community theaters, helping fund needs such as lighting, sound systems, productions and renovations. They give to organizations addressing hunger and disaster, including the Oregon Food Bank, World Central Kitchen, the Maui Food Bank and the Red Cross. And several years ago, they created a scholarship for high school girls pursuing STEM careers. 

They chose to establish a Donor Advised Fund during their lifetime to benefit from partnership with OCF staff to support their giving journey. This flexible approach allows them to learn alongside OCF about their chosen areas of focus. The couple plans to focus on food, shelter, the arts, education and opportunities for marginalized communities. 

“We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to survive, grow and thrive,” Jim said. 

OCF has helped KC and Jim bring those priorities together in a giving strategy that can evolve over time. When they established their fund, OCF helped them identify organizations aligned with their interests and provided information to help them make informed choices.   

For KC and Jim, giving through OCF offers another benefit: their generosity joins that of other donors who care about Oregon and its communities, creating lasting impact. 

And by incorporating OCF into their estate plans, they can extend that impact into the future. 

“It’s nice to know that we will still be able to help others after we’re gone.”