Planning for Tomorrow, Leaving a Legacy of Hope
By Angie Matthiessen, Chief Executive Officer
I think about legacy.
Retirement feels a little closer than it once did, and with my daughter beginning her second year of college, I am reminded of just how quickly life moves. I find myself asking: What am I leaving behind? What do I want to continue after I am gone? And how can the things that have mattered to me continue to matter to the people I love?
I have kept a personal planner since 2020. It is filled with far more than appointments. I write down dreams, prayers, adventures, hopes and wishes for the people in my life. I am now on my seventh year, and I tell my daughter often that someday these books will be hers.
It may seem like a small thing, but to me, it is legacy. I want her to know me—not just as her mother, but as a woman who dreamed, prayed, loved deeply and believed in the people around her. I want her to know what I hoped for her and for the world she would inherit.
I think estate planning can be approached in much the same way.
August is National Make-A-Will Month, making it a natural time to think about the legacy we want to leave. Creating a will is an important way to care for the people and causes that matter to us. But legacy planning isn't simply about what happens after we are gone. It is about intentionally deciding what we want to carry forward.
At United Way Charlotte County, we see every day how generosity carries hope forward. A family keeps the lights on during a difficult time. A child gets an opportunity they otherwise could not afford. A senior finds connection and support. These moments happen because someone decided that their resources could be used to make someone else's life a little better.
A legacy gift allows that generosity to continue. It might be a gift through your will, a beneficiary designation on a retirement account or life insurance policy, or another planned gift that reflects your financial goals and personal values. It doesn't have to be complicated, and it isn't only for people of great wealth. It is simply one way of being intentional about what we want to leave behind.
And I believe we have an opportunity to leave more than memories behind. We can leave hope, opportunity, and a stronger community for the people who come after us.
As I think about my own legacy, I find myself asking a question that feels bigger than, “What will I leave behind?”
I ask, “What do I want to live on?”
The answer includes a community where people look out for one another. Where children have opportunities to succeed. Where families have a chance to become financially stable. Where our neighbors know they are not alone.
This August, I encourage you to think about your own legacy. Talk with your family, financial advisor or attorney about your options—and consider including a local nonprofit in your plans.
I hope you will consider United Way Charlotte County. Whether through a gift today, ongoing support or a planned gift, your generosity can create hope and opportunity for generations to come.
Your legacy is more than what you leave behind.
It is what you leave living.
Together, we can build a stronger Charlotte County—and leave a legacy of hope that continues long after us.
To learn more, contact United Way Charlotte County at www.unitedwayccfl.org/WaystoGive.
For more information about United Way Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community so all can thrive, please contact Angie Matthiessen, Chief Executive Officer. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org.