Charitable Gift Annuity Benefits Donors and the Y
Responsibility, integrity, generosity, and gratitude have always been central values for Evan Williams, a longtime outdoorsman and YMCA supporter. Evan first became involved through the North Minneapolis Hi-Y and summer camps in the 1940s. Evan gave back by serving on the Camp Menogyn board, the Minneapolis International Committee, the YMCA Association board and the board of the YMCA of the Seven Council Fires (formerly the Sioux YMCA).
Evan has created a family legacy at the Y through his children and grandchildren. This summer — 75 years after Evan’s first trip to Menogyn — his grandson is leading a Nor’wester canoe trip as a counselor, and his son serves as camp property manager.
Along with serving the Y with his time and expertise, Evan has remained a strong financial supporter throughout his life. In 2006, at the age of 76, he established a charitable gift annuity (CGA) with the YMCA to support the Y’s philosophy of ensuring that no one is excluded from programming because of their inability to pay.
In exchange for his irrevocable gift of securities, the YMCA has provided Evan with regular income payments over the past 17 years. The CGA allowed him to make a significant gift to the Y while complementing his overall financial strategy with a steady stream of income during retirement. At its completion, the CGA will provide a gift to the YMCA of the North and the YMCA of the Seven Council Fires.
Evan chose a smart way to give generously to an organization that has special meaning to him and his family. “The values that the Y teaches are the way I have always tried to live my life,” Williams stated. “The CGA is a win-win for everybody, and I’d love to see the Y serve even more young people as the years go by.”