“We were looking for a way to give back over the long-term that would also engage our kids.”
“We were looking for a way to give back over the long-term that would also engage our kids,” says Ken Wagers, who – along with his wife, Tina – have held a Donor-Advised Fund at the Community Foundation for nearly 15 years.
“Every year, our sons – Chris and Justin – choose where money from the fund should go.” Indeed, the boys were 7 and 9 years old when their parents started their foundation-held fund … and they’ve been making a difference, ever since.
“As we looked around, we came to realize that the Community Foundation was a perfect fit for us,” recalls Tina, a licensed clinical psychologist and teaching professor at CU Boulder, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. “For one thing, it provides a way for our boys to be connected to the impact of their philanthropy at a local level.
“This is our long-term home and we wanted them to feel connected to our near community.”
Continues Ken, “I grew up similarly. My parents were always very involved in the community – giving back in mostly non-monetary ways. Dad was a Rotarian and he made a point to demonstrate the importance of giving back.” Meanwhile, Tina grew up observing her parents supporting the arts and culture in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Boulder is a pretty affluent community, and you don’t always see the diverse needs of our diverse population up close,” she says. “The foundation provides a vehicle for philanthropy, helping us and our boys develop more awareness about people whose lives aren’t as lucky as theirs.
“Beyond giving back financially – and seeing their donations follow their interests – the boys have certainly had many direct service experiences, too.”
Adds Tina, “We feel really comfortable with the Community Foundation. Their grantmaking process is sturdy and their vetting process has integrity – that’s a step the foundation takes care of, so we don’t have to do it. We know that organizations supported by the foundation are doing good, effective work.”
Concludes Ken, founder and senior manager of unclaimed property systems for state governments (and, together with his sons, a passionate skier and slackliner): “We’re still really busy with our own careers. But as we get older, we have it on our radar to be more involved with the Community Foundation. We haven’t yet been directly engaged in foundation activities, but we look forward to that when we’re in a different stage of our lives.”
