Paula Lombardi’s Charitable Legacy
Paula Lombardi (depicted above, with her son Aubrey and granddaughter Josephine) radiates joy. If you ask why she is so joyful, she tells stories of her family and friends. She also tells of the joy she receives from giving to nonprofit agencies she believes in. SHC is honored to be counted among them. Paula has been quietly and joyfully supporting SHC for years.
Like everything else, the way that you give changes as you enter new seasons of life. Like other SHC supporters, Paula is approaching the age where a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is required for her retirement accounts. Instead of adding this amount to her taxable income, she wants to give it away, as she does, to nonprofits. In preparing for this new season of her philanthropic life, Paula is reconsidering her values.
Should she give to many organizations or just a few? After considering this question, Paula is choosing depth over breadth: she believes that a larger contribution to fewer organizations will have a greater overall impact. But which select few organizations should she give to? Pondering this question, Paula has realized that she wants to focus on organizations that promote equity and social mobility. And the engine for change in these areas, she believes, are housing and education.
Speaking of housing, Paula explains that what she likes about SHC is that we are creative in solving the problem of homelessness while keeping the human being front and center in our solutions.
She especially likes the Housing First approach we take in our Scattered Site Program, which is an extremely “low barrier” approach to ending homelessness, in the sense that homeless people are not required to overcome substance abuse or find employment before they find housing. Instead, housing is provided first and provides the secure foothold residents need to make these other life changes.
Just as Paula has decided to carry her own charitable legacy into retirement, she is also concerned to pass on this legacy to her children. On this score, she also has succeeded. She is proud of her son Aubrey and daughter Sarah for the strategic giving that already defines their financial lives.
There are many ways to give: through an RMD (like Paula), by designating a beneficiary in one’s life insurance policy or retirement assets, or simply by adding a line item in one’s will. Paula has found an approach that works for her at this stage of life. We encourage you to find what works for you.
If you are considering leaving a legacy gift to SHC, please contact CEO Pamela Jefsen at 704-593-3054 or pamela@aplacetoliveagain.org.