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 Launching a Family Giving Tradition Across Generations George Creel on His Work With Project Rachel 
Project Rachel is a ministry of healing for men and women who have been spiritually wounded by abortion. Father Blair Raum, a Catholic priest, runs the facility, located near Baltimore's Inner Harbor."We deal with people in a lot of pain," says Father Raum. "In the course of a year, we counsel about 100 people of all races and religions and ethnic groups." The common issue that all these individuals face is the sense of bereavement accompanying the loss of a child. At Project Rachel, counselors -- including priests and mental health professionals -- help people overcome the trauma associated with this experience and move forward with their lives. All counseling is free, and thanks to the generosity of donors like the Creels, Project Rachel has expansion plans. Mr. Creel, a retired executive from the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, sought to create a long-term plan for charitable giving in which his entire family could participate over many generations. Initially, Mr. Creel explored the possibility of creating a family foundation, but learned that would have required a minimum $1 million commitment, which was beyond his abilities. His financial advisor recommended working with a community foundation. Mr. Creel then read an article about NCCF and began discussions with them about how they could help him realize his philanthropic vision. NCCF presented several options, and he leaned toward a Donor-Advised Fund, which could be set up with a minimum charitable contribution of just $10,000 -- an affordable sum. He and his wife subsequently created the Marian and George Creel Family Fund. The fund is designed to give grants to organizations that reflect the Creels' Catholic views and values, and Project Rachel has been one of the beneficiaries. NCCF has made grants from the Creels' fund to both national and local organizations. Mr. Creel has been very pleased with the Donor-Advised Fund as a vehicle for philanthropic giving. "The paperwork is minimal," he notes. "The fees are reasonable. Once a year, I write a letter recommending recipients for the fund's grants. The actual administration of the fund is not something we spend a lot of time worrying about." Another unique feature of Donor-Advised Funds is that they allow donors to perpetuate their funds over succeeding generations. "We've actually set up in our will the extension of the donor-advised fund to one of our eight children," explains Mr. Creel. Their daughter, Susan Fischer, will carry on the Creels' legacy of giving once Mr. and Mrs. Creel are deceased. "Work was always my passion, but now my passion is philanthropy," concludes Mr. Creel. "This is one of those things we think has to be done, and the Gospel leads us this way." For more information about Project Rachel, including opportunities to volunteer, visit www.projectrachel.org. Click Here for more information about Donor-Advised Funds. |
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