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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Mayor Alyia Gaskins has proclaimed September as Legacy Month in Alexandria on behalf of the City Council, the city's first, recognizing the role that gifts left in wills and estate plans play in keeping local nonprofits running.
The proclamation marks Think Ahead Alexandria, an initiative of the community foundation ACT for Alexandria that encourages residents to name local nonprofits in their financial and estate plans.
Heather Peeler, ACT's president and chief executive, said every Alexandrian can leave something behind for the community regardless of wealth, and that legacy giving is how the nonprofits serving residents today stay in place for later generations.
ACT has already been presented with the proclamation, Christine Macey, executive aide to the mayor, confirmed to The Alexandria Brief.
ACT is holding two events Sept. 10, both at ALX Community Waterfront, 201 N. Union St.
A morning session for nonprofit leaders and board members runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and features Senior Services of Alexandria Executive Director Mary Lee Anderson and estate attorney Gretchyn Meinken.
An evening Legacy Celebration runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Registration is requested, and the registration page includes an optional donation to ACT. Speakers from the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium and the Campagna Center will talk about what legacy gifts mean for their organizations. Refreshments are provided by Alexandria Restaurant Partners.
ACT says legacy giving is more accessible than most people assume, and that roughly 85% of such gifts are made through a simple bequest in a will rather than through a complex arrangement.
Laura Noble, a longtime Book Buddies tutor with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium, named the organization as a direct beneficiary of her individual retirement account. She said she hopes the gift helps the consortium reach children who need help in years to come.
ACT for Alexandria was established in 2004 as the city's community foundation. Think Ahead Alexandria launched in 2022.
Registration and more information are at actforalexandria.org.
Ryan Belmore is an Alexandria resident and the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
