Two significant Northwest Danish Association (NWDA) programs are a reality today because of endowments. The donors’ legacies live on every day after their passing through these programs that support the community. Endowments, also known as planned gifts or legacy gifts, are funds that are designated to eventually be received by a nonprofit through bequests, charitable trusts, or other forms. At NWDA, we currently have the following two endowments: Eldercare and Sustaining Danish Values.
Eldercare
The first program that started with an endowment is Eldercare, a critical cornerstone of NWDA’s work. Elders in our community are equipped with life alerts, walkers, and other aids to make their lives a little easier every day. The Eldercare program is thriving today due to our generous donors. In 1998, Thorvald (Ted) Kofoed left a legacy gift of $32,268 to Eldercare after his passing. This kind gesture expanded the Eldercare program, and the fund has since grown thanks to additional donors. Ted was grateful for the caring services he received from Northwest Danish Association (then Foundation) as an elder and wanted to share his good fortune with others in the community. Ted’s legacy lives on with every piece of aid equipment and every service NWDA provides to assist an elder in the Seattle area. Services through the established endowment include:
- Transportation to social activities and events
- Torsdagsklubben, a free lunch with a program each month
- Emergency calling aides, cleaning services, etc. for elders in the Seattle area
This endowment is a permanent investment that accepts donations on a continued basis, further sustaining the program. Generous donors continue to bolster this fund.
Sustaining Danish Values
The second NWDA endowment is called “Sustaining Danish Values”. This endowment is a result of merging two separate endowments. One was a scholarship fund called Kaj Christiansen Endowment Fund that was established in 2002 by Tage Christiansen of Tacoma in memory of his brother, Kaj. The income was to be used to award scholarships for technical training in honor of Kaj. An endowment from Kaj C. started a scholarship fund after Kaj passed. His legacy lives on with NWDA, helping students fulfill their academic dreams. The other Endowment Fund was established in 2009 by Mark Rasmussen to honor his parents, H. Martin and Mary Rasmussen. The income was to be used as a permanent source of operating funds for NWDA. In 2015 the two Endowments were combined with the permission of the donors to make one larger Endowment. This was established for sustaining Danish American Values to fund the operations and programs of NWDA in Seattle. Thus, the “Sustaining Danish Values” now funds scholarships and operating funds.
For information on how to leave your own legacy at NWDA, contact us by e-mail or phone (206) 523-3263.