Have you ever met someone who truly thinks outside of the box? They’re inspiring to be around and often have great impact on the companies they work for. Take Art Fry for instance, a scientist who worked for the 3M Company. Every Sunday, Art would mark the pages of a hymnal with small bits of paper before singing in the choir, and every Sunday those pieces would invariably fall out all over the floor. Suddenly an idea struck him. He remembered an adhesive developed by a colleague that everyone thought was a failure because it didn’t stick very well. “I coated the adhesive on a paper sample,” Fry recalls, “and I found that it was not only a good bookmark, but also great for writing notes. It will stay in place as long as you want it to, and then you can remove it without damage.” And so the Post-It! was born. Fry’s clever discovery went on to become one of 3M’s most successful office products.

When it comes to being creative with the resources God has entrusted to us, sometimes a little outside of the box thinking can go a long way for us too. For instance, did you know you could add an “adopted child” to your Will to support an organization you care about, like the Beacon Hill Foundation? Surprisingly, this is a very common concept called a “Child Named Charity.” It simply means your Estate would be divided among your children, including “charity” as one of them. Naming a “charity” in your Will allows you to bless your family, receive significant tax savings and still give a generous donation from your Estate.

Robert and Jill are a couple in their early sixties and have four children. Their total estate is worth $500,000 including their home, life insurance and some retirement savings of which they chose to make the Beacon Hill Foundation the beneficiary. The end result is that all four children and the Foundation receive $100,000 each. Such a creative way to provide for your family and bless the ministries you care about!

Psalm 103:17 says, “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children…” God Himself is a wonderful example of faithfully providing for future generations. He appreciates the efforts we take to be faithful with His resources and to bless those in our care. In fact, He’s the biggest outside the box thinker of them all!

 Would you like to add a “Child Named Charity” to your Will? We’d love to help you get started, and we hope you’ll remember the Beacon Hill Foundation when you do! Contact Andi Allen, Foundation Director, at 616-608-8285 or andi.allen@beaconhillgr.org