The Clallam Community Foundation, the endowment fund of the United Way of Clallam County, has received a $1 million gift from the McCool Family Trust.
Initial earnings from the trust will support the United Way’s Early Learning Initiative, which will begin this fall, said Jody Moss, executive director of the nonprofit.
“The project is to help parents and other child caregivers to be the best first teacher of their children and help children get the right start in life,” Moss said.
The endowment fund is separate from the annual fundraising campaign the United Way conducts to support its 25 partner agencies.
Robert and Lettie McCool were longtime supporters of United Way, which collects donations and disperses them to nonprofits throughout the county.
In 1992, the year Lettie McCool died, Robert and Lettie McCool included United Way in their will, according to information provided by Moss.
In 1997, Robert McCool sold Robin Hill Farm, a property appraised at $2.4 million, to the county for $1 million.
The land is now Robin Hill Farm County Park, which is 195 acres of forest, meadow and wetland between Port Angeles and Sequim off Dryke Road, north of U.S. Highway 101.
A family trust benefiting Robert McCool and his daughter, Carryl Ogden, was created from the proceeds of the property sale, with the stipulation that the Clallam Community Foundation receive the final distribution, Moss said.
“This kind of legacy-giving makes such a difference in our community for years to come,” said Jamye Wisecup, United Way board member and chairwoman of the Planned Giving Committee.
“And you don’t have to be wealthy to make this kind of gift,” she added.
“Donors can set up a small or large donation to the Clallam Community Fund in their wills.”
The United Way board allocated the first six months of earnings from the fund to Great Beginnings, which supports early childhood education.
The Planned Giving Committee is developing a policy for the distribution of future earnings.
The Clallam Community Foundation has eight individual named funds.
United Way of Clallam County is also licensed to provide charitable gift annuities to individuals.
For more information on United Way of Clallam County and the Clallam Community Foundation, contact Karen Meyer, resource development manager, at 360-457-3011 or karen@unitedwayclallam.org.