Foundation Creates Endowment Fund “Leave Your Own Legacy”

The Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation and the Missouri Retired Teachers Association wants to thank all of those many MRTA members for their continued support in making contributions to pay for our new office facility.

It is no secret that the longer we are paying for the building the more interest we will pay. This makes it imperative that we continue asking for assistance. We must continue to seek new resources to keep serving our members.

While (75%) seventy-five percent of people give to charity during their life time only six percent (6%) leave a gift to a nonprofit organization in their estates. There are two major reasons: most people don’t think of the possibility and they don’t realize the benefits to not-for-profit organizations.

At the time that MRTA is celebrating 50 years of service to the educational retirees, MRTF is excited to announce the first contribution and the establishment of an endowment fund. It is my hope that this gift will inspire others to do the same thing.

Simply speaking, an endowment is a fund that is made up of gifts and bequests that are subject to the requirement that the principal is maintained intact and invested to create a source of income for an organization. Donors may set up an endowment to fund a specific interest; or a not-for-profit governing body may set up an endowment. In either case, an endowment requires that the principal remains in tact in perpetuity, or for a defined period of time or until sufficient assets have been accumulated to achieve a designated purpose. The practice of investing the principal rather than to spend it allows an endowment to grow over time.

Charitable giving is an American tradition, perhaps more than any where in the world. Today there are more than 1.5 million charities that do their work here in the US and across the globe.

We would like to encourage you to explore the opportunities you have to “Leave a Legacy.” MRTA’s work is so important to every educational retiree. It is very simple, your tax deductible gift to our MRTF Endowment Fund will benefit you immediately, and create an endless gift to keep our MRTA services around for you, as well as our future retirees.

There are many advantages to giving to MRTF. Yes, it will make you feel good, but it will also provide you an immediate tax deduction.

With the creation of the MRTF Endowment Fund, we have provided our membership an opportunity for “giving back.” Please consider placing a bequeath to the MRTF in your will or trust.

Endowments are permanent and personal; it is a gift, a way for you to provide endless support to a charitable cause. Your expression of philanthropy is an investment for the future of MRTA.

The Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation (MRTF) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not for-profit corporation devoted to raising funds to carry out certain charitable, educational, scientific, and literary purposes of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association (MRTA).

Jane Fullerton, President

Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation

Happy New Year!

I hope 2010 will be a wonderful year for each and every one of you. This New Year’s greeting will be said and heard all around the state this month. The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of our holidays. It was first celebrated by the ancient Babylonians more than 4,000 years ago. The celebration of the New Year is a mix of old and new traditions. Early Christians believed New Year’s Day should be spent reflecting on the past year and focusing on making improvements in their life in the coming year. The practice of making resolutions grew from these ancient customs, with customs such as the dropping of the Ball in Times Square and the singing of Auld Lang Syne became popular in the 20th century.

Many cultures have annual traditions of making New Year’s Resolutions. It is believed the Babylonians were the creators of the New Year’s Resolutions or Promises and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. Their most often made resolution was to return things they had borrowed during the past year, especially farm machinery.

Traditionally, on New Year’s Eve, activities included fireworks, loud festive celebrations, and activities to scare away evil spirits. It was believed you could affect your luck throughout the coming year by what you did or ate on the 1st day of the New Year. For that reason, it became a tradition for folks to celebrate the first new day of the year with family and friends and to always have black-eyed peas to eat.

As we close the door to 2009, it is only natural that we, too, must reflect on our past year. We must begin by counting our many blessings. May each of us be blessed with good health, kind friends, close family, love and laughter.

Professionally, as we reflect on 2009, we are blessed with MRTF’s new office and MRTA’s permanent home. Many said it could not be done; but never underestimate the power of Strength in Numbers. This past year says, “MRTA we’re here to stay.”

Research shows that approximately 50% of all Americans will make resolutions to change or make improvement at the beginning of the New Year. The most common resolutions or promises made are to lose weight, to quit smoking, and to be better organized.

Whatever your resolution, you are in good company as millions will be working to make positive changes in their lives although more people actually break their resolutions than keep them. Research says that people who write their resolution are 10 times more likely to reach their goals than those who do not.

As a time honored tradition, your Foundation has some resolutions to make for 2010. MRTA’s 50th Birthday Anniversary, and request that all of our MRTA members join us so we can keep our resolutions.

The MRTF first resolves to continue its commitment to excellence.

MRTF resolves to embrace and support a visionary plan for building the future not only for present retirees, but for future retirees of public education. MRTF resolves to make a difference. A wise person once said of paying interest on debts, “…those who understand interest earn it, those who don’t pay it. Once you are free of debt, your money will start working for you.”

With this thought in mind MRTF’s final resolution for 2010 is to celebrate MRTA’s 50th birthday by becoming debt free. To be debt free allows us to use our money to increase member benefits and to promote the teaching profession.

To ensure that MRTF keeps its promises, we seek the help of every member of the MRTA. We need each of you to recruit a new member, buy an extra raffle ticket, join the $50 for 50 years birthday party and to a make a generous tax free contribution to the Foundation.

“By giving, you leave a legacy; you create a memory that will not fade.”

Happy New Year!

Jane Fullerton, President

Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation