Planning a Lifetime of Giving

Duncan and Julie Miller opened an advised fund at the Community Foundation because they know that philanthropy will be part of their lives. They also became charter members of GiVE 365 in 2010.

“It’s important for us in the younger generation to get involved,” said Miller. “There are a lot of heavy hitters in the previous generation and we need to position ourselves to carry on in the community.”

Miller, an investment advisor for Legacy Wealth Management, Inc., said that choosing to open a fund at the Community Foundation was an easy decision. “We want to give back and a number of our firm’s clients partner with the Foundation for their giving plans,” he said.

Miller and his wife, Julie, a preschool teacher at Emmanuel United Methodist School, have two young sons and plan to pass on their commitment to philanthropy as the boys grow older.

“We would like to find a charity that makes sense to us as a family and get the boys involved,” he said, “to start building questions in their minds and connect with the end results.

“Kids need to see how good they have it and realize that they need to give back.”

Right now, the Millers are looking closely at their community to see where they can help the most.

“We need to think about a strategic philanthropic plan,” he said. “We are interested in kids who need help, I’m interested in conservation and we both think education would be a goal we could share as a family.”

The couple are showing their commitment to good public education by enrolling their six-year-old son in public school this year.

“We are the only parents among all of our friends to do that,” said Julie. “But by being involved in a public school, we are not only helping our own children, we are helping others as well.”