The mission of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is to enrich the quality of life in Washtenaw County through philanthropy. We serve all facets or sectors of the community, from human services to education to the arts and environment. We operate as a kind of savings account for the community and are locally unique as a public charity that specializes in community endowment.

While we hope that donors will follow the example of Helmut Stern in making broad, unrestricted legacy gifts for maximum community impact, people also make planned gifts to create or support specific funds, including nonprofit endowments, scholarships, administrative and field-of-interest funds. Any and all of these can be named for you or a loved one.

In 2017, AAACF received the largest gift in its history from an individual: a $16.2 million unrestricted gift from the estate of Helmut Stern, a longtime supporter. The AAACF Board of Trustees deliberated very intentionally for many months on how best to recognize and honor his legacy.

The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is grateful for the support provided by donors who have made planned gifts. Through their generosity, these individuals have demonstrated their commitment to the future of Washtenaw County through gifts that have created meaningful legacies. Here are some of their stories.