Planned Giving

Sheila Petersen Legacy of Giving Circle

Leave your imprint to benefit future generations.

Your legacy plan starts, first, with your loved ones and then reflects what else is important to you that you want to continue long into the future. Wise planning for family, friends and charities, like Friends of Karen, that are important to you, allows you to assure that your assets will be used according to your wishes and that your values will be expressed in your plans.

Consider adding Friends of Karen to your estate plans and becoming a part of the Sheila Petersen Legacy of Giving Circle. Help us ensure that we can continue our mission for generations to come.

Consult your attorney or financial planner about the best way to create your legacy gift, such as:

  • Bequest – Use this sample Bequest Language to bring to your professional advisor to be written into your will as part of your legacy planning. “I give, devise, and bequeath ________________ (a certain sum, a percentage of the estate, or the remainder of the estate) to Friends of Karen [Tax ID #14-1612290].”

  • Designation – name Friends of Karen as a full or partial beneficiary of a life insurance policy, bank account or brokerage account.

  • Securities – name Friends of Karen as a beneficiary of stocks, bonds and/or other investment assets.

  • Retirement Plan – name Friends of Karen as a beneficiary of a tax-deferred IRA, 401(k) or 403(b).


Individuals 70½ or older may donate all, or a portion of, their required minimum distribution (RMD) to Friends of Karen. This is called qualified charitable distribution or QCD. Qualified charitable distributions do not provide a charitable deduction for taxpayers, but when a check is sent directly from your IRA to a charity, it allows the donor to exclude the amount from taxable income. There is a $100,000 QCD limit per account owner and donations must go directly from your IRA to Friends of Karen.

David Rosenberg’s Pledge to help Friends of Karen THRIVE
David first learned about Friends of Karen at an event in 2003. He heard a Friends of Karen family speak about their ordeal, and thought, “How does someone go through this?” He made a donation, but wanted to do more. “The organization is small, but it’s making a real difference in people’s lives,” he says. “You’re helping to keep families together who might otherwise fall apart because of all the stress.” David thought about it and decided a longer-range gift was the answer. “I want the organization to thrive, and I’m committed to that emotionally and financially.” Including Friends of Karen in his estate plans seemed the ideal solution. “It’s a commitment I can make today to benefit the future of Friends of Karen.” While he realizes that some people don’t want to think about planned giving, he says, “It’s an easy way to share with an organization you believe in. If you believe in charitable giving during your life, why not continue to share once you are gone?”

If you’ve already named Friends of Karen in your estate plans, please let us know so we may welcome you to the Sheila Petersen Legacy of Giving Circle, one special way we recognize those who are remembering our ill children and their families into the future.

Please contact Sr. Philanthropy Manager Gabriella DiSisto or
call 914-617-4047 to discuss legacy options.