A woman’s love for animals was reflected in a significant trust donation given to the Little Rock Zoo, as reported in The Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette article, “Animal lover leaves Little Rock Zoo nearly $3M, biggest gift ever.” A trust created an endowment fund, the Jayne and Fletcher Jackson Foundation, which will fund many programs at the zoo for years to come.
"Animals are what made her happy,” a zoo representative commented. “It was no surprise after we got to know her that the zoo was what she wanted to leave her estate to upon her passing."
Ms. Jackson made arrangements and created the trust with the zoo as the beneficiary some time ago.
"Jayne Jackson connected with animals and found a way to connect with the Little Rock Zoo forever by establishing this generous endowment fund," said Lisa Buehler, chair of the Arkansas Zoological Foundation.
She was very interested in the Zoo’s bird population and loved the fact that the birds are part of the education and outreach of the Zoo.
The Zoo has not stated what it plans to do with the endowment, and the dollar amount is not set because it will be based on investments and market performance.
While not everyone has the resources to endow such a large gift, there are many different ways in Houston to give to a zoo, a museum or a not-for-profit agency that will create a legacy and support an organization. Speak with a Houston estate planning attorney about how to properly structure a charitable donation as part of your overall estate plan.
For additional information related to charitable giving or estate planning in Houston, visit our website.
Reference: Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette (June 14, 2016) “Animal lover leaves Little Rock Zoo nearly $3M, biggest gift ever”