Bequest Will Support Hamzy Family Legacy

June 2017 - Cornerstone Society members Bill and Anita Hamzy are fully engaged in their local community. They have made a decades long commitment to serve the community professionally and personally through their volunteerism, public service, and philanthropic work. “Anita and I are very involved in our community. Establishing the Hamzy Family Charitable Fund at the Main Street Community Foundation in 2010 was a continuation of that service,” stated Attorney Bill Hamzy of Plymouth, a former member of the Connecticut General Assembly. “When I retired as a Connecticut State Representative six years ago, we decided to have a retirement dinner and instead of receiving gifts, we directed all of the proceeds to the Hamzy Family Charitable Fund, which had been created. Anita and I decided to establish that fund, a donor advised fund, at the Foundation to benefit a variety of charitable causes in the greater Plymouth community.”

“It is our hope that the funds can be used to provide grants to organizations that provide emergency relief to individuals and families who may need a hand up following a fire, tragedy, or other personal set-back. It may also be used to provide seed money to non-profit organizations that serve as local resources to meet the needs of Plymouth and Terryville residents,” stated Anita, a former member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Bill and Anita explained that under the current donor advised fund agreement, they are empowered to make recommendations regarding how the funds will be used to impact the community through grantmaking. The Main Street Community Foundation’s Board of Directors will give the ultimate approval for grants in accordance with the Foundation’s fund management responsibilities. Anita and Bill have become very familiar with MSCF’s donor services throughout the years by volunteering on various committees. They trust that their wishes will be honored in perpetuity, as their generosity will continue in the form of a bequest to the Main Street Community Foundation. The bequest, created as part of their estate plan, will support the growth and impact of their legacy for years to come.

“Whenever we have a birthday, or other special event to celebrate in our family, people often give gifts in the form of donations to the fund,” said Bill. The couple is passing their spirit of philanthropy on to their children by example. “It is important to us as individuals, and as parents, to give back to the community. Our two teenage children witness us volunteering our time and giving to local organizations. We discuss the impact those organizations’ programs and services have on the greater community, and hope to instill the same appreciation of the value of community service and philanthropy in our children,” stated Anita.