Planned Gifts Benefit Both Those Who Give and Those Who Receive

"I believe in helping people," said Agnes Gaso, founding member of the North Coast Community Homes Endowment Fund.

Agnes and her son Robert live in a modest, well kept home in the historic Old Brooklyn area of Cleveland, Ohio. She and her husband, Raymond, adopted Robert when he was just a baby. When he was in first grade, disruptive behavior in school caused Agnes to have him examined and his diagnosis of mental impairment and epiliepsy changed their lives.

Robert is now 50 years old and Agnes is in her late 80's. They still live in the same home her first husband purchased when he came home from World War II. In this very close knit community, Agnes and Robert help their neighbors with grocery shopping, cleaning, yard work and hanging clothes on the clothes line. Robert has his own apartment upstairs that he keeps very clean and tidy. He has worked at Charter One Bank for over 10 years. Fortunately, with the aid of medication, Robert has not experienced a severe epilectic seizure since 1996.

Agnes learned about North Coast Community Homes (NCCH) through its first published newsletter in 1997 and immediately sent in a contribution in support of the NCCH mission of developing and maintaining homes for individuals with developmental disabilities in northeastern Ohio. She was literally our very first contributor from the private sector.

Over the years, Agnes has continued her support of NCCH and in 2002 the Agnes Gaso Endowment Fund launched the NCCH Endowment Fund. This fund was established to provide for the ongoing sustainability of the NCCH mission.

Agnes raised Robert with strictness and love, wanting to be sure that he could live as independently as his abilities allowed. Now in the later years of her life, she realizes that she may not be with him for too many more years. Agnes' support of NCCH has helped families, as well as herself and Robert, to know that their adult children will have safe, comfortable, well-maintained homes to live in after they are gone.

Until this time comes, Agnes, with Robert as her helper, will continue assisting as many people as she can with financial and personal support. Agnes said, "I've got to do something with my money. There are just too many taxes." When asking Robert what he thinks about his mother, he said, "I love her."

If you would like to explore how you can help make a difference and how your gift can benefit both you and the people North Coast Community Homes is proud to serve, please contact Barbara S. Rosenthal or Gretchen Greissing at 216-662-1880. You can also find more information on this website under "Get Involved" and "Gift Planning".