Generous Couple Inspired To Support Akron Children’s Foundation With Gift of Life Insurance
Family and giving.
They’re two things near and dear to the hearts of Neven and Lisa Zelich, whether they’re supporting their co-workers, their community or each other.
One of the many ways they live out this philosophy of giving is through their support of Akron Children’s Foundation.
“Akron Children’s means a lot to us and to the region,” Neven said. “I also have a unique situation at my company where two of my colleagues have children with special needs and Akron Children’s has been the primary care provider for both of them. There’s great work being done each and every day at the hospital.”
Neven and his company, Longbridge Wealth Advisors, have made generous gifts to our hospital’s general fund, raised money through a campaign with the former Canton Charge NBA G League basketball team and supported the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House in Akron. Brian Hollingsworth, senior major gifts officer with Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation, and Shawn Lyden, JD, chief strategy officer at Akron Children’s and Neven’s longtime friend, also encouraged the couple’s involvement at our hospital. Recently, Neven and Lisa decided to give back in a new way—through a planned gift of life insurance.
“The hospital is doing so many wonderful things,” Lisa said. “We know what an amazing place this is, and we’re very happy to help.”
Planned Giving Made Easy
When the original purpose for a life insurance policy that someone currently owns no longer applies—like educating children who are now grown or providing financial security for a spouse—the policy can become a powerful and simple way to support Akron Children’s without writing a check.
As Neven and Lisa became aware of the many donor opportunities at our hospital, they felt that making a gift of life insurance was a giving approach that they were comfortable with.
“Financially it was the right time for us to make this gift,” Neven said. “Our life insurance policy is fully paid for and the residuals are paying the premiums. I know some people donate their existing life insurance policies to the hospital. We chose to keep our policy and gift more than 60 percent of the death benefit to the Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation. It was a simple process. All we had to do was complete a new beneficiary form.”
There are three ways to give a gift of life insurance:
- Name the Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation as a beneficiary of the policy.
- Make an outright gift of an existing policy.
- Make an outright gift of a new policy.
“If you want to support the hospital’s mission in a bigger way, it’s easy to make a significant future gift with your life insurance policies while still helping patients today with your annual gifts,” Neven said.
To learn how you can support Akron Children’s Foundation with a gift of life insurance, contact Jason V. Sanders, JD at 330-543-8343 or plannedgiving@akronchildrens.org.