More than 40 years ago, in 1974, Ed and Gloria Shipman provided shelter to two girls fleeing a bad situation. In this act of kindness, they found their calling, and they opened Happy Hill Farm one year later out of a mobile home in Granbury, Texas.

Today Happy Hill Farm is a vibrant, thriving 500-acre farm and Christian-based boarding school for children who have few other places to turn. Here, kids get a world-class education, a safe and loving home, healthy meals, spiritual guidance, animal therapy, and a place to discover their dreams. It’s amazing how one act of kindness can change your life!

Your act of kindness by including Happy Hill Farm in your estate plans through planned giving will leave a legacy of impact — ensuring that children will be trained and educated for generations to come.

Planned giving is a method of supporting nonprofits and charities that enables donors to make larger gifts to the organization than they could typically make exclusively from their income. While some planned gifts provide a lifelong income to the donor, others use estate and tax planning techniques to provide for charity and other heirs in ways that maximize the gift and/or minimize its impact on the donor’s estate.

You may be wondering how to include Happy Hill Farm in your will or estate. Writing a bequest is often one of the easiest ways. There are three different ways you can make a bequest:

SPECIFIC BEQUEST

You designate a specific dollar amount, specific percentage, or specific property to Happy Hill Farm. Example language for a Specific Bequest: “I bequeath to Happy Hill Farm the sum of $___________ (or asset) to be used for its general support (or for the support of a specific fund or program).”

RESIDUAL BEQUEST

Your estate will pay all debts, taxes, expenses, and specific bequests. The remaining amount, “the residue,” will then be transferred to Happy Hill Farm. Example language for a Residual Bequest: “I bequeath to Happy Hill Farm all (or state a percentage) of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to be used for its general support (or for the support of a specific fund or program).”

CONTINGENT BEQUEST

You can ask that Happy Hill Farm receive all or a portion of your estate only under certain circumstances. Example language for a Contingent Bequest: “If (insert name) is not living at the time of my demise, I bequeath to Happy Hill Farm the sum of $_______ (or all or a percentage of the residue of my estate) to be used for its general support (or for the support of a specific fund or program).”

LET US KNOW YOUR PLANS

Regardless of how you plan to leave your planned gift, we want to know so that we can appropriately steward your gift. Contact Lucas using the form below to let us know of your plans or to request help with planned giving. Thank you so much for your dedication and support of the boys and girls at Happy Hill Farm.