A New Phase

The Stranz family plans their giving impact for today and tomorrow

Like many couples with grown children, Terry and Kristina Stranz are in a new phase of their lives. Married for over 30 years, they raised their family of five in the St. Sebastian parish community. Now as grandparents to three little ones, the Stranz’s have found themselves thinking about the future–and how to leave a legacy.

“Charitable giving has always been a part of our lives,” Terry says. “I’ve always felt that it’s just a normal part of being brought up in the Church. So Kris and I enjoy supporting different organizations throughout the Diocese. We’ve found that we don’t always know where the need is, but the Church does–and they can direct our donation where it will make an impact.”

Terry credits Msgr. William Duncan for connecting him to the Catholic Foundation of West Michigan. As a Trustee to the Catholic Foundation, Msgr. Duncan knew the Foundation has tools and services available to Catholic donors that could not exist at an individual parish. “Terry and Kris are indeed a very special couple with the most generous hearts. I was so grateful that they approached me for guidance in their giving and I was in turn grateful that I could refer them to our Foundation staff to address their critical questions to satisfy their charitable intentions,” says Msgr. Duncan.

“Kris and I knew that we wanted to increase our support of the Church, so Monsignor was helpful in pointing us in the right direction. I was invited to the Foundation’s Catholic Business Leaders Forums. In addition to making new friends through that experience, I also learned about the Bishop’s Angels Society. Kris and I decided to begin contributing to that initiative.”

And still, the Stranz’s wanted to give even more. Through conversations with the Foundation, they learned about the benefits of a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). This type of fund offers a more “hands on” approach to philanthropy, allowing donors to direct their gifts to multiple recipients on their terms through a single fund. Donors also receive a tax deduction in the year they donate to their DAF, even if the funds are granted out in a later year. This can make a DAF an attractive option, especially for donors who may have a large amount of money they’d like to contribute in a given year. For the Stranz’s, this giving tool provided great flexibility for both now and later, as well as providing optimum tax benefit.

“Working with the Foundation has been a great experience,” Terry says. “They helped us identify the right charitable vehicle to accomplish our goals. They also helped us vet different organizations, so we can feel confident that we are supporting ministries with missions that are important to us.” Additionally, the Foundation’s online portal has made it simple for the Stranz’s to track their past charitable activity, recommend new grants, and see the fund’s investment performance. “It’s easy to navigate and we have visibility into everything,” Terry shares.

While the Stranz’s look forward to supporting the causes they care about most, they’re also excited about how the fund has become a family affair. Their adult children are becoming involved, ensuring that the fund will last beyond Terry and Kris’s lifetime.

“There are so many Catholic organizations and ministries serving West Michigan,” Terry says. “We have the desire to give and we’re so blessed to be at a point in our life where we can better support the work of the Church in our community.”