The Gift That Keeps Giving: How One Woman Left A Legacy of Hope through a Fresno Nonprofit
What if your generosity could keep shaping lives long after you’re gone?
That’s exactly what one woman did through a legacy gift, a charitable gift made through her will to Fresno Area Community Enterprises (FACE), a nonprofit collective working to transform neighborhoods across Fresno.
She was a quiet but faithful supporter showing up to community events, staying connected to the mission, and living with deep compassion for her neighbors. When she passed, her final act of generosity became one of the most impactful gifts FACE had ever received.
And it all started with a simple phone call.
A Life-Changing Phone Call
Loren Dubbuerke, Executive Director of FACE, had known her for years. She was a quiet but faithful presence at community banquets, always offering encouragement and support. Her deep compassion for her neighbors and hope for a healthier, more connected community never went unnoticed.
During a Ten Talents Foundation workshop on estate giving, Loren was encouraged to invite supporters to a webinar about legacy planning.
“So I made a phone call to one of our neighbors,” he shared. “She had been coming regularly to our banquets and was passionate about seeing our neighborhood become healthier. So I invited her to come to the webinar.”
Though she wasn’t able to attend, that conversation planted a powerful seed, one that would grow into something far greater than Loren could have imagined.
“Several months later, I found out she had passed away,” Loren said. “And then a couple months after that, we got something in the mail from her attorneys that said we had been listed as one of the beneficiaries of her charitable trust.”
One of her final acts of generosity: naming FACE as a beneficiary was a quiet but profound expression of faith, care, and vision for the future of her neighborhood.
Fueling Long-Term Impact
Her gift allowed FACE to grow in ways that were previously out of reach—including hiring two new managers who now lead programs serving hundreds of families each year.
“We were able to hire two managers to help carry the work forward,” Loren shared. “The reason that we can even do that was because of her help with her legacy gift.”
From reentry support and youth mentorship to tutoring, food security, and job training, her legacy continues to transform lives across Fresno.
Your Legacy Can Live On Too
“Her work will continue into the future,” Loren said, “as we use her gifts and multiply what she wanted in the neighborhood, even though she isn’t present with us.”
Legacy Giving is more than a donation, it’s fuel for long-term transformation. “Your giving and your generosity frees us up in tremendous ways,” Loren shared, “to do the work on the ground that’s really needed in our broken communities and in our city.”
If you’re curious about how to leave a legacy of your own, the Ten Talents team would be honored to help. Let’s talk about how your generosity can bless future generations.
Learn more HERE.
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