Steele and Mary Taylor’s compassion and support for youth in foster care are remarkable. In 2007, they established an educational fund for D.A. Blodgett- St. John’s that has been helping foster care youth successfully prepare for and complete post-secondary education. This has aided numerous foster children in becoming productive, happy and stable adults.
The Taylors recently took another very generous step for foster children by making estate plans that will ensure the Steele and Mary Taylor Educational Fund provides, in perpetuity, educational support for numerous foster youth.
The road to college is complicated for teens, with navigating the application process and preparing financial aid forms. That road is even harder for those who are navigating foster care. Steele and Mary want to make sure that these young people have the support they need beyond college tuition. That could include transportation, housing, tutoring or a laptop to be successful in college.
This gift involved two non-profits that were involved in the process to meet the Taylors’ goals. “The Grand Rapids Community Foundation has been involved in helping us develop something in partnership with D.A. Blodgett - St. John’s that meets the needs of the children,” Steele said.
“The staff members from both organizations work so well together and are such experts. We know they will be able to put this money to good use in the future,” Mary said. “We are deeply grateful for the long-term vision of the Taylors and their generosity to provide opportunities to foster youth that otherwise would be very difficult to find,” said Jim Visser, Director of Advancement.
To learn more about deferred giving through one’s estate plans or to explore outright gifts, please contact Kate Frillmann at 616-361-4117 or gro.jsbad@nnamllirfk.