By Sheryl Wilde
It has been said of the Mountain Shadows family that we are the ones – the ones who care for those who might otherwise be forgotten, the ones who care for those who are oftentimes hidden in the shadows of our society.
Portia Bibb and her son, Stacy, have been Mountain Shadows family members for the last 37 years.
Born 11 weeks early, Stacy weighed only two pounds at birth. He was diagnosed with severe athetoid cerebral palsy. Now 48 years old, Stacy weighs 80 pounds, has the mental capacity of a 12-year-old, and the developmental abilities of a 4-month-old.
“Stacy is my joy and blessing,” says Portia. “But because he can’t talk, can’t walk, can’t move anything purposefully except his tongue, it’s complicated.”
Portia and Stacy made a pact more than 30 years ago. “We agreed our lives were equally important. Stacy is the foundation of my life. The reason I can say that, with reverence and gratitude, is because Mountain Shadows allows both of us to have our own lives and still have ‘our’ relationship.”
It is with this same feeling of reverence and gratitude that Portia has decided to make a legacy gift to Mountain Shadows, to ensure her son – and all those intellectually disabled individuals who might otherwise be forgotten – are cared for, with love and respect, for generations to come.
Stacy requires 24-hour care and assistance with all of his daily needs, from being lifted out of bed and into his wheelchair each morning, to eating, to bathing, to going to the bathroom.
But Mountain Shadows goes far beyond providing for our residents’ basic needs. We embrace and embolden each of our residents by fostering an environment in which they can achieve their highest potential.
“Mountain Shadows makes extraordinary efforts to enrich the residents’ lives, so they can be happy. Because of Mountain Shadows, Stacy has an independent life, his own friendships, and interests. And because each of us has an independent life, our relationship is stronger.”
When looking toward the future, as with every parent, Portia wants the best possible life for her child. “We have been so blessed, blessed, blessed, to have Mountain Shadows. But we know there are no guarantees about tomorrow.
“There is no one in my family, there is no one else, to take care of Stacy. I believe this is the case for most of the Mountain Shadows families. There is no one else. There is nowhere else. That’s why we’re all here. That’s why Mountain Shadows must continue.”
Mountain Shadows must continue.
To help ensure a secure future for her son, and all of our residents, Portia decided to make a legacy gift to Mountain Shadows.
“We can never lose Mountain Shadows!”
“The Mountain Shadows Foundation (MSF) Planned Giving program allows donors to make a big impact with a future gift,” says Mandelyn (Mandy) McKinley Huiras, Director of Development, MSF. “Planned Giving is often the best way to support a cause that’s important to you.
“Leaving a legacy gift plays a crucial role in ensuring the future stability of MSF, and sustaining a long-term, consistent fund stream for years to come.”
Here are some easy ways to make a legacy gift:
· Wills & Living Trusts – this can include a tribute to a family member
· Beneficiary Designations
· IRA’s – there may be tax benefits to giving from your IRA. Ask us about a special opportunity for those 70 ½ years old and older!
Other easy ways to give:
· Special Needs Remainder Trusts
· Securities and Mutual Funds
“To make a bequest to the Mountain Shadows Foundation is to invest in 165 lives – 165 souls – and to ensure they have a future,” says Portia.
Our deepest gratitude goes to Portia for her incredible generosity.
The future of Mountain Shadows, and of residents like Stacy, depends on the generosity of individuals like Portia – and YOU.
Will you help us with a legacy gift so that we can continue to be the ones – the ones who care for Stacy and other intellectually disabled individuals for years to come?
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy at: mhuiras@mtnshadows.org,
