Earlier this month, Malvern Bank hosted Laura Fredricks, an international consultant, speaker, and best-selling author, for its “Gainful Giving: A Charitable Giving Seminar.”  

Attendees included nonprofits, donors, and clients who wanted to learn more about different philanthropic giving vehicles, and how these vehicles can be used to make charitable gifts that may help for family financial planning now and in the future. 

Despite being a diverse group, the impact of Fredricks’ presentation bolstered curiosity and newfound conversations among attendees. She noted the success with a large turnout of guests, the multitude of questions, and watching inspiration spark for those who wanted to learn how to make the most of their charitableness. 

“Throughout the seminar, I watched a lot of lightbulbs pop up as people saw the opportunities available to them and ways they can help others,” said Fredricks. “The dialogue in the room was electric. We need to hold more sessions like this because people want to do the right thing philanthropically, but sometimes they don’t know where to start.” 

Among the guests were Jeanine DiTomasso, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Narberth Ambulance, and Sandra Momyer, archivist at Historic Yellow Springs. Both women acknowledged the effectiveness of the seminar thanks to the different viewpoints between donors and their counterparts as presented by Fredricks.  

No matter the position of the guest, Fredricks’ words reached each person deeply depending on their organization, group, or profession. 

“The most impactful part of the event for me was listening to guests’ questions and Laura’s responses. As a nonprofit professional, sometimes I forget that donors are facing a mountain of choices on how to express their philanthropic values,” said DiTomasso. “I feel empowered to better help my donors explore the specific ways they want to give.” 

Other seminar points of interest also included how lifetime gifts differ from charitable bequests, how to donate effectively using assets such as retirement benefits or life insurance, and techniques that give donors the flexibility to change their mind. 

Momyer expressed her enjoyment in listening to how Fredricks’ was able to connect everyone in the room as sources to draw from whether as a legacy donor or a recipient nonprofit. 

“When I began my own career many years ago, my very first boss told me that the most important words were “Please and Thank You.” Those words have stayed with me my whole life. That is one of the messages that Laura stressed,” said Momyer.  

“The cultivating of a donor is so important, and they need to feel you have a place for their gift that it will make a difference. They need to see their gift being utilized,” she continued. 

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