There’s a Greek proverb that says a society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. While the sentiment is profound, here’s a note to the ancient Greeks: You need not be elderly or male to do things today that will benefit others far into the future.

Today, regardless of gender, social class, income level, or ethnicity, you can do things that will help others in the future. Perhaps you have an extra can or two of food that could be set aside to donate to a local soup kitchen, providing someone you don’t know a meal next week. Maybe through your church you donate money to sponsor the education of a young girl in a faraway land, giving her the boost she needs for a better future.

These one-time or even occasional donations make you feel good and help to make the world a better place for the people who benefit from your help. You have, to carry on the metaphor of the Greeks, planted quick-sprouting seeds to nourish others in the near-future.

But what kind of trees will you plant to shade others long after you are gone? You may look at your savings and wonder how many trees you can afford! When considering our legacy, it’s not unusual to wonder what we have to leave behind and to grossly underestimate the effect of our potential impact. We think only millionaires and the Picassos of the world have the resources to leave behind things that have lasting impacts on our society.

But we’re wrong. Since 1990, the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan has housed the endowment fund of what is now MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena, and hundreds have donated. A veritable orchard has been planted by men and women, young and not-so-young, wealthy and not-so-wealthy, that has nourished Northeast Michigan for a generation.

Endowment funds are the life-blood of many nonprofit organizations, providing a dependable stream of capital to fund specific operations and programs. When people like you and me contribute to an endowment fund such as the one with MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena, our donations are pooled together and invested. Consistent withdrawals from the investment income provide the funding needed to maintain and restore good health to the people in our community.

Every year, money from the Medical Center’s endowment fund has provided healthcare to those who otherwise could not afford it. Mothers, fathers, children, and grandchildren are here today because of the “trees” planted five, ten, or twenty-five years ago by community members just like you. A legacy of restored health is a wonderful thing to leave behind for the generations of people who will populate the Sunrise Side for decades to come.

What trees will you plant to provide shade to people you’ll never live long enough to meet?

For more information on endowment funds, contact a certified financial planner or attorney, who will be happy to help you plan your legacy. You can also learn more at the Food for Thought program hosted by the MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena Development Council Planned Gifts Committee on Dec. 8 at 12 p.m. in the Medical Center’s Auditorium. Barb Frantz, executive director at the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan, will give a presentation entitled The Power of Endowments; Gifts that Live Forever. The hour-long program costs $10 to attend and includes lunch. Reservations can be made by calling the Development Office at 356-7351.

If you’d like to learn more about MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena’s endowment fund, contact Ann Diamond, development director, at (989) 356-7738.

Mary Eagan is a member of the Planned Gifts Committee at MidMichigan Medical Center – Alpena.