ZCS to Pay for Your Family’s Will Creation

A little over two years ago, a former ZCS parent dropped by the school and asked to meet with me (Peter). He introduced himself and said, “I don’t want ZCS to become a school for rich kids and I don’t want to ask for people for checks right now.”

I was puzzled, but since I shared the first part of his vision, I asked him to explain more. He went on to say, “I served on the school board when I was a parent and I know tuition goes up around 3% every year. It just does, and I understand why most of the time. But wages only go up 1-2%. I see a future where ZCS becomes a school where only rich families can afford it.”

How do we keep ZCS from becoming unaffordable for most?

We (the school board, finance, and endowment committees) believe the answer lies within the systems already established at ZCS. But, only with greater participation will we alter the course for future generations. What are these systems? Tuition Assistance and The ZCS Endowment Fund what we are writing you today to talk about.

The ZCS Endowment Fund will offset the cost of tuition to the tune of $250 per student for the 2021-22 school year. Growing the ZCS endowment is the most sustainable way to keep ZCS accessible to those who desire a Christian education for their children. 

How can YOU keep ZCS from becoming unaffordable for most?

There are THREE ways you can fix this problem.

  1. Add the ZCS Endowment Fund as a beneficiary of your estate. 
  2. *NEW* For $25,000, establish a named scholarship fund to help make ZCS accessible for students in specific circumstances within your passions.
  3. Make a NOW gift to the ZCS Endowment Fund to have a NOW and FOREVER impact offsetting tuition. 

1. Add the ZCS Endowment Fund as a beneficiary of your estate. 

Among the school board, finance, and endowment committees, we are convinced the best way for the long-term and exponential growth of the endowment fund is through a community of people passionate about ZCS including the endowment in their will/estate plan. 

By including ZCS in your will/estate plan, you are making a long-term (FOREVER) investment to support the work God is doing through ZCS and leaving a legacy of stewardship and generosity for your children and grandchildren. 

*EXCITING NEWS* Attorney Haans Mulder at Cunningham Dalman Attorneys at Law has generously offered to provide anyone willing to add ZCS as a beneficiary of their estate a Probate Avoidance Estate Plan for only $1,000. That’s a 33% discount! 

THERE’S MORE THOUGH: The ZCS Endowment Champions and others in our community believe in this strategy so much they are willing to pay the $1,000 for ANY FAMILY who is willing to include ZCS as a beneficiary of at least 5% or $25,000 of their estate from now until June 30, 2021. You read that correctly! Members of our community will pay for your family to have a high-quality probate avoidance plan. All you have to do is include ZCS as a beneficiary of at least 5% or $25,000 of your estate. 

These generous donors have also agreed to cover the cost of any estate plans created or updated with other attorneys up to $1,000, granted that ZCS is a beneficiary of at least 5% or $25,000 until June 30, 2021. This is a rare offer that we hope many of you will take advantage of. There is no “catch.” You just need to include ZCS as a beneficiary of at least 5% of your estate. 

Contact Lois Gerritsma, Advancement Assistant (lgerritsma@zcs.org) for more information.

2. *NEW* For $25,000+, you can establish a named scholarship fund to help make ZCS accessible for students in life scenarios you are passionate about helping with. 

Many higher-education and private schools offer this option for donors with a heart towards specific circumstances families find themselves in. You can establish a scholarship for children of single parents, minority students, low-income families, or other individuals God has placed on your heart to serve.

Contact Lois Gerritsma, Advancement Assistant (lgerritsma@zcs.org) for more information.

3. Make a NOW gift to the ZCS Endowment Fund to have a NOW and FOREVER impact on offsetting tuition. 

The heart of this campaign is to NOT ask you for a check today. But, we would be poor stewards of the ZCS Endowment Fund if we didn’t let you know this is a fantastic option as well. Any gift today has a NOW and FOREVER impact on the sustainability of accessing ZCS for families. You can give online at www.zcs.org/support and write Endowment in the “Notes” section or mail a check to ZCS with the included return card. 

Contact Lois Gerritsma, Advancement Assistant (lgerritsma@zcs.org) for more information.

What does success look like for the ZCS Endowment Fund? 

Participation and Funding are our two benchmarks of success. We want 50 new families to add ZCS to their estate plan by June 30 and in the next five years, we need your help to establish a pipeline of gifts to double the endowment.

Since 1984 the ZCS Endowment has paid out over $3 million to offset the cost of tuition for families. The current balance of the endowment is $6.49 million (3/1/21) and paid out $208,000 for the 2020-21 school year. Currently, this means every family will receive an endowment grant of $250 per student for the 2021-22 school year. In the next five years, we need your help to establish a pipeline of gifts to double the endowment. – $500 per student!

We hope that you will generously consider ONE of the three ways you can help keep ZCS accessible for the next generation.

  1. Add the ZCS Endowment Fund as a beneficiary of your estate. 
  2. *NEW* For $25,000, you can establish a named scholarship fund to help make ZCS accessible for students in life scenarios you are passionate about helping with. 
  3. Make a NOW gift to the ZCS Endowment Fund to have a NOW and FOREVER impact on offsetting tuition. 

It will take all of us doing something, and there is no better time to do your part than by June 30 and have ZCS pay for the creation/updating of your estate plan when you include ZCS as a beneficiary of at least 5% of your estate or $25,000. 

Burn Bright,

Tim McAboy, Head of School

Peter Jenkins, Dir. of Advancement

P.S. Attorney Haans Mulder will be holding an estate plan workshop for ZCS Society Members (parents, grandparents, alumni, donors) ONLY on Tuesday, May 11, at 7 PM and Thursday, May 13, at 12 PM via ZOOM. If you are interested in attending, please fill out this form.

ZCS Endowment Champions:

Drew Deters

Jim Edewaard

Laura Jongekrijg

Doug Stob

Peter Jenkins, Staff Rep.

ZCS Endowment Growth Team:

You!

Parents

Grandparents

Alumni

Donors

Community Members

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