Category: Corporate Office

Faith is central to the Virginia Baptist Homes (VBH) Foundation.  In 1949, the pastor of Culpeper Baptist Church founded what eventually became Virginia Baptist Homes and then LifeSpire of Virginia, and while our roots are in the Baptist tradition, today each community welcomes and celebrates the people of our community from every faith and background. 

Chaplains are available at each community, serving as resources for residents, families and their fellow team members. Chaplains support the spiritual journey of everyone, offering blessings in times of joy and celebration, and encouragement in times of crisis, need and bereavement.

In 2020, the Virginia Baptist Homes (VBH) Foundation created the Spiritual Life Fund to support and expand the faith-based programs and the people providing those services within our communities. Linking back to the original mission of the organization, the Spiritual Life Fund supports the mission and vision of LifeSpire, which includes envisioning a future where faith, wellness and community spirit lead the way.

Your gifts to the Spiritual Life Fund support the chaplains and the spiritual enrichment programs in each LifeSpire community. Spiritual Life Fund grants are made available annually to pay for resources which each community can use for that spiritual enrichment.

Gifts to the Spiritual Life Fund have funded:

• songbooks and supplies for a new Taizé worship and prayer experience
• grief and bereavement support resources
• supplies for Advent and Christmas devotions for the residents in Memory Support, Assisted Living and Health Care
• new sets of chimes to be used in worship services and other musical offering opportunities
• a new set of seasonal banners and worship paraments to bring color and life to worship experiences

One community recently offered a lecture series from Rabbi Dr. Michael Panitz on World Religions. Over 65 residents attended and many remarked that they enjoyed the presentations immensely. Two residents commented on why they enjoyed the series:

“Rabbi Panitz has so much knowledge, and yet he makes the information understandable and engaging. He helps us learn why people believe the way they do and helps inform how we see the world. His series is so timely and I’m so glad to have heard him speak.”

“I love that our community offers faith-based programs like these, giving us an opportunity to learn new things and expand our awareness. Not all senior living communities have faith-based programming, and it’s one of the reasons why I chose to live here.”

To learn more about the Spiritual Life Fund, please visit www.lifespireliving.org/give/spiritual-life/ or call 804-521-9213 for more information.

Naming a loved one or a favorite nonprofit in your estate plans or as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan assets is a heartfelt way to make a lasting impact. Go one step further and tell those beneficiaries about the choices you’ve made.

Many people and charities aren’t aware that they have been named to receive a gift. Informing them helps preserve your intentions and ensures that your beneficiaries are able to follow your wishes.

Protect the people and causes you love by following these simple steps:

1. Review your beneficiary designations periodically. Life changes and so might your decisions about who should receive your assets.

2. Alert your beneficiaries that you have a life insurance policy or have named them in your will or as a beneficiary of a retirement plan.

3. Share the location and details of the policy or plan with them.

As you update your beneficiary designations, consider making a gift of a life insurance policy or retirement plan to a LifeSpire of Virginia community so that we can continue our mission of providing for seniors in need. Then notify us of your decision so that we can carry out your wishes as intended and thank you for your gift.

We Want to Hear From You

If you have already named a LifeSpire of Virginia community or the Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation in your estate plans or as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan assets, please contact us at (804) 521-9213 or email [email protected] today. If you are still creating your estate plan, we would be happy to answer any questions you may have about making this type of gift. For more information visit https://vbh.planmylegacy.org/beneficiary-designations

Content courtesy of Stelter – our partner in Legacy Giving

National Volunteer month in the United States takes place in the month of April. This month the Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation is dedicated to honoring all of the volunteers throughout the LifeSpire of Virginia family!

In recognizing the volunteers who bring the LifeSpire communities to life, we are reminded of the tale of the starfish and of the young girl’s response: “Well, I made a difference for that one!” and how the gentleman joined in to make an even bigger impact.  Our volunteers live this story daily and continue to serve and support others!  

In 2023, volunteers from across the entire LifeSpire of Virginia family provided over 11,600 hours of service both within our communities and beyond into our surrounding localities. This volunteer service is valued at $372,000! 

Please join us as we say ‘THANK YOU’ to those who make a difference with our 2024 VIDEO

To learn more about LifeSpire’s social accountability efforts and our commitment to our mission, stakeholders and the greater community, please click HERE 

April also gives us the chance to announce our 2024 Influencers – champions within our communities who causes a positive effect on our mission to enhance the lives of their friends and neighbors. Influencers embody the core values of LifeSpire of Virginia through their spirit, their engagement and their generosity.  

The 2024 Influencers are:                   

Tom Sayre – The Chesapeake           

Phyllis Turner – The Culpeper                 

Anne Brugh – The Glebe    

Linda Jones – Lakewood                                              

Hazel Harrison – The Summit

We invite you to learn more about these special people by clicking HERE

It’s the best time in a long time to consider the gift that pays you: a charitable gift annuity.

Payout rates went up again January 1, 2024, and are higher than they have been in 16 years. Seize the moment by considering this amazing gift that provides you with stable, regular income—regardless of the economy.

After your lifetime, the remaining amount becomes part of your legacy at the Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation, allowing us to thrive far into the future.

How It Works

With a gift annuity, you make a donation using cash, marketable securities or other assets, and we, in turn, pay you a fixed amount for life. You’ll receive reliable, predictable payments for your lifetime (and the lifetime of a loved one, if you choose).

For Example

Barbara, 72, transfers $25,000 in exchange for a charitable gift annuity. She will receive annual payments of $1,650, a rate of 6.6%.

Gift Annuity Rate Charts

One Recipient

Age	Annuity Rate
70	6.3%
75	7.0%
80	8.1%
85	9.1%
90+	10.1%

Two Recipients

Age	Annuity Rate
70/75	5.8%
75/80	6.5%
80/85	7.3%
85/90	8.7%
90/95+	9.9%

Additional Benefits

With this gift, you’ll also enjoy:

• A partial income tax charitable deduction for your gift when you itemize.
• Part of each payment being income tax-free throughout your estimated life expectancy.

Tip: You Have Funding Options

Give Appreciated Assets

Funding a gift annuity with appreciated assets, such as securities, will not only provide you with reliable payments for life and allow you to support our work, but it can offer financial benefits. You will receive a federal income tax charitable deduction (when you itemize) in the year the gift is made and eliminate part of the capital gains tax you would have paid if selling the securities. And if you have stocks that produce low-yield dividends, you may be able to increase your income.

Give From Your IRA

If you are 70½ or older, you can make a one-time election for a qualified charitable distribution of up to $53,000 (without being taxed) from your IRA to fund a gift annuity (special rules apply with this option).

Request Your Personalized Example

We would be happy to send you a free, no-obligation calculation showing you the increased benefits you can receive from a gift annuity. Your personalized calculation will include your potential income tax charitable deduction and our annual payments to you for life. Contact Jodi Leonard at (804) 521-9213 or [email protected] to create your own legacy, or visit https://vbh.planmylegacy.org/charitable-gift-annuities to learn more and calculate your benefits by inputting a few details.

This year’s holiday greeting features ‘Winter Cardinals’ created by Mary Kent, a resident at Lakewood since 2019. 

Mary discovered the fun of making art as a child at Patrick Henry Elementary School in Richmond and has been drawing and painting pictures ever since. After taking many art classes in high school and college, she pursued a lengthy career in business and banking, and found very little time for her creative outlet. Upon retiring in 2000, Mary decided to try something she had always wanted to do – she took up watercolors and fell in love with the medium. She has studied with many prominent Richmond artists and has participated in workshops around Virginia, the Southeastern United States and further afield in California and in Greece.

Mary drew much of her early inspiration from the Virginia landscape and particularly enjoyed painting in outdoor locations such as Maymont Park, Forest Hill Park and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Soon after, she started taking her paintbox along on her travels to create sketches and studies of her favorite vacation spots. More recently, Mary has begun incorporating people and pets into her artwork, and is having fun exploring a medium that is new to her – drawing with colored pencils.

A member of the James River Art League since 2005, Mary has served as President and held a number of positions on the Board. In 2019 she was the recipient of their William H. Youngblood award for service. Mary currently teaches watercolor classes at Lakewood and takes great pleasure in sharing her joy of painting with others.

During this season of thanks and reflection, we are especially grateful for our LifeSpire of Virginia family. Your warm-hearted compassion makes you an integral part of our communities. Thank you for being our partner in helping seniors live purposefully in a loving environment.

If the end of this year finds you feeling blessed and inspired to give back, we want you to know that

you still have time to help provide seniors with a fulfilling and worry-free lifestyle.

A gift to the Virginia Baptist Homes (VBH) Foundation in 2023 means you may also receive tax benefits. Consider our four great gift ideas that help create vibrant living where faith, wellness and community flourish.

Read about those options HERE or reach out to Jodi Leonard, Vice President of the VBH Foundation at (804) 521-9213.

An IRA is an appealing way to save for retirement: Make a contribution and enjoy tax savings. But eventually, the tax bill comes due—when you take your annual distributions and again when you leave your assets to heirs. If you want to avoid the tax bite and make an impact on our mission, consider a gift to  the Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation (VBHF) or a LifeSpire of Virginia community.  

1. Make Your Gift Today

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a tax-free gift (up to $100,000 in 2023) to support our benevolent mission.  Benefits include:

• See the difference you’re making today. 
• Pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer doesn’t generate taxable income or a tax deduction.

If you are required to take minimum distributions, your gift can satisfy all or part of your obligation.

2. Magnify Your Impact After Your Lifetime

You can name VBHF as a beneficiary of your retirement account. This is a great option for extending support from your IRA beyond your lifetime. It costs you nothing today.

Here’s how:

1. Contact your IRA administrator for a change-of-beneficiary form, or simply download a form from your provider’s website.
2. Name VBHF and the gift percentage on the form.
3. Let us know about your plans so we can thank you.

3. NEW OPTION: Create a Charitable Gift Annuity

If you are 70½ or older, you can now use your IRA to create a gift that pays you. Get fixed, reliable income for life by making a one-time election for a qualified charitable distribution of up to $50,000 (without being taxed on the distribution). Because this option comes with special rules, we’d be happy to discuss whether this gift is right for you.

Whether you make your impact at the Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation today or after your lifetime, your gift matters. Please contact Jodi Leonard at (804) 521-9213 or [email protected] to discuss your plans.  Additional information can be found on our website at https://vbh.planmylegacy.org/give-from-your-ira.

_{Information contained herein was accurate at the time of printing. The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.}