Think for a moment about the last time you opened a retirement account. Who did you list as your contingent beneficiary? Your child? Another family member? When former Miriam student Derek Johnson filled out his form at Dierbergs, where he works as a courtesy clerk, he listed Miriam in that spot. He said it wasn’t a hard decision. “We benefited from scholarships when I went to Miriam, and I want future students at Miriam to have the best experience,” he said. Derek, now age 21, attended grades 2-8 at Miriam.
“It helped me a lot, especially with sensory issues and social skills, and occupational therapy was very beneficial,” he said. His favorite part? “The people! We were all able to understand each other, because we all had disabilities. And the teachers were very helpful and patient.”
With this commitment, Derek has become the youngest member of the Fannie Landau Legacy Society. The society, named in honor of our founder and first president, recognizes and honors all who assist in securing the mission of Miriam for future generations of children and families who will benefit from our educational and program services. This can be in the form of a planned gift included in a will, a life income gift such as a charitable gift annuity, or, as in Derek’s case, a beneficiary designation. We are so very grateful for the generosity of Derek and all of our other Fannie Landau Legacy Society members!
If you would like to learn more about the Fannie Landau Legacy Society or are interested in discussing the possibility of a legacy gift, please contact Director of Development Janine Lawler at 314-962-6059 or jlawler@miriamstl.org.
