For Deb McCormick of Sulphur, LA, giving back is part of her DNA. Growing up in a faith-filled family, Deb learned from an early age that for life to be meaningful, it’s important to give back to those in need. Now as parents of three sons, Deb and her husband Mark have continued that tradition of philanthropy by empowering their sons to give back through their Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana (CFSWLA).

“One of our family mottos is ‘Emotion Reacts. Compassion Responds.,” says Deb. “We want to teach our boys to be responsive to needs and to recognize that giving back is their God-given privilege and responsibility. Our goal is to be, and raise, consistent and compassionate givers that drive action.”

The McCormicks first learned about the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) through their financial advisor, Stephen Liles. Although they had been involved in philanthropic work for years, they expressed an interest in establishing a nonprofit or foundation to work from, as a family. Stephen referred them to Sara Judson, CEO of the Community Foundation. After meeting with Sara, Deb and Mark felt that establishing a DAF, through the Foundation, would make the most sense in reaching their objective while making the greatest impact on their community.

“My family is the most important team I’ll ever be part of,” says Deb. “We intentionally gather together a couple of times a year for family meetings. We talk about our goals, celebrate successes, revisit our core values, and determine what causes to support through the McCormick Family Fund. We give our boys a lot of decision-making power. They also have the ability to contribute to the fund as well.”

Through their DAF, the McCormicks can contribute cash, securities, or other assets throughout the year and are able to take an immediate tax deduction for their gifts. These funds can be invested for tax-free growth, and they can recommend grants to virtually any IRS-qualified charity when they are ready to direct their philanthropy.

“Our oldest son Chase is now working and recently made the decision to give 10% of his income to the fund each month,” says Deb. “While he has accomplished so much in his 24 years, nothing made us quite as proud as this decision. Our hope would be that generations of our family continue to support causes that matter through charitable giving. The McCormick Family Fund gives us a central place from which to mobilize this important family value and tradition.”

One of the projects the McCormicks have contributed to through their DAF is the Sulphur Christian Community Coalition (SC3), sulphurccc.org, a local non-profit working to break the cycle of poverty in and around our community by creating independence and strengthening families. Deb and her family are passionate about giving those in need a hand up in life. They feel that helping families is one of the greatest ways to impact society as a whole.

“We’re all just working to make sure we’re raising good human beings who see beyond their own interests,” says Deb. “By being open with our kids about how we give back, and involving them in the process, we are hoping to raise the next generation of compassionate givers.”