Member and Fund Holder Spotlight
Raymond McCall
Published November 19, 2025
What inspired you to connect with the Community Foundation when drafting your will?
I was introduced to the Community Foundation and Sara Judson by my attorney. Estate and will planning had been on my list of “to-dos” for several years, and my financial planner kept probing me to get something established.
I had been away from SWLA for over 25 years and coming back home to the area for family was special but different for me, too. I always knew I wanted to do something to leave a living legacy but simply did not know how to do it or who would administer my wishes upon my passing.
So, bring in Sara…an incredibly special and spunky person…whom I have grown fond of and have a great trust, too. Sara laid out the process of the Community Foundation, and I immediately got it! She alleviated the fears of making the living legacy by explaining the power of a Donor Advised Fund. The Community Foundation is a one-stop shopping center for donations and for your choices of philanthropy that you have a desire for.
And in planning my estate/will…I have been blessed along the way with a great career that has taken many places and now I am back home…simply my objective was and currently today…I would like to leave this place in a better place than I found it! And the Community Foundation checks all the boxes for me!
Who or what has influenced your commitment to community the most?
I cannot say it is a person, but it is the area that has influenced me the most. I was away for many years and one thing that has resonated with me coming back is the people here in SWLA. We have a deep sense of community here and engagement…you never meet a stranger here…when you meet someone you are always trying to figure out the connection. And more than likely there is usually a connection with family or friends.
Our place is special, and it is important to me keep the area special today and for years to come!
What motivated you to create an endowment fund for unrestricted use by the Community Foundation? What does leaving that kind of legacy mean to you?
The motivation was simple after being explained how the endowment fund would work. Prior to meeting with Sara…I had made the list for my attorney for the people, institutions, and places that were special to me. It was exhausting to think how is this going to be written up in the will and furthermore how effectively is this going to be administered upon my passing for truly my legacy to be executed as I would want. Again, I laid out all of my wishes and thoughts to Sara in preparing my Donor Advised Fund.
I feel comfortable knowing that when I depart this wonderful place that my living legacy will continue in perpetuity!
You are also utilizing a Donor Advised Fund (FDAF). What value have you experienced in having a DAF with the community foundation?
I did not realize that the ease of using and planning for charitable giving was made with using a Donor Advised Fund. If along the way I want to make a donation that is meaningful to me then I pick up the phone and call Debra to assist…however, today we are now connected with the Donor Portal that gives you everything at your disposal and it makes it even easier to donate and use your fund.
One thing I failed to mention is the opportunity for tax savings, too. And another benefit is all of your charitable contributions are in one place, and you can see the distributions and this makes tax season and planning so much easier!
What advice would you share with others who may want to follow your lead on creating a DAF in their lifetime and an endowment that will support our community forever?
Make the call today to SWLA Community Foundation! Whether you are doing estate planning or simply would like to do something everlasting for the Southwest Louisiana area based on your wishes and desires for your legacy. And by doing so your wishes for philanthropy will continue to support our wonderful place of SWLA!
You are an enthusiastic supporter of the Just Imagine SWLA Plan. You recently toured the Mid-City Lofts (the first of seven phases of the Mid-City Neighborhood) with other Leadership Level Annual Members and Fund Holders.
Now that you’ve seen it firsthand, what do you want others to know?
I am super excited to see the Mid-City Lofts come to life! It is phase 1 of something that will be special and a game changer for Lake Charles and really SWLA! I recall looking at the area years ago and thought this could look better…this area is the heart of Lake Charles! And we must do our part to keep investing and reenergizing the community for continuous growth and prosperity. I imagined this place could be thriving with people and excited to call this home. And I was thrilled to see this one of the projects on the Just Imagine SWLA lists, and to see it come to life is simply amazing!
This will be mixed-income housing, which will bring people from all areas to live and thrive in one place. That is community! When people come together, regardless of socioeconomic barriers, it is a game-changer for the area. I am stoked to see phase 1, but more importantly, I want to see all the phases up and completed.
We need the community’s support to embrace and get excited about the Mid-City Neighborhood and what it means to the area. You will see local businesses start to thrive…you will see other businesses come to the area…you will see people take pride and be happy with the place they call home…this is what it is about!