Ann Merriam Feinberg is a passionate supporter of nonprofit organizations whose missions align with her philosophy. Ann has been involved in many community organizations over the years, as both a volunteer and a donor. Giving back is important to Ann and her husband, Dr. Michael A. Feinberg. “We feel it is important to share what we have.” They established the Merriam-Feinberg Family Fund with the Foundation to support organizations doing important work to benefit the community. It is currently a donor-advised fund that will become an endowed legacy gift. Because Ann and Michael want their gift to meet the ever-changing needs of the community, their gift is unrestricted, meaning they have entrusted the Foundation to use it wisely to benefit the community for generations to come.

“As donors, we choose to work with Connecticut Community Foundation because it is the place where everyone can feel comfortable knowing that they have a place for their legacy fund and that the causes that they care about will be supported forever.”

Ann served as a trustee, director of development and vice-president at the Foundation, retiring in 2015. She continues to volunteer and wholeheartedly supports the organization’s mission. “The Foundation is almost one hundred years old and has developed the ability over that time to understand and support the community it serves. What a donor might think is the best organization or area of need at the time a fund is established may change over time or may not even exist in 50 years. The Foundation has the ability and opportunity to look at what’s out there, who’s doing the work, and put the money where it is most needed, even though a donor might not have known about the need or the organization at the time the fund was established.”