Leaving a Legacy for Local Youth

Milton Herd recently opened a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia – The Milton J. and G. Ronald Herd Charitable Fund provides direct grants to nonprofits, schools, and other non-religious affiliated programs to benefit children and youth 12 to 19 years of age living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level in Northern Virginia.

We asked him about why she chose to open a fund with us here at the Community Foundation.

How did you learn about the Community Foundation?

I’ve had a general awareness of the Foundation’s existence for many years, but had no detailed knowledge of it until recently, when I began to pursue setting up an organized charitable fund.

What are your philanthropic goals and interests?

I would like to help young people who have not been as fortunate as I was when I was young. I was given the opportunity, support, and means to become highly educated, and that has made all the difference in my life. Many young people are not as lucky – through no fault of their own - so I’d like to help some of them to further their education.

Why did you choose to partner with the Community Foundation on your personal philanthropy?

The Foundation has the capability to provide continuity in implementing my charitable fund over the course of time, more effectively and reliably than I could do by myself, including after I die. I wanted a stable and trusted partner.

Why is it important to you to support the local community?

I grew up in the Washington suburbs and have made northern Virginia (Loudoun County) my home for my entire adult life, so I have a certain loyalty or orientation to this region. Further, there are needy young people everywhere, even within a relatively affluent region.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

My fund is set up in both my name, and the name of my father (G. Ronald Herd), as a way of honoring him, since education was such an important thing to him, and his help was so critical to me in supporting my education. I’m trying to “give back” on his behalf, to honor his generosity.