James “Jim” Ryan, 80, says he hopes to leave a legacy that will “do some good for people” after he’s gone. Thanks to careful planned giving, he is destined to make a major impact on his community and beyond. Jim’s efforts were recently recognized at the 2017 National Philanthropy Day Awards presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Jim received the Baylor Landrum, Jr. Leave a Legacy Award. Jim has designated six charities as equal beneficiaries of bequests he has set aside in trust. Hosparus Health is very fortunate to be one of those charities, and the only one based in Louisville (the other five are national). Jim’s incredibly generous gift of $2.5 million will be the largest bequest in our history and will go a long way toward furthering our mission to improve the quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families.
Planning for the future
Jim founded his company, Market Finders Insurance 46 years ago, where he is still active as Chairman. After his wife passed away in August 2016, he began to think about his own mortality, and what he wanted to leave behind for future generations. Because he had considerable wealth to share, Jim decided to revise his will to include causes close to his heart. Jim was familiar with Hosparus Health because both his parents and his father-in-law had used our hospice services years ago. Hosparus allowed them to stay at home rather than spend their last days or weeks in a hospital. “I was just very impressed with everybody at Hosparus. They’re great people,” he says.
Inspiring others to give
Hosparus Health fits in perfectly with the rest of Jim’s giving legacy, which includes the American Cancer Society, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, the American Diabetes Association, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association. The other five nonprofits in his will work diligently to make life better for people, Jim says, but Hosparus Health’s focus on a peaceful ending is equally important.
Inspiring others to engage in philanthropy is one of the reasons he decided to share his story at our Autumn Leaf Society luncheon in September. His experience there further confirmed his decision to support Hosparus Health. “Most of the people at the luncheon were donors and volunteers, and they were all very, very dedicated,” he says. “That tells you a lot about the organization.”
Support from generous donors like Jim validates Hosparus Health’s important work, and ensures our legacy of compassionate care. We hope you’ll join him so that no one has to navigate serious illness alone. No gift is too small. To make a donation in any amount, click here.
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