Meadowlark Foundation: Charitable Giving Propels Meadowlark's Funds, Programs, & Projects

By Becky Fitzgerald on January 30, 2025
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Meadowlark Foundation provides opportunities for private giving to further the person-directed mission of Meadowlark, a local not-for-profit (501(c)3) organization enhancing senior lifestyles.

If you’ve ever made a donation to Meadowlark Foundation, you may have read the Foundation’s mission statement (shown above) at the bottom of your gift receipt. The word “opportunities” was carefully chosen to not only indicate that there are several ways to give, but there are also many reasons to give.

Unlike organizations with primarily one purpose, Meadowlark is a multi-faceted community, catering to people with a variety of needs and interests. Since 1999 when Meadowlark Hills Foundation was established, the work of the Foundation has grown and changed to help meet those needs and interests through charitable giving.

Meadowlark Foundation regularly fields questions about donations, so in this, and future, Foundation Focus articles, some of those Frequently Asked Questions will be answered.

 

Are Manhattan Retirement Foundation and Meadowlark Hills Foundation the same entity?

No. Manhattan Retirement Foundation was incorporated in 1975 under the laws of the state of Kansas and is a not-for-profit organization doing business as Meadowlark. As many of you know, Meadowlark provides senior living services and wellness programs throughout the area as well as offers senior living options at its continuing care retirement community.
Meadowlark Hills Foundation, commonly called Meadowlark Foundation, is the nearly 26-year-old organization through which all gifts flow in support of Meadowlark funds, programs, and projects.

 

I'd like to support (fill in the blank) at Meadowlark. How do I do that?

The easiest way is to write a check to Meadowlark Foundation and send to Becky Fitzgerald’s attention at Meadowlark Foundation, 2121 Meadowlark RD, Manhattan, KS 66502. Or, give online with a credit or debit card at www.meadowlark.org and click the Donate Now button in the top right of the home page.

If writing a check, use the memo line to indicate the fund, program, or project you’d like your contribution to benefit. Please do not write your check to a person, such as “Virginia Honstead Memorial,” or an event, such as “Speedy PD.” Meadowlark does not have bank accounts with these names, and because of increased fraud cases, our bank will not cash checks written this way.

If giving online, select a donation option from the drop-down menu, or write in your designation, especially if making a tribute gift.

Contributions also may be made at Meadowlark at the Hospitality Desk or at the Development Director’s office, which is across from the Miller Place dining room.

 

What funds and programs are commonly associated with the Foundation?

Funds: Good Samaritan Fund, Helping Hands Fund, and Nursing Scholarship Fund

Programs: Meadowlark Memory Program and Meadowlark Parkinson’s Program.

HOGtoberfest and the monthly Meadowlark Market sales are fundraisers for the Good Samaritan Fund.

Special Programs Leader Michelle Haub and Becky Fitzgerald, Development Director, frequently collaborate to raise funds for the Memory and Parkinson’s programs with four annual fundraising events. Art Mingle and Fiesta to Remember benefit the Memory Program. Pig Out for Parkinson’s and Speedy PD Race for Parkinson’s Disease benefit the Parkinson’s Program. For more information, visit www.meadowlark.org.

 

I’d like to support the Parkinson’s Program. May I direct how I’d like my donation to be used?

Yes. Write your check to Meadowlark Foundation and indicate the specific activity or class on the memo line. For example, one frequent donor to the Parkinson’s Program requests his gifts support the weekly boxing classes. He notes this by writing “Rock Steady Boxing” on the memo line.
 
As the mission statement indicates, there are many opportunities or reasons to give to Meadowlark Foundation. If you have questions about the needs of a specific program or have an idea for a project, please contact Becky. In 2022, a Wroten House resident suggested that the house’s screened-in porch would receive more use if it were a “sun porch.” His children led the way with a major gift, and other like-minded individuals also contributed to see the idea to fruition.
 

When I pass away, I’d like memorial donations to support the Good Samaritan Fund/Parkinson’s Program/Memory Program/Special Project (or for other fund, program, or project). How do I ensure that happens?

First, please communicate your wishes to your children and/or your durable power of attorney for financial decisions. The Foundation often receives calls from residents’ children, who ask about the preferred way to list a Meadowlark beneficiary in an obituary. Sample wording: Memorial contributions are suggested to Meadowlark Foundation to benefit the Good Samaritan Fund (or Meadowlark Parkinson’s Program, etc.). Contributions may be sent in care of (name and address of funeral home). Persons giving a memorial gift should write the name of the deceased on the memo line.
 
Second, it’s helpful for the Foundation to know when Meadowlark Foundation has been named as a beneficiary. DPOAs are invited to contact the Foundation to share this information, especially if memorial gifts are to help fund a special project. For example, one of the gazebos at our Bayer Pond was funded with such contributions.