Why I Give – Carmen Henderson

“Every day I say, ‘God, let me be a blessing to somebody.’ I get so much pleasure and satisfaction and joy to give whatever I can each year.”

Carmen Henderson, 95, plans on giving as long as she’s on this earth. Together with her husband, Arvel, the couple spent years building a legacy of giving that Carmen continues today. The Hendersons weren’t able to have children of their own, so they took the opportunities God gave them to use their time and money to demonstrate Christ’s love to kids at Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, and to senior adults at Baptist Village Communities in Owasso, Oklahoma.

“It just seemed like we were drawn to old people and children. That was our ministry,” Carmen says.

The Hendersons also looked for ways to make their giving go even further. Years ago, they learned how WatersEdge could help them do that through giving options like charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts. These vehicles grow gifts through investment while simultaneously providing immediate tax benefits and a lifetime income stream to the donor.

“I wish that we would have known more about charitable gift annuities when we were younger,” Carmen says. “We didn’t have a lot of money, but I think giving in this way is one of the best things that you can do.”