When contemplating estate planning and future philanthropic giving, a young, busy family is not one’s first thought. That, however, is exactly the myth that young parents Beth and Gavin Brown want to dispel. Even though volunteering and philanthropy are entrenched family values, it wasn’t until recently that Beth and Gavin decided to update their estate plans to include Jewish HomeLife, as well as other local Jewish organizations

Beth, who is an active community volunteer and owner of Beth Brown Interiors, recalled “my grandfather grew up in a shtetl and left Poland in 1938, narrowly escaping what was to come in Europe. He lived the immigrant American dream and at the same time instilled the values of giving time and resources into my father and his siblings.” Gavin, a Neurologist at the Laureate Medical Group, is a former board member of Jewish HomeLife. He is concerned about the growing aging population in Atlanta and making sure that resources are available in the future for all who need it. He also recognizes the crucial role that Jewish HomeLife will play for the future of older adults in the Atlanta Jewish community.
For Beth, Jewish HomeLife has always been a part to her family. “I grew up visiting my great grandmother at The Home and then my grandmother was there at the end of her life. It was a good experience for her. She wasn’t isolated and enjoyed the resources and activities The Home had to offer.”

It has been easy for the Browns to make their estate plans thanks to the Life and Legacy program that is part of the Atlanta Jewish Foundation. Beth and Gavin hope that by sharing their experience it will encourage others to take this important step, regardless of age or income level.