How a Donor Advised Fund Keeps Maddie’s Legacy Alive

Honouring Maddie’s Legacy Through a Donor Advised Fund

When you lose someone you love, the pain can feel unbearable. But amidst the grief, there’s often a deep desire to ensure their story lives on, to create something meaningful in their honour. For me, that longing came after losing my daughter Maddie to suicide. Maddie was kind, empathetic, and wise beyond her years, and her legacy inspires everything I do.

For years, I’ve poured my heart into mental health advocacy to honour Maddie’s memory. Recently, I found a way to make our family’s efforts more impactful and lasting: a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). This simple tool has become a powerful way to keep Maddie’s spirit alive while supporting the causes closest to my heart.

Building a Legacy as a Family

Legacy-building is never just about one person; it’s about the connections you create and the people who carry it forward. My sons, Zac and Sawyer, have been a massive part of this journey. Both have embraced Maddie’s legacy in their ways, and Zac, in particular, has been instrumental in supporting and working on two of my initiatives. Even with a new full-time job, he finds time to help because he believes in the mission we’re creating together. When Sawyer is done school, he’s already committed to helping in any way he can.

For me, this family involvement is what makes it so meaningful. We’re not just giving back; we’re building something together. And with a Donor Advised Fund, it’s easier to focus on the impact rather than the logistics.

What is a Donor Advised Fund?

A donor-advised fund works like a charitable bank account. You can deposit funds whenever convenient and direct them to registered charities whenever ready. Tax receipts are issued instantly and held in your name and one place, eliminating the chaos of finding receipts during tax season.

I’ve named my fund the Maddie Coulter Fund for Emotional Intelligence. Through it, I can donate proceeds from book sales, speaking engagements, and other income. People can support our efforts by contributing to Maddie’s DAF and getting a tax receipt on the spot. It’s flexible and organized and ensures that Maddie’s name remains tied to every act of kindness we support.

The Impact of Maddie’s DAF Fund

This fund allows me to support causes that reflect Maddie’s and our family's values: mental health programs, youth education, and fostering emotional intelligence. Each donation is a step toward creating the world Maddie would have wanted.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Supporting mental health initiatives: Funding programs that help young people, including SEL programs (social-emotional learning) and other mental health prevention efforts.

• Paying for education: Helping kids chase their dreams without the burden of student debt.

• Suicide Prevention: supporting youth and young adults in crisis.

Each act of giving feels like a way to keep Maddie’s light shining, ensuring her story continues to impact others in meaningful ways.

Why I Recommend a Donor-Advised Fund

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the process of charitable giving, a DAF is a breath of fresh air. It simplifies everything, giving you control over where your donations go while keeping your records organized. You can contribute in many ways: cash, appreciated securities, stocks, life insurance policies, cryptocurrency, or CPP/RRSP proceeds.

But more than convenience, a DAF allows you to create a lasting legacy tied to the people and causes you care about most. It’s a way to give purposefully, ensuring your generosity creates real change.

Keeping Maddie’s Memory Alive

For me, this is about more than just charitable giving, it’s about ensuring Maddie’s legacy inspires hope, kindness, and connection. It’s about transforming loss into purpose and ensuring the values she embodied continue to make an impact.

If you’re considering starting your legacy fund, I’d happily share my experience with GiveWise or help you explore other options. Together, we can create something that lasts: a legacy of love and impact.

Check out The Maddie Coulter Fund for Emotional Intelligence; visit this link: The Maddie Coulter Fund.

True legacy isn’t just about what we leave behind; it’s about how we continue to touch the lives of others long after we’re gone.