Augment Retirement Income and Support Charity with a Gift Annuity

Lifelong Baltimore resident Jerome (Jerry) H. Reddy went to school at St. William of York and is still a parishioner there. He formerly served on the parish council and is now a daily lector at mass. He spent time in seminary and has a sister who was a nun for many years. His late wife of 35 years, Toni, grew up in St. Leo’s parish in Little Italy and believed in the words of Luke 12:48. “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

Upon his retirement in 2020, after a 49-year career as an English teacher—30 years with Baltimore City public schools and 19 at Mt. De Sales Academy—Jerry had savings to share. He decided to create a charitable gift annuity (CGA) in Toni’s honor that will continue his support of Catholic Charities of Baltimore after his lifetime. A CGA is an ideal way to augment retirement income for yourself and/or another person while designating a future gift to an organization you care about.

When Jerry was in seminary, he was introduced to doing pastoral outreach during the 1968 Baltimore riots. One of the things he gained from his experience was “helping the under-privileged and marginalized,” he says. “I have a special place in my heart for those people.” He had a crisis of faith and left the church but returned and found new life in the Lamb of God community.

Jerry encourages others to consider supporting Catholic Charities through their own legacy gifts. Smart retirement planning provides opportunities to support yourself, loved ones, and your favorite causes. “I reflect on the beatitudes,” Jerry says. “It’s a moral obligation. And in this case, there is also a financial benefit to the donor.”