Future Planning

Would you like to help carry on our mission? For many years, bequests of all sizes have been important to the growth and success of the YWCA West Central Michigan. They help ensure that the YWCA will be fiscally sound for future generations.

The YWCA’s Board of Directors established the Caroline W. Putnam Heritage Society to honor those who included the YWCA in their wills or other planned gifts. It recognizes and thanks those who have committed themselves to providing for the YWCA and those it will serve in the years to come. Making a planned gift through your will or estate plan serves as a memorial to your commitment to the YWCA's mission.

You can make a bequest to the YWCA by preparing a will or adding a codicil to your present will. Wills and codicils should be prepared with the advice of your attorney to ensure that your intentions are followed. There are various types of bequests, and the YWCA can provide sample wording.

  • Cash Bequest: The YWCA receives a specified dollar amount.

  • Specific Bequest: The YWCA receives specified assets such as securities.

  • Residuary Bequest: After other obligations have been met, the YWCA receives all or a percentage of the remainder of your estate.

  • Contingent Bequest: Property is distributed to the YWCA only if the named beneficiary is deceased.

Your will ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes to the people and organizations most important to you. Through a bequest, you can know that you will help the YWCA for years to come while still providing for your loved ones.

Further, you can make an unrestricted bequest to the YWCA for general purposes or a bequest restricted for a specific purpose, such as an endowment or the domestic violence emergency shelter.

If you have already included the YWCA in your will, are considering doing so, or have any questions about other types of planned gifts, please call Charisse Mitchell, CEO, at 616.459.4681. Your inquiry will be confidential, and you will be under no obligation.

Caroline Putnam Heritage Society - Planned Giving

About Caroline Putnam

Born in Massachusetts in 1825, Caroline Putnam came to Grand Rapids, Michigan, as Miss Caroline Williams when there was no public school for girls in the small town. At the request of area citizens who desired a school for girls, Dr. Cummings — director of a school for boys — sent East for a teacher who could organize and carry on the teaching of young women. Miss Williams was chosen and worked in the girls’ school until 1850 when she married Lemuel Putnam, a druggist on Monroe Avenue.

Lemuel proved an adept businessman and his business thrived. Caroline’s cultural background and gracious manner was equally admired, and she became part of many important community endeavors, including the establishment of the predecessor to the Grand Rapids Public Library. Together Lemuel and Caroline became part of Grand Rapids’ leading citizenry.

Those who knew Mrs. Putnam personally describe her as a person of commanding appearance, yet retiring in disposition, able to do many things and interested always in a constructive social life. Interested also in writing, her efforts express a sweetness and love of humanity. Waterpainting, charades, and anagrams have been a prolific source of entertainment during her later years.

Predeceased by her husband and their daughter, Isabelle, Caroline established a fund to carry out her commitment to strengthening our community and its cultural fabric through philanthropy. Mrs. Putnam’s commitment to education and young women fueled her dream of endowing a school where young women could be taught to become good housewives, good maids, or both—important skills for women of that era.

Mrs. George Wanty, one of the early leaders in Grand Rapids’ YWCA, found herself, among others, engaged in the effort to persuade Caroline to dedicate her bequest to the YWCA to establish such a school. Caroline was so persuaded that she left her bequest — approximately $300,000 — to the YWCA to establish the Putnam Training School. When the present YWCA building (located on Sheldon Boulevard in downtown Grand Rapids) was constructed in 1921-22, the YWCA was allowed to use $50,000 of this amount for building and furnishing the east side of the second floor. The Putnam School opened its doors in the fall of 1922 with Miss Evangeline E. Stenhouse as Director. The Putnam Training School remained a vital part of the local community through the 1980s, evolving to offer enrichment programs and non-traditional job training for women over the years. Ultimately, it became the foundation of community education in Grand Rapids, fulfilling Caroline’s dream in ways well beyond her imagination.

Caroline’s gift continues to be felt throughout our community. As the corpus of the YWCA endowment, her generosity is the cornerstone and foundation of today’s YWCA.

Taken from YWCA historic and archival materials.

  • Deb Bailey

    Jackie Bess

    Peggy Bishop

    Carla Blinkhorn

    Dr. M.P. Chelsky

    Carrol Cook

    Carol Crawford

    Jean and Charlie Day

    Betsy and Stan Dole

    Beth Goebel

    Barbara and John Gracki

    Rhonda Huismann

    Ingrid A. Jensen

    Theresa and Todd Mairn

    Marilyn F. Martin

    Maggie McCrystal

    Stella Royce

    Wendy Stock

    Cindy Storer

    Jaye VanLenten

    Rev. Bunny Voss, Ph.D.

    Sandy Weir

    Bridget White and Dick Willobee

    James and Debra Wisneski

    Dolores and Doug White