Doris and James Jones
A decade later, a meaningful gift for Texas Children’s Heart Center comes to fruition
Ten years ago, James and Doris Jones of Lufkin, Texas, established a charitable gift annuity with Texas Children's Hospital in gratitude for the care their great-granddaughter, Harlie, received as an infant. Shortly after she was born, Harlie was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called severe aortic coarctation, along with a bicuspid aortic valve and depressed ventricular heart function. At four weeks old, Harlie underwent surgery at Texas Children’s to repair her narrow aorta. The surgery was a success and today, she is a thriving tenth-grader.
As the name implies, a charitable gift annuity is both a gift and an annuity. This simple gift is exceedingly popular because of the benefits to both donors and charities such as Texas Children’s. In brief, when you contribute cash or appreciated securities to Texas Children’s, a portion of your gift supports the hospital, while a portion returns to you or another beneficiary of your choosing through periodic lifetime payments. You also may be eligible to obtain a partial charitable income tax deduction the year the gift is made — and in most instances, a portion of the payments are tax free.
For Doris and James, a gift annuity was an ideal way to make a significant future commitment to Texas Children’s Heart Center, while also receiving a fixed income stream during their lifetimes. As James shared back in 2013, “Our contribution honors Texas Children’s physicians, helps ensure that other pediatric patients and their families will receive the best care possible and provides us with quarterly payments during our lifetime. The charitable gift annuity allows us to take care of ourselves as well as others.”
James and Doris with Harlie and Hallie
The Joneses raised three daughters in East Texas and eventually became doting grandparents and then great-grandparents. James enjoyed a successful career as the owner and operator of a construction and forestry equipment dealership, while also teaching and sharing church music in various Baptist churches as an accomplished music educator. Doris was an avid member of their church community as well and was also known among her friends and family for her cooking, baking and gardening.
In 2016, James passed away at the age of 83. Doris continued to receive quarterly payments from their gift annuity until her passing in December 2022, at which point the remaining funds became available for Texas Children’s use. Thanks to the Joneses’ foresight and generosity, Texas Children’s Heart Center is now the beneficiary of a significant gift, which will directly help patients, like Harlie, and their families.
“We are so grateful for the wonderful gift Doris and James made,” said Dr. Daniel Penny, Chief of Cardiology and Co-Director of Texas Children’s Heart Center. “A decade after establishing their charitable gift annuity, the Joneses’ legacy and compassionate spirit endure at Texas Children’s, making a life-changing difference for patients and families now and for generations to come. This is the true power of philanthropy.”
Contact Rachel S. Kronenberger at 832-824-6907 or rskronen@texaschildrens.org to discover how you can easily support our mission through a charitable gift annuity.
