Wellness is a Gift from the Heart

Joanne Freeman is a savvy planner and donor. Ten years before she moved to Vista del Monte in Santa Barbara, Joanne was an active volunteer and staff member of the Vista del Monte (VDM) Fitness and Aquatic Center, which serves residents and the broader Santa Barbara community. She taught physical fitness classes on land and in the pool. Now a VDM resident, she continues to teach fitness classes and serves as the chair of the Foundation’s Vista del Monte Philanthropy Committee.

Carving her path to aging and wellness, Joanne also demonstrates leadership in her giving plans. She uses a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), which allows her to make generous, tax smart gifts throughout the year. While she often makes gifts to the Foundation for her community’s Staff Scholarship Fund and the Fitness and Aquatic Center, she recently made a major gift to support the Vista del Monte memory care program, Summer House.

“When I was a child, my family had a practice of giving back to others. I’ve kept this practice throughout my adult life and love giving to programs that serve people in my local community. Summer House serves residents at VDM who have various stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s.”

*This story was originally shared in the Community Matters newsletter