In Memoriam
Shirley McClelland (1953-2023)
At the end of 2011, Shirley McClelland of Lancaster, Ohio, opened a donor-advised fund with FAO to make a difference in Appalachian Ohio and beyond. Not long after, she visited the FAO office to share a little bit more about herself and her charitable dreams.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a yoga teacher from Lancaster, Ohio, an organic gardener, farm wife and mother. Those are a few of the hats I wear.
What are some of your favorite organizations or causes to support?
I’m very interested in conserving and protecting the environment and in women’s issues. I have a strong affinity for causes in Central and South America, having spent quite a bit of time down there. Local causes are also important to me, especially in supporting education and the arts. I guess I’m pretty well-rounded in my giving. Those are the areas that really speak to me.
Has giving been a part of your life for a long time? A tradition?
In some ways, yes, but not financially. I have been someone who would volunteer to do things with my time and talent. I never had the resources to invest a lot of money, but a little bit of money and a lot of love can go a long way when it comes to something that you care about. And now I have the opportunity to do both, so that’s exciting.
What made a donor-advised fund most interesting to you in terms of how you’d like to partner with the Foundation?
I think it’s an ideal partnership in many ways because I can continue to explore my passions for giving and the things that are important to me. I have the expertise of the Foundation, but I still feel like I have the opportunity to be self-expressive. I wasn’t signing away everything and making it a one-time gift that would stop. I feel like I can continue to be involved and probably more involved than I would have been if I had just written a check. … It’s a wonderful opportunity to go a little deeper in the giving process.
What would you say philanthropy means to you?
Giving back. Because we don’t get to choose where we were born or our situation, so if you were fortunate enough to have something to share, I think you should. I teach yoga and try to encourage people toward wellness as a way to repay the gift of health that I’ve been given. … Financially, it’s the same thing. If you’ve been given financial gifts, it’s your job to spread it around – give some back and share. That’s philanthropy to me – it’s about giving what you have and sharing what you know.