BERLIN — One local non-profit has launched a legacy fund with the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) in honor of Carolyn Cordial, who worked with Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services (WYFCS) for 17 years before passing away this spring.
The fund will hopefully grow every year and continue Cordial’s work in her name, said Teresa Fields, executive director of WYFCS.
The Carolyn Cordial Living Legacy Fund was established this week with an initial donation by WYFCS. It should be the first of many, said Fields. Cordial passed away in April at the age of 41 after a battle with cancer. She had a long history with WYFCS and played a role in establishing several of its youth programs such as Lower Shore CASA and SAGES.
“The $5,100 check represents the organization’s commitment to keep Carolyn’s life-long passion and dedication to better the lives of local youth alive,” Fields said. “Our organization looks forward to working with the Community Foundation to ensure Carolyn’s life work continues for years to come.”
The goal for this year is to have the fund reach endowment, continued Fields.
“To become fully funded and to start accruing the interest we need to get the fund to $10,000. So, initially our goal is to get it to the $10,000 mark this year,” she said. “And then each year after that there will be a goal established to increase the fund.”
This will be done through donations from WYFCS as well as private contributions from the community. Once the fund reaches endowment the interest will be directed towards WYFCS projects that Cordial would have taken in interest in. The fund will support things like counseling for youth, education outreach, advocacy for abused and neglected kids and social enrichment opportunities.
“Our goal was, as an agency and as her friend, to continue her legacy,” Fields said of Cordial. “She was here for 17 years and created a lot of programs and spent most of her life advocating for the wellness and wellbeing of children. The interest earned from that account will be contributed back towards the youth programs that are at Worcester Youth and Family. And because of that her legacy will live on into perpetuity.”
Erica Joseph, vice president of community investment for CFES, applauded WYFCS’s effort in starting the fund, which promises to help cement the legacy that Cordial began in life.
“They have established it in Carolyn’s memory as a way to honor her commitment and support of the organization for so many years,” said Joseph. “Their goal is for the fund to grow.”
Joseph called the legacy fund a “great example of a local non-profit” honoring a former member. Fields felt the same and would like to see the fund go over that early $10,000 goal and continue to develop. WYFCS will be making further donations into the account but the aim is to bring the community onboard as well. The organization is now trying to get the word out about Cordial’s legacy with the hopes that private donors will make individual contributions.
“We’re going to be doing some advertising … actually, our annual dinner this year that we have every year in the fall, the whole dinner will be in [Cordial’s] honor and we hope to unveil where we are with the progress in increasing the fund at that time,” said Fields.
That dinner will be on Sept. 19. For more information on the Carolyn Cordial Living Legacy Fund, visit www.cfes.org or call 410-742-9911
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