In 2004, Greenville resident Margaret Linder Southern made a plan to leave a legacy that would honor her deep attachment to her pets and her career working with children.
On the recommendation of her financial advisor, she worked with the Community Foundation of Greenville to establish an endowment that would allocate half its annual distributions to the Greenville Humane Society. She designated the remaining 50% to support organizations providing early-childhood or special-education services for children and youth.
Her gift, which had grown to $8.4 million by the time of her death in 2012, was the largest in Community Foundation history. With the distribution of its 2024 awards, the Margaret Linder Southern Endowment surpassed $4 million in grants.
Bob Morris, Community Foundation of Greenville president, said seeing the broad and lasting effects of Southern’s generosity has inspired others to make charitable giving part of their estate planning.
“Her gift was the accumulation of a lifetime of savings and investments that she entrusted to us to manage,” he said. “The endowment has made $4 million in grants in the first 11 years, and we still have the same amount she gave. The impact that’s going to have on the Greenville community is going to be incredible and we will continue to make distributions in perpetuity according to her wishes.”
Rachel Delport, CEO of the Greenville Humane Society, said this year’s award will be used to care for sick and injured animals in its Healing Place treatment facility. This will allow the nonprofit to rescue more animals that may not have a second chance due to medical expenses.
“As a beneficiary, the Margaret Linder Southern Endowment provides operational stability, ensuring we are able to focus on our mission and continue changing the lives of our four-legged friends,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words the meaningful impact that the Margaret Linder Southern Endowment has on our organization. We feel honored to carry Margaret’s memory and her love for animals in our everyday work. It’s a true privilege.”
This year’s grants for child-centered services went to A Child’s Haven, the Center for Developmental Services, Poe Mill Achievement Center, Sunbelt Human Advancement Services Inc. and The Children’s Museum of the Upstate.
Lauren Luneckas, CEO of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, said its grant will be used to update the museum’s Construction Zone exhibit for the next generation of young learners. Like other museum displays, the Construction Zone is designed to reflect an industry children see in their own community. Over the life of the exhibit, it is estimated that more than 1.5 million visitors will play and learn in the educational space after its anticipated opening next fall.
“The Margaret Linder Southern Endowment Fund has been transformative for The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, allowing us to enhance our educational exhibits and programs to benefit young learners and their families,” Luneckas said. “With the endowment’s support, we are able to foster curiosity, inspire critical thinking and provide countless children with meaningful, play-based STEAM learning experiences.”
Visit cfgreenville.org to learn more about the Community Foundation of Greenville.
