Buffie Somers has established a Field of Interest Fund, which will be funded from her estate, to ensure the causes she cares about receive support even after she’s gone.

After a lifetime dedicated to teaching special education, Buffie Somers decided a Field of Interest Fund was the best way to ensure her work will continue for the next generation.

While growing up in her tight-knit hometown of Winfield, Kan., Somers observed the way her parents quietly cared for neighbors in need, newly arrived immigrants, and those facing adversity. The compassion displayed by her parents became an integral part of her own life.

A Life of Service

In the seventh grade, Somers’ class went on a field trip to a state hospital housing children with intellectual disabilities.

“Our ‘tour’ was in the pediatric ward—the most depressing room one can imagine. Walls painted a pale color of gray, and walls lined with baby beds,” she recalled. “I learned from the hospital administrator that most of these severely handicapped babies would die before the age of 10 due to ‘lack of mother’s love,’ which of course was the layman’s term. In the ’60s, these babies were given up, put in a bed, and pretty much forgotten.”

Somers, a preteen at the time, took action and became the first volunteer in this ward, saving money for a rocking chair so she could cradle and comfort each baby. Her dedication to this effort continued throughout her college years.

Her commitment and service to young people didn’t end there. Throughout her career, she worked as a teacher, and even in her retirement years, she continued to volunteer, with a focus on supporting children with disabilities. Perhaps most notably, she has been a long-time volunteer at the Heart Ministry Center, which provides food, healthcare, and a way forward to people severely affected by poverty in the Omaha area.

“My entire adult life I have been a teacher—a teacher to both children with severe cognitive delays and a teacher to children who have become doctors and lawyers,” Somers said. “Each and every one of them made a difference in my life.”

Making Room for the Disenfranchised in Her Will

When Somers began drafting her will, she made a deliberate choice to allocate a portion of her estate to the Omaha Community Foundation, so she can continue contributing to the community and its children long after she’s gone.

She collaborated with the foundation team to establish a Field of Interest Fund geared towards providing grants to nonprofit organizations that offer experiential learning opportunities. This will enable children, particularly those with disadvantages or special needs, to engage in programs that encompass art, nature, and animals.

“The goal is to empower children to become extraordinary people,” Somers said.

A Field of Interest Fund empowers donors like Somers to direct their gifts toward specific needs within the community. Donors identify their areas of interest. Then, the fund sponsor (in this case, the Omaha Community Foundation) identifies nonprofit organizations making an impact in that chosen area and issues grants from the fund accordingly.

Establishing a Field of Interest Fund

When your client opens a Field of Interest Fund within a community foundation, the foundation’s team will collaborate with you and your client to create a fund agreement that reflects the client’s personal values and long-term goals. Your client can name the fund and define the target cause, geographical scope, and timeline.

Field of Interest Funds may be used to support causes during a person’s lifetime and in perpetuity. Moreover, they offer the opportunity for individuals to participate in the decision-making process by becoming part of the committee that selects which nonprofits receive support. Over time, these funds may evolve to serve the community as nonprofits grow and change to respond to future needs.

To learn more about Field of Interest Funds, contact the Donor Services team at the Omaha Community Foundation at (402) 342-3458 or giving@omahafoundation.org.