On December 2, 2019, at the age of 71, Candi Christenson passed away. Through an extraordinary act of generosity, the future of Caring for Cats was changed forever.
Candi chose to leave her entire estate to Caring for Cats.
Her friend Michele, who served as executor of her estate and helped guide us through the process, shared that Candi had always loved cats. After retiring from 3M in 2004, she devoted even more of her time and energy to helping them. At the time of her passing, she shared her home with two cats and was fostering six more.
Candi was also a devoted volunteer at Crossroads Church in Woodbury, where she built many friendships and where her funeral was held.
What makes this story even more remarkable is that we barely knew Candi. We were not expecting her gift and had no idea she had included Caring for Cats in her estate plans. It was only after her passing that we learned of her decision.
Yet her generosity became one of the most significant gifts in our organization’s history.
Her legacy helped make possible the beautiful shelter space we call home today. It provided the foundation for growth, stability, and opportunities that would have been difficult to imagine otherwise. Every cat that has found safety, healing, companionship, and a forever home through our shelter since then has been touched in some way by Candi’s generosity.
Legacy Gifts Create Lasting Stability
Legacy gifts are unique because they allow supporters to continue helping the causes they care about long after their lifetime. For organizations like Caring for Cats, these gifts create lasting stability. They help ensure that future generations of cats receive food, shelter, medical care, rehabilitation, and the time they need to find the right family. They can fund new programs, strengthen operations, and provide resources that allow an organization to think beyond immediate needs and invest in the future.
A legacy gift does not have to be large to make a meaningful difference. Many supporters choose to include a charitable organization in their will, retirement account, life insurance policy, or estate plan. These gifts often become some of the most impactful donations a nonprofit ever receives because they reflect a donor’s values, compassion, and hopes for the future. See our donation page for more information and sample bequest phrasing that you might find helpful in your planning.
At Caring for Cats, we often talk about how healing takes time. The same is true for building an organization that can serve cats for decades to come. Legacy gifts help create that long-term foundation.
Candi’s love for cats lives on every day in the shelter, in every adoption, in every volunteer who gives their time, and in every cat who receives a second chance.
We believe that is exactly what she hoped her gift would accomplish.