Tom and Char Hand Invest in Mount Vernon’s Future Using a Trust Beneficiary Designation

To Tom and Char Hand, George Washington’s Mount Vernon not only preserves America’s past, it also helps to guide the country’s future. That’s why they made Mount Vernon a beneficiary of a trust, ensuring their financial support will continue for generations to come.

“I view historical sites that we support as investments as opposed to gifts,” Tom says. “We’re really investing in their future and America’s future.”

Growing up in modest circumstances in northeastern Pennsylvania, Tom was unable to visit Mount Vernon until he was an adult. But he vividly remembers his first visit, standing near the Piazza early one morning before the crowds arrived, overlooking the majestic grounds.

“That was the moment,” Tom says. “I fell in love with Mount Vernon just like that.”

A graduate of West Point, Tom, with Char as CFO, ran a successful cheese business in Wisconsin before selling the business and retiring in 2019. That’s when Tom turned full-time to his passion for American history, authoring a book and creating Americana Corner, an educational website and source of financial aid for nonprofits fostering a deeper understanding of America’s first century.

Long-time supporters of Mount Vernon, Tom and Char say they are confident their planned gift investment will be used wisely. They urge others to join them in making Mount Vernon part of their estate plans.

“Your intent will be honored at Mt. Vernon,” Tom says. “Organizations that respect donor intent and follow it are the organizations I want to invest in. Mount Vernon does it better than anybody.”