“It’s Like Including Family in Our Charitable Giving.”


Jill Wilson decided to volunteer with Second Harvest in 2008 when she was in between jobs and looking for a way to apply her talents that could benefit the community. She arrived one day at Second Harvest’s former distribution center in Orange, ready to serve, and felt immediately connected to the mission.What keeps Jill volunteering all these years? She describes it as being part of a connected family – to the food bank and greater community – and “making a contribution that matters.” This sense of family carries through in other ways. As Jill and her husband, Ian, created their estate plans and made provisions for their family members, they also made the meaningful decision to include Second Harvest as a beneficiary.

They were driven to make this decision by Jill’s intimate knowledge of how important it is to provide nutritious food to those in need. They were also driven by Jill’s sense of family connection with the food bank. As she eloquently states, “It’s like including family in our charitable giving.”

Like Jill and Ian, other friends of the food bank may be looking for ways to connect meaningfully with Second Harvest to help those experiencing hunger in Orange County for years to come. One simple way to make a significant impact, while achieving peace of mind, is by creating a will or revocable living trust with our partner, FreeWill.Creating a will or revocable living trust with FreeWill helps you:

  • Ensure your family, friends, and pets can always count on you
  • Exercise agency over the important decisions in your life, including identifying beneficiaries for your assets
  • Create a legacy that ensures all are well fed in Orange County
  • Support Second Harvest Food Bank for generations to come

Creating a will or trust doesn’t have to be stressful or overwhelming. This free estate planning resource has been used by more than 400,000 people to create a legally valid will or revocable living trust. You can complete the online process on your own in less than 20 minutes or use the tool to document your wishes before finalizing your plans with an attorney.

This year, let Second Harvest and FreeWill help you help others. Like Jill and Ian, you too can be a part of providing nutritious food to those in needs for years to come.