Junior Blind resident, Erik, provides Mr. McAllister with a special thank you for his friendship and support.
Junior Blind supporter, Richard McAllister, has made a difference in the lives of more than 15,000 students as a teacher—and as a philanthropist.
In both roles, he has empowered and enabled students to achieve independence and lead more fulfilling lives. But, his good work doesn't stop there. By establishing a planned gift for Junior Blind, Mr. McAllister has ensured that his legacy will continue to help youth beyond his lifetime.
Born and raised in Ohio, Mr. McAllister moved to Alhambra as a teenager. After finishing high school, he joined the U.S. Army and served two years during the Korean War. When he finished his service, he focused on his education and became a teacher. Not long after, he married a lovely lady named Beverly.
One day, Mr. McAllister met a man in a local restaurant whose mother worked for Junior Blind. He was captivated by the work of Junior Blind and surprised to learn that children who were blind, visually impaired or multi-disabled were not fully cared for by government programs. As he discovered, costs for Junior Blind's critical programs are only partially covered by government support. The rest is made possible by generous contributions from caring friends.
Even though Mr. McAllister considered himself a man of modest means, he was compelled to help Junior Blind in some way. At first, he made annual contributions and enjoyed knowing that he could help children with disabilities receive the early intervention, education, rehabilitation or recreation services they needed to thrive.
But, Mr. McAllister wanted to do more. He knew that if he made a larger gift, it would have an even greater impact on the children. So, he decided to leave a bequest for Junior Blind in his will. He visited an attorney who charged a nominal fee and made it very easy to include Junior Blind in his will.
With his planned gift in place, Mr. McAllister is happy to know he will continue to help many more children for years to come and leave a lasting impact on society.
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