Giving Beyond

Blaine '86 and Kathy Newhouse believed early on in their marriage that they would give "sacrificially" to Christian causes. They have found through giving, they receive. Support of the Hope Fund, their family scholarship, and including Hope College in their estate was always in the cards.

"Philanthropy is part of our lives when we are alive and when we die," shares Blaine, lead pastor at Vriesland Reformed Church in Zeeland, Michigan. Kathy, a graduate of Indiana University, also sees the impact Hope College has on their family and community.

Like many other generous families, philanthropy is considered a "fifth child" in their estate plan. Living lives as a pastor and a teacher respectively, when their financial advisor asked their motivation in not planning to bequeath all of their resources to family, Blaine and Kathy believed in modeling a God-honoring standard of living for their children.

Kathy's father Donald Zeke Piersma, former Hope College athlete and Holland High School coach and athletic director, modeled giving beyond to Kathy and her siblings. When fleshing out how they wanted to bless Hope College, they thought back to the legacy that Kathy's parents gave them in modeling giving beyond.

Blaine and Kathy chose to do the same for Hope College. They annually support the Donald Zeke '53 and Joyce Zylstra Piersma Scholarship and also included language in their estate plan that ensures scholarships will be awarded in perpetuity. They also established the Dr. Blaine C. '86 and Kathleen Piersma Newhouse Scholarship Fund to assist students with financial need and to increase the racial, ethnic and economic diversity of the Hope community.

Modeling giving beyond while they are still young, they hope to set the standard for their own children and other potential donors.