Thank You for considering making Rite of Passage Journeys a beneficiary of your estate.

Such incredible influences of Elders in our work on the branches of this tree of life above. We would like to have you at our roots! Feeding this work for generations to come!

Deep Roots Legacy Circle

Planned Giving with Rite of Passage Journeys

Let your values, your love of the Earth, and your care for future generations live on. Including Rite of Passage Journeys in your estate plans is a profound way to walk in kinship with the next generation—and to help keep pathways of transformation open long after you're gone.

🌿 Why Planned Giving?

Rite of Passage Journeys guides youth and adults through life’s thresholds with courage, community, and connection to the natural world. When you include us in your long-term giving, you’re supporting the kind of soul-rooted, earth-honoring, life-changing work the world needs—now and for years to come.

No matter the size of your planned gift, your gesture carries deep meaning. It becomes part of the mycelial network that sustains our work—gently, quietly, powerfully.

✨ Ways to Leave a Legacy

Here are some of the most common and accessible ways to include Rite of Passage Journeys in your estate plans:

• Bequest of a specific dollar amount – A simple way to include ROPJ in your will, avoiding probate complications.

• Bequest of a percentage of your estate – A flexible option that allows your gift to grow with your estate.

• Stocks & Securities – Gifts of appreciated stock can provide significant tax benefits now or through your will.

• Retirement Funds – Naming ROPJ as a beneficiary is usually as simple as filling out a form.

• Life Insurance – You can name ROPJ as a full or partial beneficiary.

• Real Estate or Personal Property – We may be able to steward or sell these gifts in service to our mission. Please contact us first to confirm alignment with our Gift Acceptance Policy.

Every situation is really different, and we can’t provide you with tax or legal advice.  We made this overview to plant seeds for a conversation with your advisor.  You can also explore more complex planned giving options with your advisors as well, such as Charitable Remainder Trusts or Charitable Lead Trusts.  

💬 Please Tell Us

You don’t have to inform us of your bequest—but we’d love to know. Sharing your plans helps us steward your gift with care, honor your legacy, and celebrate your generosity.

To let us know about your plans, email Jenny@RiteofpassageJourneys.org or you can also complete this short, friendly pledge form to alert us.    

THE BEST NEXT STEP

Make an appointment with your financial advisor or estate attorney today! Bring this printable document to your appointment, and talk through these (and other) options for uplifting your values, long after you’ve departed.

We also be grateful to know your plans ~ let's chat! Contact Jenny Macke, Executive Director, 360.223.5449 cell, jenny@riteofpassagejourneys.org, or complete our short pledge form and we'll reach out. 

Key Information & Sample Language

The essential information to include in your will to make a bequest is just the organization’s name, address, and tax ID number.  Here’s ours:

Rite of Passage Journeys ~ 22401 39th Ave SE, Bothell, WA 98021 ~ Tax ID 501(C)3. TAX ID# 35-2283871

And here’s an example of what language you can include in your will.

I bequeath $______ from my residuary estate to Rite of Passage Journeys, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), located at 22401 39th Ave SE, Bothell 98021 501(C)3. TAX ID# 35-2283871, to be used as determined by the board to further the mission of the organization.

​Recognition

We're in the process of creating a Deep Roots Legacy Garden which will includes a simply-carved stone with the name(s) of each member of the Deep Roots Legacy Circle. We will landscape and tend the Garden with native and ornamental plants and flowers, as an enduring symbol of the commitment and legacy of this visionary circle of supporters. 

​We’re also happy to keep your gift anonymous or make it “in honor of” another. 

🔥 Are You the next Trailblazer Donor?

Got to this document for more of an explanation! 

A Trailblazer Donor leads the way—igniting long-term giving through an inspiring act of generosity. Here’s how it works:

• A Trailblazer Donor pledges ten $5,000 cash gifts to Rite of Passage Journeys, totaling $50,000.

• For each new Deep Roots Legacy Circle commitment we receive (of any size), we release one $5,000 gift.

• This allows us to say to prospective legacy donors:
  “When you include ROPJ in your estate plans, a Trailblazer Donor will give $5,000 today to support the work you love—right now.”
  
  It’s a beautiful pairing of long-term vision and immediate impact. Future support is matched with present momentum.

💥 The Impact

So far, this model has proven powerful—just one Trailblazer Donor can inspire dozens of legacy commitments, translating into hundreds of thousands in future bequests and immediate operational support.

With your help, we’re ready to meet more potential Deep Roots members and invite them to walk the trail alongside you.

🙏 Will You Be the Next Trailblazer?

With Deep Gratitude we announce that Paul Bouchey will be our first trailblazer donor for our launch in May 2025.  If you're inspired to become our next Trailblazer Donor, we’d love to talk with you. Your generosity could spark a wave of commitments that will sustain ROPJ’s mission for decades to come.   Here is how it works…

📞 Let’s Talk

Please reach out to our Executive Director, Jenny Macke, to discuss planned giving or to contemplate becoming a Trailblazer Donor:

Jenny Macke
jenny@riteofpassagejourneys.org
www.riteofpassagejourneys.org

What Your Legacy Gift Makes Possible!

Planned gifts will be instrumental in our ability to do Big Things in the future. Here are just a few possibilities:

• Renovate our falling down Stable (we jokingly call it the "Unstable") into an incredible Education Center to serve the earth, sustainability and soulful leadership for generations to come

• Contribute to our long term sustainability endowment fund - Every non-profit has up and down years and this long term endowment is to bring stability to our operational funds for years to come.

• Engage in equity initiatives - getting more bipoc & low income kids connected to nature and rites of passage ceremonies

• Invest in innovative stewardship projects in a changing climate and get the kids involved

• Cultivate more sustainable living wages for our staff

• Support our replacement efforts of our aging van fleet to increase safe travel to and from the wilderness

Our preference is always for gifts designated as unrestricted ~ this gives us the most flexibility to meet emerging needs.  We also understand that some donors are passionate about supporting a particular aspect of our work; we welcome gifts designated for the Conservation Fund or Scholarship Fund.  Other gift restrictions must be discussed and meet our Gift Acceptance Policy.

♥

Please reach out with any questions, we’d always love to hear from you.

Contact: Jenny Macke (360.223.5449) or jenny@riteofpassagejourneys, or use our short pledge form to tell us of your plans!