THAT’S WHAT ONE DOES: Waterloo couple’s lifetime of giving back comes naturally
Swatridge and Flatt hope family fund can benefit community years after they’re gone
Mary Flatt and Stephen Swatridge
Stephen Swatridge and Mary Flatt say that their lives have been blessed and enriched by their children, rewarding careers, great friends, and a degree of financial security.
Those blessings are not lost on the Waterloo husband and wife who have made it a priority to give back to the community they’ve called home for 40 years.
"We’ve always believed that giving to others is the rent God charges for the space we occupy," said Swatridge, who served as CEO of KidsAbility for 27 years.
Since retiring from full-time work, Stephen has assisted various charities in interim leadership and consulting roles including Capacity Canada, Carizon, Food4Kids Waterloo Region, Grand River Hospital Foundation, House of Friendship, Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation, and others.
His career path was inspired by his younger brother who has a disability, but concern for others has always come naturally for the couple.
“For both of us, the way that we were raised had a significant influence on us. Giving back to the community was just how you lived,” said Mary, who worked at the University of Waterloo and has devoted years to volunteerism. “And for our parents, they were very involved in the community. Whether that was giving back through the church, or through volunteer organizations, they made significant contributions to their own communities. So, we both grew up with that concept. That’s what one does — do what you can to make your community better, while focusing on those who have less.”
The couple said they had, years ago, identified several charities to leave some money in their wills. More recently, however, they shifted their thinking and decided to create a fund with Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) and leave a gift to their fund as part of their will.
The Swatridge Flatt Family Fund was established in May 2024. “Both Mary and I have intersected with WRCF in numerous ways over the years, so a number of things came together and led us to that decision,” Stephen said. The Donor Advised Fund operates similarly to a private foundation but without the administrative requirements. The couple will choose annually which charities they wish to support while leaning on WRCF’s expertise to help with their granting decisions.
"Having children, and more recently our first grandchild, you think further along in the future as to what life will be like. That’s also a motivating factor, the idea that this (giving) will continue into the future,” Mary said. The hope is that the couple’s two grown sons – and one day their grandson – can advise the fund, creating a legacy for years to come.
The couple said working with WRCF was attractive to them because it supports a broad range of needs in the community, including those with financial, emotional and mental health issues as well as programs relating to diversity, sports, the arts and beyond.
"We’ve had a number of involvements with WRCF over the years. They have great people. They have a wide scope of interests in things they want to fund. They’re highly credible with outstanding leadership. They provide excellent professional philanthropic and gift-planning advice,” Stephen said.
While the couple stressed that establishing a fund such as this is a personal decision, WRCF should be seen by everyone as a viable option.
“For anybody who wants to make an impact after they’re gone, you won’t find a more credible organization with great governance and a wide scope of sectors and charities that they support. You can’t go wrong using WRCF as a vehicle for your philanthropy,” Stephen said.
He added: “We have a lot of pride in the fact that both of our sons make contributions to the well-being of their communities in a number of ways. That makes us quite proud... that after we’re gone, they’ll live on, as will the family fund. That’ll put smiles on their faces and connect them more closely to some of the community needs and how blessed they are to be able to support that.”
WRCF offers a range of fund types to choose from, depending on philanthropic interests and desires for specific levels of involvement in annual granting decisions.
Funds can be established in your name, or in the name of your family, your organization or anyone you wish to honour. If you would like to learn more about setting up a fund, contact Dan Robert at dan@wrcf.ca or 519-725-1806 x 205.
For more information about WRCF, visit wrcf.ca.