Donors' Directive
Based on their life experiences including substantial community involvement, the donors clearly recognize that there are social, educational, religious and other community needs that must be met in order to preserve and enhance the quality of life for all who reside in their community. Although their primary focus is local, the donors acknowledge that similar needs exist outside of the Wake County area, and they have supported certain charitable efforts directly or indirectly in other areas.
The donors firmly believe that as they have enjoyed opportunities to be community leaders, such roles required a level of social responsibility to be carried out through both direct personal efforts and financial support of charitable undertakings. It is the donors’ hope that all Ragland family members will embrace the challenges presented by such social responsibility; and therefore, the donors have created this charitable trust as a vehicle for their family and all other directors to continue its positive impact on the community and those who reside therein.
The donors have historically supported a variety of charitable organizations, and they are sensitive to any attempt to narrow the activities to be supported by the trust. At the same time, there are certain values that the donors hold dear, and support of any of the organizations or causes contradicting such values would not be consistent with the donors’ intent. Among the values held in highest regard by the donors are the following: self-reliance; patriotism; independence; respect for God, country and family; initiative; conservation; knowledge; compassion; and community. The donors believe that we all enjoy the standard of living we do due in large part to the strength of our nation, economically, militarily and socially. This overall national strength filters down to the community and provides an environment wherein individuals can grow and prosper and support each other. This strength is grounded in the democratic process a strong military, fiscal responsibility and an open market economic orientation.
The donors view as threats to our way of life efforts and organizations aimed at attacking America in general, promoting policies that tend to undermine personal initiative and personal responsibility, policies that tend to over-regulate free enterprise which is the engine that drives our way of life, as well as policies that attempt to redistribute wealth simply for the sake of redistribution rather than as a catalyst to self-improvement and increased productivity.
The primary intent of the donors is to support efforts that allow individuals to pursue and achieve self-improvement, which leads to self-motivation and ultimately results in self-determination. It is the effort to achieve self-fulfillment that drives the individual to explore and tap his skills and talents, makes him strive to be a productive member of society and empowers him to give of his time and resources to improve the lives of others. As these common sayings so clearly express, the goal is to “give a hand up, not a hand out” to those who need it so that they can “be all that they can be”. Therefore, the donors favor programs which involve character building, raising self-esteem, increasing self-reliance and creating self-respect, which in turn allow individuals to develop a desire to achieve and pursue roles that involve leadership and community service. The donors are also concerned with helping those truly unable to support themselves due primarily to factors beyond their control through assistance, which provides comfort and support to such individuals.
This intent of the donors is clearly reflected in the organizations they have continuously supported. Many of these organizations work directly with youth: Boys and Girls Club, colleges and universities, Boy Scouts. Others are focused on helping people help themselves: Salvation Army, Rescue Mission, United Way. Yet at the same time the donors recognize that some people in need are unable to help themselves as a result of age, medical conditions or other factors, and the donors have supported organizations designed primarily to provide comfort and basic support: Meals on Wheels, Hospice. In addition the donors have indirectly supported similar activities through their donations to churches, the Triangle Community Foundation, and the North Carolina Community Foundation.
The donors firmly believe that as they have enjoyed opportunities to be community leaders, such roles required a level of social responsibility to be carried out through both direct personal efforts and financial support of charitable undertakings. It is the donors’ hope that all Ragland family members will embrace the challenges presented by such social responsibility; and therefore, the donors have created this charitable trust as a vehicle for their family and all other directors to continue its positive impact on the community and those who reside therein.
The donors have historically supported a variety of charitable organizations, and they are sensitive to any attempt to narrow the activities to be supported by the trust. At the same time, there are certain values that the donors hold dear, and support of any of the organizations or causes contradicting such values would not be consistent with the donors’ intent. Among the values held in highest regard by the donors are the following: self-reliance; patriotism; independence; respect for God, country and family; initiative; conservation; knowledge; compassion; and community. The donors believe that we all enjoy the standard of living we do due in large part to the strength of our nation, economically, militarily and socially. This overall national strength filters down to the community and provides an environment wherein individuals can grow and prosper and support each other. This strength is grounded in the democratic process a strong military, fiscal responsibility and an open market economic orientation.
The donors view as threats to our way of life efforts and organizations aimed at attacking America in general, promoting policies that tend to undermine personal initiative and personal responsibility, policies that tend to over-regulate free enterprise which is the engine that drives our way of life, as well as policies that attempt to redistribute wealth simply for the sake of redistribution rather than as a catalyst to self-improvement and increased productivity.
The primary intent of the donors is to support efforts that allow individuals to pursue and achieve self-improvement, which leads to self-motivation and ultimately results in self-determination. It is the effort to achieve self-fulfillment that drives the individual to explore and tap his skills and talents, makes him strive to be a productive member of society and empowers him to give of his time and resources to improve the lives of others. As these common sayings so clearly express, the goal is to “give a hand up, not a hand out” to those who need it so that they can “be all that they can be”. Therefore, the donors favor programs which involve character building, raising self-esteem, increasing self-reliance and creating self-respect, which in turn allow individuals to develop a desire to achieve and pursue roles that involve leadership and community service. The donors are also concerned with helping those truly unable to support themselves due primarily to factors beyond their control through assistance, which provides comfort and support to such individuals.
This intent of the donors is clearly reflected in the organizations they have continuously supported. Many of these organizations work directly with youth: Boys and Girls Club, colleges and universities, Boy Scouts. Others are focused on helping people help themselves: Salvation Army, Rescue Mission, United Way. Yet at the same time the donors recognize that some people in need are unable to help themselves as a result of age, medical conditions or other factors, and the donors have supported organizations designed primarily to provide comfort and basic support: Meals on Wheels, Hospice. In addition the donors have indirectly supported similar activities through their donations to churches, the Triangle Community Foundation, and the North Carolina Community Foundation.