A novel approach to legacy giving

Raised in New York City, Sandra Kitt found beauty and inspiration up each avenue and across every numbered street. When her second-grade teacher mentioned her aptitude for words and art, her parents were quick to clear the path so she could explore her talents. 

They hadn’t always had easy lives, and they were determined to raise their children to embrace dreams with both arms. They enrolled Sandra in a children’s art program at the Museum of Modern Art, opening a world of possibilities that would shape the woman she would become. 

“The classes at the museum were pivotal for me. They opened up my worldview, and I began to see that the world was much bigger than my neighborhood, my community, and I wanted to see all of it,” Sandra said. “I began to be fearless about exploring beyond the boundaries of my community.” 

Decades later, Sandra was an established and respected novelist who wrote stories focused on the beauty and complexities of families and relationships. Her work and life were centered around human connection, and she always sought ways to give back. When a group of volunteers for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® asked her to support their fundraising efforts within her vast network, Sandra enthusiastically agreed. 

“I always want to give back. When I think of giving back, for me, it’s also recognizing the need to show gratitude for what I have, for where I’ve arrived and where I’ve come in my own life,” Sandra said. “And in a bigger sense, I feel like the proof of a good civilization is that they find ways of helping people who can’t help themselves.” 

Sandra gave her resources, time and talents as a St. Jude donor and volunteer, and she found herself falling further in love with the mission and families she encountered. She saw each St. Jude child as a main character — a hero. “These children demonstrate an enormous amount of bravery. They put so much trust in the hands of their parents, their guardians, the doctors and the staff,” she said. “I want them to know that their futures can be very, very bright. All kinds of possibilities are there for them if they’re given a chance and an opportunity to realize that.” 

As Sandra continued to volunteer, write, teach, mentor and travel, her philanthropic focus began to narrow on the mission of St. Jude. “I give monthly and give larger amounts as requested during the year. I spoke with my attorney and my financial planner to make sure that St. Jude is reflected in my estate plans, too,” she said. And though she knew this was all important and made a difference, she couldn’t help but ask herself what she was uniquely suited to offer the families of St. Jude. 

As creativity is known to arrive, an idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. She would write her next book about a family navigating pediatric illness and donate to the place that inspired it. “I arranged to give to St. Jude from the book royalties, and the publishing house was inspired to make an individual contribution as well,” she said. 

Sandra’s book was a hit, but she doesn’t plan on stopping there. “My days are typically not 24 hours. They’re like 25 or 26,” she joked. “So, I don’t mind taking on more responsibility — trying to come up with more creative ways to use who I am, what I know and what I can do to help St. Jude.” 

“There are always ways that we can help. There are always things that matter that we can contribute as individuals, as human beings,” Sandra said. “I feel comfortable that my resources are going to something that I absolutely believe in. I’m actively trying to be part of the big and small solutions by doing what I can to help St. Jude families and children, wherever they are in their diagnosis and treatments.”