A Personal Story About Belonging—and Why I Believe in Giving Back
August 14, 2025
By: Alejandra Anastas, Planned Giving Officer & Retire United Donor Network Manager.
When my family first moved to Wisconsin, we didn’t have much. We lived in the attic of my great aunt’s home—one room, just big enough for a queen-sized bed and two end tables. That bed held my parents, my older brother, and me. We shared everything: space, blankets, meals, and hope.
We didn’t call it struggling. To us, it was just family making it work.
That summer before I started school, I stood in line with my cousins and brother waiting for something we didn’t fully understand but could feel was special: brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies.
They were colorful and full of possibility. I remember hugging mine tight like it was treasure. We tore them open and traded folders like they were Pokémon cards—laughing, comparing, dreaming. For a moment, we didn’t feel different. We felt ready.
I still remember thinking, “This country really cares about its people.”
I didn’t know then that it was people like you—donors who give through United Way—who made that moment possible.
That backpack wasn’t just paper and pencils.
It was dignity.
It was belonging.
It was love, handed to me by strangers who saw value in children they’d never met.
Now, I get to be on the other side of that moment. I get to help carry the love forward—to ensure another little girl feels like the world is cheering her on, even before she takes her first step into a classroom.
I give back because I’ve lived the impact of this work. Because I know what it means to be held by community, even when you don’t have the words to ask for it.
It’s why I support United Way and why I’m thinking about my legacy. It’s why Make-A-Will Month matters to me.
It’s not just about legal paperwork. It’s about deciding what values you want to carry forward—what kind of future you want to build for others. For me, that means creating moments of dignity and joy for families like mine. For you, it might mean something different, but equally powerful. 
Creating a will is one way to start. It’s easy, free, and takes just 20 minutes. And through United Way’s partnership with FreeWill, you can even include a gift that ensures your compassion lives on long after you're gone.
I never met the people who made that backpack possible. But I remember how they made me feel.
That’s what a legacy is.
It’s about making someone else feel seen, supported, and ready to take on the world. This August, I invite you to join me in thinking about the legacy you want to leave behind. It's your legacy—their future. Because your story doesn’t end.
It echoes.
Start your will today: FreeWill.com/UnitedWay
If you’re interested in including a bequest for United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and want to learn more,
visit our Legacy Society page or connect with Alejandra Anastas.
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