Planting Seeds for Tomorrow: Betsy Forrest’s Legacy with United Way
October 20, 2025
Planned giving today means a healthier community tomorrow. Betsy Forrest explains her decision to include United Way in her estate plans, and how our legacies have the power to build a healthy community.
For Betsy Forrest, estate planning is more than paperwork; it’s a way to extend the values of care, dignity, and community she has lived by. So, when it came time to update her estate plans, Betsy knew that including United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County in her trust wasn’t a hard decision. It was simply the right one.
Betsy first attended a United Way workplace Campaign Kickoff early in her career, curious to hear from a local nonprofit. What the small nonprofit said tugged at her heartstrings and she realized that she, and many others, had been helped by United Way in some form through the partnerships and agencies they support. She started giving a few dollars each paycheck, but it planted a seed that would grow into a lifelong connection.
Years later, after her mother passed away and while going through her mother’s papers, Betsy discovered that she too had been a United Way supporter at the leadership level.
“It was nice to know both my parents were good supporters of our community,” Betsy says. “It just solidified my faith in the organization.”
Her involvement grew steadily over the years. She coordinated workplace campaigns and, in retirement, joined the Retire United Advisory Committee. That experience gave her an even closer look at how United Way operates. It also provided a continuation of the values modeled by her parents and that she has carried throughout her life: care, dignity, and community.
“There is so much transparency,” she explained. “I just love the Key Initiatives, how United Way staff works with communities, and how they partner intentionally with agencies. I love the measurable goals and the reporting. I believe in United Way. I am a strong believer in a healthy community and doing what you can to make that community strong.”
Betsy also believes in the power of collective impact, seeing United Way as uniquely positioned to strengthen the community as a whole. Events like Project Homeless Connect have allowed her to see that collective impact in action. Seeing multiple nonprofits come together at the event allows her first-hand experience not only helping guests attend the event, but in feeling the resilience of the community as it comes together.
“We're all people,” she reflected. “We're all people and we're all part of the community.”
When she attended that kickoff event at the beginning of her career, she didn’t realize how much that moment would shape her future, the future for her family, and the future for our community.
“Tomorrow’s needs are equally as important to the needs of today,” Betsy said. “I hope that when I’m gone, my gift will help with tomorrow’s needs.”
Betsy’s story is a reminder that generosity leaves a ripple effect; one that can touch families, neighbors, and future generations. Naming United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County in her trust shows a true commitment to our community’s success. Because United is the Way our community thrives, not just today but tomorrow too.
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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