“Missions that should outlive us”

By Marcela Beltran

When Shane and Virginia Moon, a couple in their 40s, began discussing estate planning, Virginia didn’t think much of it. She assumed it was something to think about much later in life, and only for people with significant wealth.  

So when Shane first suggested naming St. Vincent de Paul as a beneficiary in his life insurance policy, Virgina was puzzled.

“I was like, ‘What are we giving them?’ … I just thought it was not attainable, and when he came at me with the life insurance, I was like, ‘Oh, that's smart. That makes sense,’” said Virginia.  

After Shane’s explanation, the Moons designated St. Vincent de Paul as the beneficiary of their term life insurance policy, meaning if Shane passes away before the end of the insurance term, a $100,000 portion of the policy will go to SVdP to help future generations of neighbors in need.

For Shane, creating a will isn’t something to postpone. As a retired Air Force veteran, he remembers creating his first will at just 23 years old before deploying on his first combat tour — a sobering experience that forever changed his perspective.  

“It's more of a weight off my shoulders,” Shane said. “I get some people put that off until their 70s or 80s, but I think it's much wiser to process the realities of our mortality, and to say it could happen tomorrow.”  

That perspective, combined with a lifelong commitment to serving others, made planned giving a natural decision for the couple.  

It doesn’t hurt that their connection to SVdP runs deep. Before focusing full time on their own nonprofit, Strategic Global Commissioning, which focuses on protecting missionaries serving in high-risk areas, Shane and Virginia worked at SVdP. There they witnessed firsthand the life-changing impact of a donor’s generosity.  

Supporting the organization is also deeply personal for Shane.

“I knew St. Vincent de Paul as a mission, as an organization, because I grew up with my mom struggling to provide for me and my two brothers as a single mom,” Shane said. “We got food boxes from St. Vincent de Paul.”

The Moons continue to be deeply connected to SVdP’s mission through their ongoing generosity. They are active members of the Servant Leaders Society, a community of donors who support SVdP through annual gifts of $1,000, and the Cornerstone Circle, a community of consistent monthly donors.

Their commitment to SVdP will also extend beyond their lifetime through planned giving. By including SVdP in their estate plans, they became members of the Circle of Angels, a community of legacy donors dedicated to ensuring SVdP can continue serving neighbors in need for generations to come.

“I want to be a part of something bigger than me, something bigger than my kids, something bigger than just the little area we're in,” said Virginia. “I continuously want to make an impact. I want to serve others.”  

Despite being a young and healthy couple, Shane and Virginia believe it's never too early to plan for the future. In fact, adding SVdP as a beneficiary to their life insurance policies only took five minutes, making it a quick and simple way to create a lasting impact. Shane jokes that while he has designated SVdP as a beneficiary of his life insurance policy, he has no plans of passing anytime soon.  

“We believe that there are visions and missions that should outlive us,” said Shane. “St. Vincent de Paul is one of those missions.”

If you'd like to learn more about estate planning or leaving a legacy at SVdP please contact Charles Putbrese.