A Note from Supporter and Board Member Paul Miller

For the first dozen or so years of my life, I shared a bedroom with my brother, Warren, and my sister Karen, who currently resides at Momentum’s beautiful location in Chatsworth.  In addition to caring for three children, one with a significant disability, my mother was the Executive Director of the Valley Association for the Handicapped (VAH), a day program in Burbank that served individuals with developmental disabilities.  Upon my mom’s retirement, she actually gifted this program, and the property it sat on, to Momentum.  As steward, Momentum continued her work for many years until the time came for them to transform the location to accessible independent living apartments for the people we support.

Needless to say, a big part of growing up in the Miller household was understanding the importance of empowering individuals like my sister Karen – and of supporting organizations, like Momentum, that support her.  This belief was ingrained into our daily family life, and my family’s commitment to it often spread like ripples… as when tossing a stone into a still pond.

One such ripple recently reached our shores and I would like to share that story – one of friendship, love, and selfless charity. I want to tell you about my mom’s best friend, Helen Holt. Helen and my mom grew up together since the age of eleven. They were in Camp Fire Girls together. Helen was a fixture in our younger years, a friend to Karen, and a supporter of my mom’s work.  

As the years went by, Helen would keep in touch by phone, always asking how Karen was doing at her “school”, referring to the Chatsworth location where Karen lives. I often tried to correct her, but then just decided to go with it!

After my mother passed, I continued to keep in touch with Helen, and when she was 93 years old, she reached out to me because of my professional expertise in the financial services industry for advice about estate planning. Never too late to start thinking about your legacy! Part of our conversations related to Helen’s desire to “give something to Karen’s school”, meaning Momentum.  

At 93, Helen was sharp as a tack and often mentioned her respect for my mom’s work, the need for it to continue, and her love for Karen. She lived modestly, shopping at the 99Cent Store, eating mostly at home, and driving an old Ford Fairlane. With the help of her attorney, she completed her estate plan and let me know that I would be contacted once she was gone. “But, don’t hold your breath,” she would say!

Over the next five years, Helen and I spoke a few more times, and she would still always ask about Karen and how she was doing at school. She remained close to Karen, sending cards for her Birthday and Christmas… always with a fresh $5 bill inside!

Helen Holt passed away last year, at 98 years of age. True to her word, I was contacted by the trustee. She met me, in person, and handed me an envelope containing two checks…. totaling over $750,000 made out to Momentum, the organization that has meant so much to me and my family for more than 50 years.  I was dumbfounded – and incredibly grateful.  Planned gifts like Helen’s help secure the future of Momentum and extend a supporter’s legacy far beyond their lifetime. Speaking for my family, we will forever retell Helen’s story… a selfless act of charity and devotion to a life-long friend.

This promise of making an impact on the future of the organization that changed my sister’s life is one of the main reasons my wife Lynda and I are proud members of Momentum’s Legacy Society.  Through our membership, we have the opportunity to enjoy the company of others who care about leaving a legacy to protect and strengthen this community.  People like my mother.  People like Helen.  Supporters who want to send out ripples that will reach the shores of Momentum to ensure that the organization remains strong for another 75 years – and beyond.

I am grateful to Helen Holt for honoring our family’s commitment to Momentum with her generous gift.  I am grateful to be able to share my own family’s good fortune with the organization that has been my sister’s home since we moved her into Chatsworth when we were teenagers.  And I am grateful to all the members of Momentum’s Legacy Society – and to everyone who is considering joining – for their commitment to enabling this organization to serve individuals like Karen and families like mine long, long into the future.

Your planned gift to Momentum will have meaning and impact for years to come. We honor those who have made a lasting commitment by including charitable gifts to Momentum in their estate plans.

Those who remember Momentum in a will, trust, designation or other planned gift, are invited to join the Legacy Society. Too often, these gifts are unrecognized because they come at the end of the donors’ lives. The Legacy Society provides a way to recognize and thank a very special group of people during their lifetimes who desire to create a lasting legacy of hope by including Momentum in their estate planning.

Commitment to the Legacy Society gives you the opportunity to enjoy the company of others who, like yourself, care about leaving a legacy to protect and strengthen this community. Members receive a Legacy Society commemorative pin, recognition on the Momentum donor wall, recognition in publications and on our website.

You may always choose to remain anonymous in your philanthropy with Momentum . However, participation in the Legacy Society can be an inspirational experience, and may encourage others to look toward the future and how they too may have an enduring impact on the causes they care about.

Only a statement of intent to leave a gift to Momentum is required. No documentation of gift amount or type is necessary.  If you’ve already included Momentum in your will, we encourage you to let us know so that we may honor you as a member of the Legacy Society.

By definition, a legacy is “anything received from or passed on by an ancestor.” A legacy can be given in many ways, including money, securities, property and life insurance policies. Regardless of the value, a legacy gift to Momentum stands as a living tribute to your commitment to make our communities more inclusive and accessible now and well into the future.

If you would like more information about Momentum’s Legacy society, you can contact member of Momentum staff can answer questions about including a bequest in your will, making Momentum a beneficiary on a retirement account, setting up a charitable trust, or other ways to create a legacy gift. We invite you to explore the many options with us.

Legal Designation

If you wish to name Momentum in your will or estate plan, we should be named as: Momentum, a nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of California with principal business address of 6430 Independence Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. 

Tax ID: Our tax identification number is: 95-1648203

Share Your Bequest with Momentum

If you have included Momentum in your will or estate plans, please fill out the simple form below so we can welcome you into The Legacy Society. You can also contact us by email or by calling 818-782-2211.

Thank you for your interest in creating a lasting legacy for people with developmental disabilities.

The American Dream

As a young woman, Karin Larson had big plans. While her mother and father did manual labor to earn a living, she was determined to have a professional career.

Karin graduated in 1963 with a degree in international relations and business from the University of Minnesota’s University College and a plan to go into the foreign service.

“It’s the great American dream story,” said Larson in a 2005 interview with Minnesota Public Radio, another one of her other beloved organizations. “My father worked in a warehouse and my mother worked in a laundry. I was the first college graduate in my family. I’ve been so fortunate, blessed really.”

Moving Up

Karin spent her career in the financial services industry starting work for the Capital Group in 1961.  With a gift for numbers, she rose through the ranks from secretary, to statistician, to the first female research director, to chair of Capital International Research, Inc., the position she retired from. During her tenure with Capital Group, Karin was able to travel and spent a lot of time between the U.S. and Japan.

Never one to be stopped by obstacles, Karin was known by all for her determination and graciousness that was contagious and spurred everyone around her to do and be their best.

No Obstacle Too Big

As an adult, a progressive genetic disease caused her to lose her ability to walk. The wheelchair became her ally and she never slowed down. In the most respectful way possible she would say, ‘So what? I’m in a wheelchair. I’m a woman in a traditionally male industry. So, what?’ Like Momentum over the years, Karin was a staunch advocate for breaking barriers when needed; however, she always did it with respect and kindness.

Make a Difference for Momentum

Karin was first introduced to Momentum by her friend Karen Craig over 30 years ago when it was known as UCPLA. Working side-by-side with Board member Marianne Younkheere, Karin jumped right in using her networking skills to raise funds. Later she worked with Ron Cohen on getting two independent living apartments open, and even got the Capital Group Foundation and colleagues to raise the funds to furnish the Santa Monica apartments so they were ready for individuals to move in – for many it was the first time they were able to live independently.

As we started working on the second prototype of our Momentum Refresh vehicle, Karin worked with Lori Anderson and Mirza Patail to give her insights and perspective.  Because of her feedback changes were made in the vehicle design that lend to a better guest experience in using the amenities.

In 2019 the Momentum Board of Directors honored Ms. Larson for her exceptional generosity of her resources, network and her wisdom with the Ronald S. Cohen Inclusion Award recognizing her as the embodiment of inclusion and acceptance for individuals of all abilities in our community.

Karen passed away peacefully in April of 2021, but she wasn’t done giving. She left a legacy gift of over $18 M for Momentum.  The planned gift will provide endowed financial support for Momentums programs and services years to come. This transformative gift will make a continuing impact in advancing the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of children and adults with disabilities and medical conditions.