For many people, making a will feels daunting — something to get to later, when life slows down. But the truth is, a will is one of the most meaningful documents you can create. It protects the people and values that matter most, and it gives you the opportunity to leave a legacy that reflects your life and the impact you want to make.
August is Make-A-Will Month, a time to take that step with intention. It’s also a time to consider how your plans can support the kind of future you hope to see. At Outreach International, there are many ways to give. Our donors have the opportunity to support communities around the world through planned giving.
Including a gift in your will is one simple, powerful way to be part of ongoing change.
Why a Will Matters
Writing a will is about more than dividing assets — it’s about making choices that protect your family, reduce unnecessary complications, and carry your values forward.
According to a survey done by Caring, 68% of adults in the U.S. don’t have a will. That often leaves loved ones with difficult decisions—and can mean that causes close to the heart are left out of the story. Creating a will is a chance to reflect on what matters most and make your wishes known.
What Your Legacy Can Do
At Outreach International, we don’t deliver temporary aid. We walk alongside communities as they lead the way forward by creating and implementing their own solutions.
Legacy giving helps sustain that work and create impact stories like these. When you make a will, you can:
Keep communities healthy
At the clinic in Msoko, Malawi, a child receives vital care.
In May 2025, the people of Msoko, Malawi, opened their first health clinic—led entirely by the community. With support from Outreach International, 250 residents advocated for daily healthcare, especially for children under five. Now, with a full-time health worker in place, over 500 families have local access to life-saving care. The clinic launch drew 561 people, celebrating a safer, healthier future for Msoko’s children.
Inspire communities to seek change
Community members from Las Lajas and Oregano, Nicaragua, proudly display their graduation certificates.
In rural Nicaragua, the farming community of Las Lajas and Oregano officially graduated. The community began as a SPROUT—short for “Spreading Outreach.” A nearby graduated community had inspired the development process to begin in their community. Over just two years, 40 residents addressed eight key challenges, launched five major projects, and trained 12 new community leaders. Their efforts led to a community-run preschool for 16 children, monthly healthcare visits, a rebuilt water system, emergency road repairs, and 37 families receiving long-term water filters. These changes directly improved life for 139 people across 38 households—and set the stage for many more as these SPROUT communities now help others follow their path.
Empower Women
In Jagrutiguda, 22 girls came together in October of 2024, to discuss the challenges they face with their menstrual health. They identified deep-rooted stigma, lack of education, and limited access to sanitary products and basic facilities as major issues. In response, two girls partnered with local health officials to provide subsidized sanitary pads—reducing the cost from $0.59 to just $0.17. A follow-up training in January 2025 with 26 girls tackled harmful myths and promoted open dialogue. As a result, 50% of the girls now use public water sources and interact freely during menstruation, as stigma is decreasing, and the girls reported having greater confidence and open communication, even with male family members.
Create opportunities for growth
The women of the Jagriti Samaj Samiti community in Farsidol, Nepal, meeting for post-literacy class.
In Farsidol, Nepal, the Jagriti Samaj Samiti community launched a six-month post-literacy class to empower women through reading, writing, and basic math. Since December 2024, women—many of whom previously did not know how to sign their names—have gathered six days a week to learn real-world literacy skills. One participant, Makamali, wrote her name for the first time after just two days, and now regularly attends community meetings. This community-led initiative is transforming not just individual lives, but also driving collective growth and opportunity.
The Legacy You Can Leave
Each of these milestones was made possible not by chance, but by choice— the choice to invest in long-term solutions, and the choice to believe in the power of community. You can be a part of this commitment too.
it’s simple to make a will
Creating a will doesn’t require complicated paperwork or a large estate. The process has been made simple and you start it from home in less than 20 minutes using LegacyPlanner, our free and secure online tool. It helps guide you through each step, so you can protect your loved ones and document your wishes with confidence.
If you prefer to work with a lawyer, LegacyPlanner can also help you gather what you’ll need to be ready for that conversation.
Adding Outreach International to your will is straightforward. You can designate a fixed amount, a percentage of your estate, or a particular asset. Your bequest costs nothing now but has the power to support generations to come.
Build Bright Futures With Us
Make-A-Will Month is an opportunity to think not just about the life you’ve lived—but the life you want to help make possible for others.
When you include Outreach International in your estate plans, you become part of our Legacy Circle—a community of donors who have made a lasting commitment to support community-led change.
Legacy Circle members have named Outreach as the beneficiary of a planned gift. This can include a bequest in your will, appreciated securities, retirement accounts, life insurance, or charitable income gifts such as annuities and trusts.
Once your plans are complete, we invite you to fill out our member profile form to let us know. We’d love to thank you personally and welcome you into the Legacy Circle.
Your legacy can be a reflection of who you are and what you believe in. It can support communities who are doing the hard work of building sustainable futures, one step at a time.
We invite you to start today—to make a will and make a difference.
How to Help
Make this the month you plan your legacy. Contact us or explore the Legacy Planner tool to learn more about how your legacy can support community-led change around the world.
