She loved camping and wished every child could have the experience. When Neely died in 1961, she left part of her estate to the Community Foundation to provide funding for underserved children to go to camp. That fund is endowed, meaning it will continue to generate the dollars to pay for kids to go to camp forever.
When she passed more than 60 years ago, she could not have foreseen how her legacy would expand to include children with special needs. However, her initial vision to provide access has grown to include grants to organizations like the Tennessee Hemophilia & Bleeding Disorders Foundation and ARC of the Mid-South, in addition to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis and the Girl Scouts.
Community Foundation of Greater Giving estimates the Neely fund has sent 11,000 kids who may not otherwise have had access to camp. That is the power of endowment.