Transforming Lives Through Legacy

Amy Wong and Calvin Chin’s journey in the U.S. began on the vibrant yet challenging streets of New York City’s Chinatown. Amy, born in Hong Kong, immigrated to the U.S. at the age of ten. Calvin, a native New Yorker, grew up amid the city’s hustle. Their paths crossed when they both returned to New York after college, to work in finance. They married and embarked on a life together, united by a shared vision of giving back to the city that shaped them.

In 1999, their connection to Robin Hood was established through a member of the Leadership Council. For Amy and Calvin, Robin Hood was more than an organization — it was a beacon of hope and transformation.

Calvin reflects, “Robin Hood is a strong organization with passionate people. We’ve been supporters since 1999, and everyone we’ve met has been incredibly welcoming and engaged.”

What particularly impressed Amy and Calvin was Robin Hood’s commitment to financial integrity. With 100% of board funds covering operating costs, every penny donated goes directly to impactful programs.

Calvin adds, “I grew up poor in New York City. Chinatown back then wasn’t the trendy neighborhood it is now — it was a ghetto, plagued by poverty, youth gangs, and isolation from the rest of the city. We identify with the people Robin Hood supports. We’ve been blessed, and we want to give back. We fell in love with Robin Hood and its mission.”

Amy and Calvin’s shared experience as products of the NYC public school system drew them to Robin Hood’s education and early childhood initiatives. They also admired the organization’s job training programs, which empower New Yorkers to achieve self-reliance, as well as its commitment to supporting communities of color, including the Asian community.

Amy notes, “It’s incredibly fulfilling to have the opportunity to make an impact in the city of our childhood. Beyond financial contributions, we both serve on boards introduced to us through Robin Hood, which supports these organizations as community partners.”

For years, Amy and Calvin have been dedicated supporters of Robin Hood, making unrestricted annual gifts. Recognizing that a planned gift through their estate would deepen their impact, they saw it as a meaningful and practical next step in their commitment.

Calvin shares, “We want to be good stewards of the talents and resources God has blessed us with. A planned gift helps sustain Robin Hood’s vital work. Fighting poverty is a complex, long-term issue with no quick fix. A planned gift is a way to help address these enduring challenges and have a broader, lasting impact on New York City.”

The couple trusts Robin Hood to be a responsible steward of their planned gift, confident in the organization’s ability to use these resources effectively for the betterment of the community.

For Amy and Calvin, nothing brings greater satisfaction than contributing to the well-being of others. They hope their story inspires others to give as well.

Amy concludes, “There are many other nonprofits serving New York City, but what drew us to Robin Hood was its track record and unique perspective on solving the challenges New Yorkers face. Robin Hood’s passionate team educates donors on how to tackle these problems. A legacy gift to Robin Hood will have a lasting impact on our fellow New Yorkers, beyond our lifetimes.”

A Gift That Transformed Lives

Karen Howitt never sought the spotlight. She simply believed in the power of art, the beauty of opera, and the responsibility we all share to help our neighbors. She spent much of her life as a creator — through painting, through music, and through the quiet generosity that would leave a lasting mark on New York City.

For Karen, giving wasn’t about recognition — it was about impact. She first learned about Robin Hood more than 20 years before she passed, drawn to its promise of using every dollar to fight poverty without waste. Her contributions started modestly, as so many do. But as time passed, she saw the change her gifts were making across NYC, and she began to think beyond her lifetime.

Riding the subway, Karen often sketched the faces of fellow New Yorkers. Their expressions, their stories, their struggles — they became reflections of the city she loved. She wanted her giving to endure and to continue uplifting the lives of those she encountered in passing.

So, she made a plan.

Karen informed Robin Hood that she intended to leave a bequest — an act of generosity that would echo long after she was gone. In turn, Robin Hood welcomed her further into its community, inviting her to see, firsthand, the impact of her giving: children receiving a quality education, families finding stable housing, communities breaking free from the cycle of poverty. She realized then that her legacy was more than a donation — her legacy was a future.

So, when the time came, Karen’s planned gift was 500 times larger than her annual giving.

Today, her generosity lives on in classrooms, in shelters, in job training programs — in the very heartbeat of the city. Her story reminds us that legacy giving isn’t just for the wealthy — it’s for anyone who believes in making a difference.

It starts with a decision: to extend your impact, to uplift others, to leave the world better than when you found it. And it ends with thousands of lives changed.

Karen’s gift was transformational. Yours can be, too.

No matter the size, a planned gift to Robin Hood ensures that your compassion, your values, and your love for New York will carry on for generations.

A Gift to Build a Better World

Betsy Werley considers New York her adopted hometown. She grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to New York City in 1979 to start her career. Her husband, Robert “Bob” Plows, is a Queens native. Betsy had three careers: a corporate lawyer, banker and nonprofit executive.

When she learned about Robin Hood, she was impressed at the way it blends the strengths of the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, with “a very 21st century approach to increasing the impact of its community partners.”

“Everyone wants to make the world a better place. For those with the financial means, we need to be part of the solution. Robin Hood is extremely effective in putting our money to good use,” Betsy noted. “I’m impressed by Robin Hood’s ability to tackle new challenges like Covid-19 and the migrant crisis, in addition to its ambitious business-as-usual activities.”

Betsy and Bob know the importance of planning ahead. When they recently updated their wills, they focused on the causes that are most important to them, and identified organizations working most effectively to deal with those issues. They made Robin Hood a beneficiary of their retirement accounts and set up a bequest.

“We’re happy to know our money will make a long-term impact on New Yorkers through Robin Hood and its community partners.”

They hope to inspire others to consider Robin Hood when making a planned gift. “We tell people: ‘If you want New York City to be a thriving, equitable community, a donation to Robin Hood is a great investment.’”

Beyond The Bequest: A Legacy of Compassion and Impact

“Robin Hood had a huge impact on my life and helped make me who I am today. So, when this life ends, I want to say thank you one last time.”

New York City native John DiRocco was first introduced to Robin Hood by a colleague at Paloma Partners. He was “mildly involved” at the beginning but was moved to become more so after attending his second Robin Hood benefit. He made a big donation that evening, but that was just the start.

John lost his father just as he began his career. The family was bankrupt, lost their home and cars and had to start from scratch. As his professional life took off, he had a desire to give back to those less fortunate, who faced adversity through no fault of their own, especially children.

John also noticed that while many titans of the finance industry were involved with Robin Hood, there was a need to move to the next level and find future donors. He suggested to a Board member that they devise a plan. Shortly thereafter, John became one of the founding members of the Leadership Council cementing Robin Hood as an important part of his life.

During his time on the Leadership Council, John was very involved with early childhood initiatives. He visited community partners and saw kids with no place to go outside to play. So, he ran a fundraising campaign — including an event called “Playing for Laughs” — which led to funding the construction of a playground at a Women In Need facility, one of Robin Hood’s community partners.

John ultimately made a planned gift, giving a percentage of his estate through a bequest intention. John made the gift because he wants to instill in his seven children the lesson of giving back and to understand “the need to help those less fortunate even after my death.”

“It’s a bit selfish! I’m doing it to help Robin Hood, and to teach my kids, but also so I can selfishly feel good about doing all of this.”

A Commitment to Fighting Poverty

Steve Auerbach was born in the South Bronx and raised by a single mom. He later received a degree in Industrial Accounting from Hofstra University and moved to Hartsdale, NY. After working as a salesman in the food industry for several years, Steve started his own specialty food brokerage company. Joanne, originally from western Pennsylvania, holds a master’s degree from NYU. Joanne became a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and was director of her department at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plains for 39 years.

The couple recently made an estate gift to Robin Hood because Robin Hood’s work is in line with the legacy they wish to leave. “After researching charities, we were convinced that this was a proper choice for us. We have confidence in supporting Robin Hood through their community partners who know the grassroots needs better than we do, and who will use the money in the best way. We are confident we are getting the best bang for our buck,” said Steve.

Joanne added, “We trust Robin Hood’s efficiency and effectiveness in fulfilling their mission—a mission we believe in. Steve and I both came from humble beginnings, but succeeded because we were given a fair shot at life. Everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed, and through its partners, Robin Hood provides that opportunity to those needing some help.”

Steve and Joanne are grateful for the chance to make a greater impact: “What could be better than to make a difference in the lives and futures of individuals—so their kids and grandkids can also have better lives? We are looking to make a difference, both now and after we are gone. It’s a good feeling to know that our legacy (actual and figurative) will help make the world a bit better.”