make a legacy gift

The rivers, lakes, ponds and parks in the Mystic create oases of blue and green, providing a home to plants and animals, combating climate change and helping people stay healthier and happier. We need to protect these places, now and forever.

I hope that the Mystic will be part of your legacy. One of the simplest ways is to designate MyRWA as a beneficiary in your will. Beyond including gifts from a will or trust, you can also give through IRA beneficiary designation, life insurance, or charitable trusts.

We are happy to speak with you about how to make a lasting gift to the Mystic River Watershed Association. Please contact Michelle Liebetreu, Michelle.Liebetreu@MysticRiver.org or 781-316-3438.

A Gift Through Your Will or Living Trust

When you make or update a will, you may include charitable bequests of specific dollar amount or a percentage of what is left after other bequests have been made. If you wish to name the Mystic River Watershed Association in your will or estate plan, we should be named as:

The Mystic River Watershed Association, a nonprofit, organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with principal business address of: 20 Academy ST Suite 306, Arlington, MA 02476

Tax ID: 23-7221094; Date of Incorporation: April 6, 1976

The Mystic River Watershed Association is tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Click here to see the Guidestar profile. If you have included the Mystic River Watershed Association in your estate plans, let us know! We would like to thank you. Michelle.Liebetreu@MysticRiver.org.

Name MyRWA as a beneficiary of your IRA or Life insurance

You can help protect MyRWA lands and waters by designating the Mystic River Watershed Association as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy or full or partial beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan. It's an easy way to make a difference for future work.

use your ira distributions to support myRWA

If you are 72 or older, you can make a tax-free distribution from your traditional or Roth IRA to the Mystic River Watershed Association. It's an efficient way to support the causes that matter to you most.

John Reinhardt: Fighting for our Mystic

Long-standing Board Chair John Reinhardt has included the Mystic River Watershed Association in his estate plans. Read why he made this decision!

How did you first get involved in the Mystic River Watershed Association?

In the late 80s, I came to serve as the Association’s very first Executive Director, a part-time position at the time.  Herbert Meyer, one of the earliest members, was President of the Board at that time. The board was filled with dedicated volunteers who saw the potential for this neglected, abused waterway. Their dedication to making this watershed an asset that our communities deserve continues to this day.

What is your favorite place in the Mystic River watershed?

There are two: the dam at Mystic Lakes, as well as the Amelia Earhart Dam. I fondly remember hauling herring over the dam by hand and by buckets so they could spawn in the upper Mystic Lakes. Now I am blown away that there are 700,000 plus herring passing through this dam using the fish ladder--compared to 19,000 when we moved them by hand. The Amelia Earhart Dam always attracts such a diverse group of fisherman and it is awe-inspiring to see them catch large stripers that are coming up our river—often feeding on the same herring heading towards the fish ladder upstream.

Why should others care about the Mystic River?

Just being by the water makes life better. I believe that our community members deserve a resource about which they feel pride and love to use. This is why I got involved and continue to stay involved.

Why a planned gift?

In my 30 plus years of being involved, I have seen the impact the Association has had on our watershed. Most of this impact has happened in the last decade—when the Association has had staff able to tackle such issues as sewage overflows, connectivity and restoring habitat. I want the Association to be fully staffed to continue to tackle these issues and even keep an eye to future threats. When I did my estate planning, I realized that I could continue to help my community in the future by supporting a strong Association through a gift in my will. It is a very satisfying feeling.