April 15, 2012 | Read Time: 1 minute
How much: $20-million pledge
Who gave it: Martin Z. Margulies, a real-estate developer in Key Biscayne, Fla.
Who got it: Lotus House, a shelter for homeless women and children in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami
Donors’ connection to the organization: Mr. Margulies married Constance Collins, co-founder and director of Lotus House, and although the couple recently separated, he has been a longtime volunteer with the group.
The gift’s purpose: To establish an endowment, an idea that Ms. Collins suggested to Mr. Margulies in 2007. Lotus House will receive $10-million upon Mr. Margulies’s death and then $500,000 annually for 20 years.
Why the donor gave: Mr. Margulies said he watched Ms. Collins give up a lucrative law and real-estate career to start the charity, “and I said, If I’m lucky enough to have money at the end of the road, I gotta give it to organizations and people that are very worthy of it.”
Impact of the gift: Lotus House will continue offering services that go beyond those of a traditional shelter, such as operating its maternity wing. Ms. Collins says her group is not simply trying to provide a “a meal and a bed and a shower.” Instead, the organization’s goal is to give its clients “the tools and resources needed to heal, to reclaim your life, and build a future.
