Born and raised in Ohio, Joyce A. Montgomery credits her parents for passing down a legacy of community service that she and her sister, Paula, carry forward to this day. “When you are born and raised in that kind of atmosphere, it just becomes second nature to you and becomes part of your life,” said Joyce.
Joyce developed an interest in nursing at an early age. After graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in Nursing, Joyce worked in New York as a registered nurse in hospitals and out-patient clinics, primarily in the field of child health. Following her time in New York, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her Master’s degree in Health Services Administration at University of Southern California. She remained in Los Angeles for over 20 years where she held various management positions in local hospitals.
While living in Los Angeles, she would often visit the Coachella Valley for getaways on the weekend. Now the Coachella Valley has been her home for over 20 years after retiring from a career in nursing and healthcare management.
Joyce shared that as a resident of the Inland Empire, she is most proud of how much the community has grown over the years, and how people are becoming more involved in the organizations around them. With a background in healthcare, Joyce wanted to do more to help underserved communities and contacted IECF.
In 2019, she established The Joyce A. Montgomery Donor Advised Fund to provide support for the Dr. Ezra C. Davidson Scholarship at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science and other broad and general uses and purposes. She also worked with IECF to create a charitable gift annuity to further IECF’s charitable work with her gift, while receiving a secure source of fixed payments for life.
Managed by IECF, the fund recently awarded grants to the Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine (CCVIM) and the College of the Desert Foundation (COD). CCVIM provides health care services in a compassionate, caring way to neighbors in need and focuses on underserved communities. The grant to the College of the Desert supports their annual Stepping Up for COD fundraiser.
Added Joyce, “It is imperative that students are given the resources to pursue their goals because they are our future leaders and they need to have the education necessary to build themselves up for job opportunities that will ultimately benefit the community.”
To learn about the different ways to give and charitable planning strategies, contact the Charitable Giving Team at 951.241.7777.