A Lifetime of Giving Back: Keith and Linda Forrest

Over five decades, Keith and Linda Forrest have given of themselves time and again. From volunteering, to donating platelets, to creating planned gifts, Keith and Linda have lived a life of charity.

“Sustaining children's health makes us happy,” Keith says. The Forrests are great friends of MaineHealth Maine Medical Center, specifically our pediatrics programs, and have created multiple charitable gift annuities to help support MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.

Linda was born and raised in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and Keith was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on Long Island. While economic conditions were modest, they both grew up with a rich sense of values and strong work ethic, “which last you for a lifetime,” Keith says.

The couple met when they both worked for American Airlines in New York City. In the busy years that followed, the couple would move to Long Island, welcome two sons, and Keith would earn the first of his post-graduate degrees. Keith’s career eventually led him to Union Mutual Life Insurance Company, now Unum, in Portland where he worked for 20 years.

During their time in Portland, Linda devoted herself to community service. “Linda is not happy unless she's making others around her happy,” Keith says. “One way to do that was by volunteering at Maine Medical Center, between 1981 and 1999. She volunteered extensively there, as well as doing many other things; all with our young children growing up; all in the construct of serving a public good.” Around the same time, Keith started donating platelets, something he still does today.

Following his retirement from Unum, Keith did consulting work. “Since I was consulting, we had the opportunity to use that income to give back in a significant way to charities of our choice,” Keith says. Their preferred gift: charitable gift annuities (CGAs), which also served as a retirement planning tool.

Keith and Linda have shown remarkable generosity, creating meaningful impact for patients and their families at MHBBCH. Through their giving, they created a way to support MHBBCH while planning for the resulting tax benefits and income generated as retirement income.

The Forrests have made a wonderful life of giving back, turning their blessings into blessings for others. And they’ve created an inspiring legacy of love and charity that will help support MHBBCH for generations to come.

If you’re interested in learning more about shaping your legacy with a gift to MaineHealth, contact us today at (207) 662-2669 or by email at Legacy@mainehealth.org.

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A Lifetime of Giving Back: Keith and Linda Forrest