Jacksonville Couple’s Generous Gifts Impact Four Local Non-Profits
Jacksonville, Fla. (Sept. 12, 2019) - Four Jacksonville non-profits were recipients of a generous estate bequest from the Honorable John H. Moore, II and Joan Kraft Moore Living Trust. The organizations that received the impactful donations are Community Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation, Dreams Come True, Mayo Clinic, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville. The gift is an enormous boost for all of the non-profits, each of which received a check in the amount of $2.4 million dollars.
Joan Kraft Moore, predeceased by her husband, died on April 21, 2019. Details of their estate plan slowly came to light throughout the summer via notifications from their attorneys to the four organizations.
The Moores, both graduates of Syracuse University, were married in 1951. Mrs. Moore was a high school English teacher, and John Moore was a commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. In 1961, John graduated from the University Of Florida School Of Law. He practiced law in Atlanta and Ft. Lauderdale and retired from the Naval Reserve in 1971. Mr. Moore served as a judge in Broward County from 1967 to 1977 and served as chief judge of that court from 1975 to 1977. From 1977 to 1981, Moore served as a judge on Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach. The Moores relocated to Jacksonville in 1981, when President Ronald Reagan appointed Mr. Moore as Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Moore stayed in this post, acting as chief until 1995. Upon his retirement, he continued to hear cases for several years, acting as a senior judge.
Judge Moore was a strict, yet fair judge and those who worked with him were happy to share anecdotes of their association with the esteemed judge after his death in 2013. In his obituary, it was stated that he abided by “three P’s — be prepared, be punctual and be professional “. Fellow attorneys credit Moore for making them better at their practice.
On Thursday, August 22, the last distribution from the trust was presented by Thomas M. Donahoo, Sr. and Thomas M. Donahoo, Jr., from the law firm of Donahoo & McMenamy, P.A. to Amy Davis, Vice President of the Community Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation. Executive Director Davis stated that, “The Moores were a prime example of giving back to the community. Their legacy will live on through their thoughtful gift that will impact future generations.” For Community Hospice, this means that “We will continue to provide compassionate end of life care, as well as providing for comfort and care for both children and adult patients. This transformative gift will be invested in our endowment, enabling our free programs to continue and grow into the future.”
Executive Director of Dreams Come True, Sheri Criswell, said, “Thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Moore, we are excited to announce the launch of a new scholarship program for our college-bound Dreamers and renovations to our Dream House. Dreams Come True is very grateful for their commitment to our work and for their desire to see our programs continue for many years to come.”
Mayo Clinic in Florida’s Melissa Morgan, Division Chair, Department of Development, stated that, “Mayo Clinic is profoundly grateful for this generous donation from the John H. Moore II and Joan K. Moore Trust”. “Philanthropy fuels our mission, and Justice and Mrs. Moore have established an impressive legacy through their giving, which spans more than two decades. With this current gift, they will bring hope and healing to generations of patients, by helping Mayo Clinic grow, innovate and transform the future of medicine.”
When asked about the impact of the gift, David Shaffer, Director of Operations for Ronald McDonald House said, “We are so fortunate to be one of the recipients of Judge Moore and his wife’s generosity. They have significantly strengthened the charitable community in Jacksonville and this gift will help our organization serve the growing number of children and families who continue to need our programs as the world-class pediatric services offered in Northeast Florida expand.”
Mr. Donahoo, Sr. said that the Moore’s wanted their legacy to make a difference in their hometown of Jacksonville. They believed in the spirit of philanthropy, and it was their desire to support worthy non-profits who impacted lives across different ages and stages of life. Quality of life for children was of particular interest to the Moores, as both of their daughters were born mentally challenged. Mr. Donahoo said that the gifts would ensure “care for children who need care”. The Moores were private about their estate, but through thoughtful planning, they were able to make a significant community impact with each of these four gifts. It is Donahoo’s hope that this charitable gesture will mean a lot to this community and will hopefully inspire others to do the same.