When Ted and Christina Unkel decided it was time to bring their ten-year-old daughter Quinn into their family's giving conversations, they didn't start with a spreadsheet – they started with pictures. As former FIFA referees, the pair have spent years reading the field, making quick calls, and keeping things moving forward. That same instinct for teamwork and shared purpose shapes how they approach their family's philanthropy and how they're building something that Quinn can grow into alongside them.
With Gulf Coast on board as a trusted teammate, they are working together toward the ultimate goal: a family legacy built on the values that matter most to them. In Gulf Coast’s philanthropic arsenal are a range of tools to help families like theirs clarify what giving means to them and how they want their values to shape that legacy.
One of those tools, the 21/64 Picture Your Legacy® exercise, uses images to express values and priorities to ultimately create a stronger foundation for intentional action. Developed by 21/64, a nonprofit focused on multigenerational philanthropy and family engagement, the exercise navigates the often hard-to-articulate questions of why they give and what they want their legacy to reflect.
For the Unkels, it became something more meaningful than they anticipated.
“We’ve been wanting to introduce our daughter to philanthropy and how she can positively impact others and understand more why it’s important to us as a family,” the Unkels shared. “The Picture Your Legacy® exercise we went through with Sasha [Pyatte, Gulf Coast’s Director of Philanthropic Partnerships] turned into a session that was emotional, introspective, and nostalgic. It reinforced the bond we share and, in the same breath, the individuality of her passions. We would recommend everyone go through the process, as an individual or together."
It’s the perfect balance of examining motivations and the ‘why’ behind them, and importantly, how we can use them for good.”
Gulf Coast integrates exercises like Picture Your Legacy® into a broader philanthropic advisory approach that is personal and adaptable. Multiple members of the Philanthropy Team are trained to support families using this tool, including certified facilitators Pyatte and Phillip Lanham, President | CEO.
“The strength of this work is in what it reveals,” Sasha shared. “It gives families clarity around what matters most and how those values can guide their decisions, both in and outside of philanthropy. With the Unkels, that clarity is already turning intention into something they can build together.”
That balance is where multi-generational giving finds its footing. It's not a single decision; it's a game that builds over time. Each generation brings its own perspective to the field. Those views don't always align perfectly, but that tension is where something stronger – and ultimately more lasting – gets built.
For families like the Unkels, the goal isn't just to give. It's to create something active and enduring, where each generation adds to what came before. A legacy isn't a final score. It's the momentum you build along the way.
To explore how your family can create a shared giving legacy, connect with the Gulf Coast Philanthropy Team to expand your impact across generations: PhilanthropyTeam@GulfCoastCF.org.
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