Even before the age of an all-volunteer military service, James Pappas knew he wanted to serve in the United States Navy, enlisting during his freshman year of medical school in the early 1950s. Dr. Pappas was called to active duty in 1958, where he first served as the Medical Officer for a Mobile Construction Battalion (Sea-Bee) and later treated Navy and Marine personnel and families through the base’s outpatient and emergency clinics. After completing his tour of duty, serving eight years in the Naval Reserve and finishing a residency at Baylor Medical Center, Dr. Pappas came back to his home state of Arkansas, where he had a private Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat) group practice until retiring in 2001.
Being an avid community supporter and successful doctor—particularly one with a giving heart—put Dr. and Mrs. Pappas on every nonprofit’s mailing solicitation list. They carefully considered each request and wrote countless personal checks to support the worthy causes closest to their hearts, but found it was a headache to keep track of all the tax acknowledgement letters. Their trusted financial advisor recommended Arkansas Community Foundation as a way to streamline giving while maintaining the maximum tax benefit. Having a donor-advised fund with the Community Foundation not only allows Dr. and Mrs. Pappas to make financially sound tax deductible gifts and continue their giving with ease, but they can also direct grants to multiple nonprofits knowing their programs are vetted by our informed staff.
The Dr. James and Eva Pappas Charitable Fund supports a wide range of nonprofits, including education and medical causes. But, as you can imagine, his service on Guam continues to shape their giving philosophy. While they give to numerous veteran-related charities, Dr. Pappas specifically supports those who serve disabled and wounded veterans. When asked about why he champions these causes, Dr. Pappas offers a statement we can all agree on: “I have tremendous respect for the men and women who serve in our military and defend our liberties.”
For more information on how you can start a charitable giving plan, contact Ashley Coldiron at 501-372-1116 or acoldiron@arcf.org.