A Legacy of Hope and Healing: Motz estate directs $100K to Unity House
Teresa Motz brought people together through laughter, friendship, food, music and dance. Hard-working and joyfully unconventional, she believed every person deserves dignity and respect. Due to a series of serious accidents, Teresa lived with chronic pain, said Unity House CEO Darlene Podolak, who met Teresa through her church.
“She knew from lived experience how support, encouragement, and having a partner alongside you could make a big difference,” Darlene said. “She saw that Unity House provides that support to many people who are struggling.”
Teresa passed away in 2024 at age 65, but her values live on. Through her estate plan, Teresa directed $100,000 to Unity House for “programs that empower support through hope and healing for individuals recovering from traumatic life events.”
The gift to Unity House was part of a $1.8 million bequest Teresa made to the Central New York Community Foundation to establish the Hope and Healing Through Empowering Support (HAHTES) Fund. The Foundation will use the fund to provide grants to Cayuga County nonprofit organizations that serve people facing physical or psychological challenges as they rebuild their lives.
Unity House’s Legacy Circle honors Teresa Motz and others who have included Unity House as a beneficiary at any level in their estate plans. To learn more, please contact Chris Iven at chris.iven@unityhouse.org or 315-253-6227, ext. 360.