August marks national Make-A-Will Month, and the YMCA of the Chesapeake is using the observance to remind Eastern Shore families that planning for the future doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. Through a partnership with FreeWill, the Y is offering community members, members and non-members alike, a free, easy-to-use online tool for creating a will or trust.
National research consistently shows that most Americans have not put an estate plan in place. Recent surveys have found that more than half of U.S. adults have no will or estate planning documents at all, often because the process feels time-consuming, expensive, or simply easy to put off. The FreeWill tool is designed to remove those barriers, allowing someone to draft a legally valid will in as little as 20 minutes, at no cost.
“Creating a will is one of the most important things a person can do for the people they love, and it shouldn’t be out of reach for anyone,” said Robbie Gill, YMCA of the Chesapeake CEO. “We’re proud to offer this free resource to our community during Make-A-Will Month and year-round, because peace of mind is something everyone deserves access to.”
The FreeWill platform walks users through decisions about guardianship for children and pets, distribution of property, and other end-of-life wishes. It can be used as a stand-alone document or as a starting point before finalizing plans with an attorney. As part of the process, community members are also invited to consider naming YMCA of the Chesapeake as a beneficiary in their will, trust, retirement account, or life insurance policy, a gift that helps sustain the Y’s youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility programs across the Eastern Shore for generations to come.
Members and friends who have already included the Y in their estate plans are welcomed into the organization’s 1857 Society, which recognizes individuals who have chosen to leave a lasting legacy with the Y.
The free will-writing tool is available now at ymcachesapeake.org, and is open to the public regardless of Y membership status.
About the YMCA of the Chesapeake
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits and one of the largest Human Service organizations on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Virginia and Southern Maryland; strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the Shore and Southern Maryland, Ys engage 50,000 members and their families–regardless of age, income or background–to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve community health and wellbeing, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The YMCA of the Chesapeake operates facilities in Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland and on Chincoteague Island in Virginia. The Y is bringing a new YMCA to Lexington Park, Maryland in St. Mary’s County in June of 2026. Last year, the YMCA of the Chesapeake provided over $2,000,000 in assistance to over 16,000 community members, turning no one away due to inability to pay. Additionally, the Y spent $543,000 on outreach efforts and programming in the communities it serves.
