Community's Endowment
Paul and Jacki Kleinheksel
For Paul and Jacki Kleinheksel, Holland isn’t just home – it’s a community they’ve helped shape through decades of quiet service and thoughtful giving. A chance encounter in 1990 at a West Coast Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting blossomed into an enduring love built around faith, family, and connection.
Paul, a Holland native and financial advisor, was seated with Jacki at the head table of a Chamber breakfast. She had recently begun working alongside Bill Vanderbilt at Freedom Village, leading their marketing efforts. Bill made an introduction, and less than two years later Paul and Jacki married.
Paul made it clear during their courtship that Holland was home. He recalls saying to Jacki, “If you don’t want to live in Holland, you should marry someone else.” Jacki grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio and lived for some time in Grand Rapids, but found the unique character of Holland charming. A former educator, she did her homework and visited the local library to learn more about the history of Holland. This research provided some familiarity with her new hometown and proved valuable as she continued her career at Freedom Village.
The strong work ethic, emphasis on faith traditions, and preservation of water and green space are among the many qualities the Kleinheksels admire about Holland. Above all, they value the connections they made. “The people make the place,” Paul noted. “We believe that you get out of the community what you’re willing to put into it. For us, developing relationships has always been a priority.” Among many treasured connections, the Kleinheksels have kept in touch with multiple scholarship recipients from a fund they established with Hope College and Western Seminary.
This philosophy of investment and connection extends throughout their community involvement, driven by their faith. They are longtime members of Christ Memorial Church where they have served as elders, served on search teams, and sung in choir. Paul drives his Ford Model A in the Tulip Time parade each year carrying a student from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holland as a passenger. He also serves on the Board at Evergreen Commons. Jacki volunteers at Hope College’s nursing department, role-playing a patient to help students learn. They also enjoy introducing their network to organizations they support, including the Acton Institute and Hope College. “For us, it’s not always about money. It’s about how we can connect people to the causes we care about,” they shared.
Bill Vanderbilt not only introduced Paul and Jacki to one another; he encouraged them to work with CFHZ to help them achieve some of their charitable goals. As former single parents who now have a blended family, they established the Paul and Jacki Kleinheksel Fund for youth with special needs. The cause is close to their hearts, as autism is in the fabric of their family. “We wanted to honor young people who are exceptional and need a little extra support,” Jacki explained.
The Kleinheksels also worked with CFHZ for charitable estate management. Their attorney, Nick Reister, advised them to consider creating a flexible plan for their legacy gifts that would allow them to respond to changing community needs while ensuring their values are honored after their lifetimes. “The foundation is a good conduit for the charitable portion of our estate. We trust the leadership and the staff to facilitate our wishes with professionalism and care,” said Paul.
Paul and Jacki take a humble approach when asked to consider their legacy. “We hope that people will say we loved well. That how we invested our time, talent, and treasure made people feel special, or made someone else’s day better.”