Annette Benedict

Inspired by a sign she read on her first visit to the Bronx Zoo's Children's Zoo, Annette Benedict is making a lasting impact on wildlife and wild places across the globe.

For more than 54 years Annette Benedict has contributed to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Annette grew up in Washington Heights with two sisters and a brother. She now lives in the Morris Park area, a short distance from the Bronx Zoo.

Annette and her husband Morris benefited from the educational opportunities in New York City—she holds a Ph.D. in social psychology, and he, now deceased, was a certified public accountant. Together they contributed to institutions like the Bronx Zoo that is a springboard for conservation of the world's wildlife and an ideal learning environment.

In her retirement Annette delights in bringing friends and former colleagues to the Bronx Zoo to visit this fantastic facility.

Annette often quotes the sign she read when she first visited the Bronx Zoo's Children's Zoo: "The human species is pushing every other species off the face of the earth."

Believing that to be a tragedy that will impoverish the natural world, she has established ten charitable gift annuities and included WCS in her will. She has found that gift annuities are a great way to ensure income for the rest of her life while enabling her to generously support our work. She feels that WCS has done a brilliant job in bringing its message of hope for the future of wildlife to the public, making a valuable contribution to the educational resources of New York City.

If you would like to learn more about a gift that pays you back, known as a charitable gift annuity, contact the Office of Planned Giving at 718-220-6894 or plannedgiving@wcs.org.