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Christopher Angelo was the kind of person everyone felt privileged to know. Outgoing and funny, he loved to talk about everything from his passion for the New York Yankees and Green Bay Packers to his love of Italian food. "One day he looked at his Uncle Ray and said, 'What would we do if there was no Italian food to eat?'" recalls his father Donald with a smile. Christopher, who held a black belt in martial arts, had enlisted in the Air National Guard and was excited to serve his country.

When Christopher died unexpectedly in 2003 at age 22, his parents Deborah and Donald Angelo, along with his younger brother Jeff, wanted to create something meaningful in his memory. They established a scholarship through the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Grand Lodge of Rhode Island to help children of members pursue higher education. "We received so many donations," Deborah remembers. "It was our way of honoring who Chris was."

The scholarship took on additional meaning in 2012 when it was renamed the Dettore and Angelo Scholarship in remembrance of Deborah's brother, Raymond Dettore, after his passing. Despite being legally blind with only peripheral vision, Ray built a remarkable legal career, passing the bar exam on his first attempt, and practicing privately for many years. He later served as Chairman of the Board of Licenses and then Deputy City Solicitor for the City of Providence. Ray was also National Historian and National Orator for the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. He was active in many civic organizations, dedicating himself to helping others, particularly those with visual impairments.

For nearly two decades, the family personally managed the scholarship. Then Jeff discovered the Rhode Island Foundation. “I always knew the organization existed, but I started looking into it and found out that the Foundation helps people support the causes they care about for the long term—and that's a pretty good thing,” he says.

By establishing their fund as a designated endowment with the Foundation, the family has ensured Christopher and Raymond’s legacy will live on. "When we're gone, we know it will continue, and we don't have to leave the work of taking care of it to Jeff," says Deborah. "It will be invested through the endowment, so it will grow and other people can contribute, and it will still be here, well beyond our lifetimes."