While Ann Godwin Moore may no longer be in this world, she will still be helping those in need in her community.

When she passed away in September, she left her estate to The Suffolk Foundation, which received a $275,000 on Tuesday, to distribute funds to those in need.

“It was an extremely generous gift,” said Suffolk Foundation Executive Director Billy Hill. “It’s our first bequest as a foundation, and we’re honored someone entrusted with us their desire to help the community.”

Founded in 2006, the Suffolk Foundation is a nonprofit community foundation with a mission to financially assist the Suffolk community where it is needed most. During the past two years, the foundation has awarded more than $85,000 in its annual grant cycle. During 2008-2009, it awarded more than $190,000 each year in disaster and tornado relief, donor-advised, and annual grants to non-profit agencies, according to Hill.

While the foundation may be new, its work in the community was significant enough for her to choose to leave her estate in its hands.

Moore was born in Suffolk in 1929. After battling cancer for several years, she passed away in September 2009.

During her illness, she thought of the needs of others and hoped her estate could be used to benefit those in need around the city, according to a Suffolk Foundation press release.

It was for that reason she left her estate, valued at more than $275,000. The estate came to the Foundation as an “unrestricted gift,” which Hill called “the most important of all foundation assets.”

“We have numerous ways we can give that money to agencies and those in need,” Hill said. “We’ll invest it and carry out her wishes.”

For more information about the Suffolk Foundation or to learn how to become a benefactor, visit www.suffolkfoundation.org.