SPECIAL FEATURE
C R E A T E A L E G A C Y
T
he first step in planning your legacy
giving is to decide what legacy you want
to leave behind. "Is there a particular
cause that was close to your heart?
What do you want to be remembered for?" says
Craig Hikida, vice president, donor services,
Vancouver Foundation.
"Remembering your favorite charities in your
legacy plan is an act that is generous, powerful and
surprisingly simple," says Kim Findlay, BC director
of development at The Salvation Army. "Legacy
gifts provide vital, stable support for our work
and whether your estate is large or small, you can
make a difference for so many men, women and
children in our communities for years to come."
Because legacy gifts can be of various sizes and
invested to fulfill or contribute to a long-term giv-
ing strategy, they are often used to fund specific,
ongoing programs.
"Legacy gifts are vital to the tremendous
advancements we have seen over the years
in kidney care," says Ramya Hosak, director of
philanthropy with the Kidney Foundation, BC &
Yukon Branch. Some examples include prediction
and prevention of kidney disease, developing
and improving of dialysis treatment, so kidney
patients can dialyse at home, and breakthroughs
in life-saving organ transplantation and success.
"Legacy gifts will be key to even more discoveries
in the years to come," she says. "We have the power
to relieve the burden of kidney disease, but it's
only possible with donors' help."
CHOOSING A BENEFICIARY
When choosing a charity, think of organizations
that may have supported you or your family in
the past. "Leaving a legacy gift to an organization
that has benefitted your family is a wonderful
way to ensure the organization of your choice
can carry out its mission for many years to come,"
says Greta Shuting Lin, manager, individual
giving, Family Services of Greater Vancouver.
"People should also think about the services they
want their loved ones and neighbours to have
access to in a moment of crisis—like counselling,
community connection, or literacy and life skills
workshops—the things that make life a little
easier in a stressful world."
Mike Leland, vice-president, engagement &
philanthropy, Easter Seals BC/Yukon, recommends
"
Remembering
your favorite charities
in your legacy plan
is an act that is
generous, powerful
and surprisingly
simple. Legacy gifts
provide vital, stable
support for our work
and whether your
estate is large or
small, you can make
a difference for so
many men, women
and children in our
communities for
years to come.
"
–KIM FINDLAY, BC director
of development,
The Salvation Army
SALVATION
ARMY
