What is LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan?

LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan is an initiative of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners in southern Saskatchewan. It is a community-based public awareness campaign designed to promote interest in charitable giving through a will or an estate plan.

LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan is a bold project, aimed not just at donors who traditionally support not-for-profit, but at the entire population of southern Saskatchewan. Individuals are encouraged to work with estate planning professionals to establish a charitable gift in a will or other planned gift.

LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan works hand in hand with professional advisors and not-for-profit organizations including social service agencies, foundations, educational institutions, health organizations, amateur sports organizations and other religious, environmental, philanthropic, and arts and culture groups to encourage planned giving.

LEAVE A LEGACY™ began in Ohio and is being replicated at the community level across North America.

Who benefits from LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan?

LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan is a community-wide program that benefits all not-for-profits, large or small. It involves a large education component for volunteer boards, development professionals, and professional advisors.

How does LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan help my community?

The encouragement of bequests and other planned gifts helps the not-for-profit sector become more independent of the variations in annual private support and government funding that make the delivery of many services in our communities difficult. LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan helps by providing a public service that encourages people to plan their estates and to leave a gift to the organizations of their choice. In doing so, citizens will ultimately help the not-for-profit sector become more independent and increase its ability to respond to vital community needs.

Why is LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan necessary now?

Between 1990-2010, 3.5 million Canadians are expected to die (MacLeans, Nov. 1990), leaving an unprecedented $1 to $1.5 trillion to their families and the community. But seven out of ten Canadians do not have a will. If this trend continues, about 2 million Canadians will die intestate (without a will) before 2020. Without a will, these people will have lost the ability to control the distribution of their estate to their chosen beneficiaries, including family and community.

Not-for-profits and the estate planning community need to reach out beyond their donors and client base, to ensure that a greater percentage of the population have done some estate planning, and that those who wish to leave a legacy for their community have had an opportunity.

What resources does LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan need?

The LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan Committee is seeking financial and in-kind resources and volunteer help.

In cooperation with charities, non-profits, sponsors, allied professional, volunteers and community groups, the LEAVE A LEGACY™ South Saskatchewan campaign seeks to be a catalyst that encourages individuals to prepare their wills properly. At the same time, the campaign strives to strengthen the not-for-profit sector’s ability to meet the needs of our increasingly diverse community. This province-wide effort is an effective way to encourage individuals to build their communities.