Organized giving

When Lyn Goldman counted the number of gifts she gave to charities last year, she was shocked to discover she made 81 separate donations.

It was then the 69-year-old former journalist and academic decided to plan her gifts more thoughtfully. She wanted to make sure she was providing a meaningful gift to the charities that were closest to her heart.

"If you give small gifts here and there, the money is basically just spent," she says. "If you put a more substantial amount in – say $1000 or $2000 into an endowment, then they just spend the interest on immediate needs but your money stays around for the long run."
She believes this is especially important in helping charities plan long-term funding solutions.

"If you give them the money before you die, then they can invest that as part of your future," Lyn explains. "As I understand it, it’s really quite simple to do it through things like life insurance. I know there are lots of professionals who can help take the weight of planning off your shoulders and you see immediate financial benefits."

Besides her current gifts, Goldman has made provisions in her will to divide her estate among two individuals and 8 charitable organizations.

"So many people have one or two things they support during their lifetime, but they don’t think about it after they’re gone. I don’t have a family and I know the charities need the money," she explains simply. "I guess I feel it’s especially incumbent on me as a single person who has benefited from the community to give something back."