The YMCA BC Foundation promotes, supports and funds the YMCA to build healthier communities for this generation and generations that follow.
The Foundation is a separate registered charity that supports the social life-enhancing programs and initiatives of YMCA BC. This support is made possible thanks to the generosity of individuals who have made a legacy gift to the YMCA.
Leaving a legacy through the YMCA BC Foundation is about building sustainable futures to help generations of children and families thrive, promote healthy living and creating belonging and connection. Your legacy makes sure that the YMCA is supported, and gives you an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of others—in your lifetime and beyond. The YMCA BC Foundation's impact is great—thanks to donations like yours.
The YMCA BC Foundation Invests in Community
Ways to Give to the Foundation
There are many ways to leave a legacy through the YMCA BC Foundation—we are here to help you meet your philanthropic goals. You can set up a named fund, contribute to an existing one, or make a legacy gift in various ways. Careful planning can mean more for family and charity, with less taxes payable from your estate. With all legacy giving, we strongly recommend that you speak with your financial advisor, your family, to ensure you are choosing the legacy option that is right for you.
The YMCA BC Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and issues tax receipts for all donations.
Here a few of the most popular ways to give:
Cheque
Cheques can be made payable to "YMCA BC Foundation," with the name of your fund noted in the memo line. For donations over $25, you will receive a charitable donation receipt for the year in which the contribution was made.
Credit Card
You can donate in memory or in tribute of a loved one or directly to your fund at any time by credit card (VISA or MasterCard), by clicking here. You may also want to consider setting up monthly or quarterly recurring giving through your credit card. This is an easy way to give and, if at any time you want to stop, increase or decrease the amount, just contact us at giving@bc.ymca.ca.
Publicly Traded Securities
A gift of publicly traded securities is the transfer of ownership of stocks of bons to the YMCA BC Foundation. If you own shares that have increased in value, 50 per cent of the capital gains are taxable. However, if you don't these shares in-kind, the entire gain is tax-exempt.
Planning for a Future Gift
You can give a transformational legacy gift in a variety of ways. If you have left a gift in your will let us know so we can include you as a Heritage Club Member.
Leave a Gift in Your Will
Consider leaving a gift in your will (bequest) to the YMCA BC Foundation. An official receipt for income tax purposes will be sent to you when the bequest is received. Bequests can be a specific dollar amount or a residual gift (the entire residue or portion of your estate). Most lawyers require the name of the charity and charity number for your will:
YMCA BC Foundation, Charitable Registration Number - 803 976 471 RR0001.
If you require further wording, please do not hesitate to contact heather.duross@bc.ymca.ca or 604.622.4954.
Named Designated Funds
Establish a named endowment in honour of a loved one or in honour of your family with a gift of $25,000 or greater. Both current or deferred gifts are possible. Named funds enable friends and family members to make tribute gifts, in memoriam gifts, and special occasion gifts (birthdays and anniversaries) to celebrate your wishes for generations.
Other Ways you can consider to give, by speaking to your financial expert is RRSP/RRIF/TFSA and/or Life Insurance.
More giving opportunities
If you are interested in learning about the following ways you can give to YMCA BC, please email us at giving@bc.ymca.ca.
Ellen Bell YMCA Memorial Scholarship
Ellen Bell, a talented and creative individual who worked in the field of marketing and advertising, was a committed volunteer to YMCA BC. She will forever be remembered for her boundless energy, intelligence, kindness, and willingness to commit herself to the betterment of the community.
In her memory, Ellen’s friends and family have created a scholarship. This scholarship will be granted to an individual or individuals who demonstrate the above qualities. It will be awarded to a female student registered in a college or university academic program who is specifically planning to pursue a career in marketing and advertising.
Gifts in Memory
To honour someone’s memory, many families prefer donations to charity in lieu of flowers. You can choose how you would like the gift to be directed and donors will receive a tax receipt. Some families wish to name a special fund after a loved one, with the proceeds going to support a YMCA program or service that is of special interest to the family.
Heritage Club
When you remember YMCA BC in your will, you are joining a group of individuals who believe, as you do, that the YMCA is a trusted and valuable charity that can be counted on to deliver programs that benefit the community, now and in the future. The YMCA provides opportunities for you to keep in touch with this group of passionate individuals through our own annual Heritage Club Luncheon, and our twice yearly newsletter, Newsworthy.
To find out more about how you can join the YMCA's Heritage Club, contact heather.duross@bc.ymca.ca.
Newsletter
Newsworthy
Members of the YMCA Heritage Club receive the latest edition of the Newsworthy newsletter multiple times per year. This newsletter of the YMCA BC Foundation includes feature stories on how your gifts are making a difference in the lives of men, women, children and families across the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Prince George, Vanderhoof, and Kamloops.
Please click below to read our most recent copy of Newsworthy. This digital edition is an accessible copy compatible with screen readers.