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Include First in Your Will

Become a Friend of FIRST

Your generosity could help ensure critical social services are available to the most vulnerable members of our community for years to come.

A bequest is a profound and lasting demonstration of your values and ideals. Plus, a bequest to a registered charity such as FIRST UNITED, generates a receipt to your estate for the full value of your bequest, amounting to a significant tax credit applied to your final tax return. We encourage you to consult with a professional advisor as you plan your estate settlement.

Leaving a Legacy

You can choose to leave your gift undirected, which enables us to use funds where they are needed most, or you may direct your gift to any of our program areas. Bequests support our annual operations each year, providing critically-needed funding to deliver our programs and services. We also hold a number of invested funds, the Chalmers United Church Fund, the Brownridge Fund, and the Mountain View Fund in which the capital of each fund is invested and the profits are used to support the organization’s annual operations and programs. You may choose to make your gift to one of these funds (identified in our audited financial statements as internally restricted funds), or to our annual operations for immediate impact.

Share Your Intentions

When you arrange a bequest to FIRST UNITED, please let us know so we can thank you! As a recognized Friend of First your support will be acknowledged in many ways including special invitations to events and a listing in our annual report. If you wish to remain anonymous, please let us know. Get in touch with our Director of Development and Communications, Katie Koncan, [email protected] to discuss.

Help Us Plan to Receive Your Gift

Knowing the particulars of your gift helps us plan our programming with greater certainty. Details of your intention are kept confidential. Please consider sending us a letter with a photocopy of the portion of your will that refers to your legacy gift to us. We appreciate having a record of your wishes in writing if you are comfortable providing it.

How to Leave a Gift in Your Will

Include a clause in your will that details your wishes. The most important thing is to clearly identify the recipient charity. Include our full name, First United Church Community Ministry Society, and our charitable tax number – CRA# 82672 6135 RR0001. Here are three common examples of bequest wording:

  • Residue of your estate: All the residue of my estate, including, without limitation, real and personal property, I give, devise, and bequeath to First United Church Community Ministry Society, CRA# 82672 6135 RR0001.
  • Specific dollar amount: I give, devise, and bequeath to First United Church Community Ministry Society, CRA# 82672 6135 RR0001, $_____.
  • Percentage of your estate: I give, devise, and bequeath to First United Church Community Ministry Society, CRA# 82672 6135 RR0001, __% of my estate.

Questions?

Please get in touch with Katie Koncan, Director of Development and Communications at 604.335.9334 or [email protected] to discuss your plans and questions.

I’m a member of West Point Grey United and have supported the work of FIRST UNITED for a long time. In my early days as a volunteer, I would come down to play cribbage with folks in the Centre. I met a struggling young esthetician there who suggested the Foot-Care Program, and I helped get it started. As I learned more about the impact of programs and services, I took on larger responsibilities and chaired the board in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Leading fundraising activities was a large part of my duties, and I continue to be a committed annual donor. Today, I make gifts of publicly traded securities, which both provide a greater tax advantage and allow me to make larger gifts. I am leaving a gift in my will to First, and am very pleased that I can contribute into the future this way.

-Ian Housego

How You Help