Calgary, October 15, 2021 – Operation Eyesight has joined more than 500 charities, financial advisors and legal professionals from across Canada for the launch of Will Power™, a national public education effort designed to show Canadians the power they have to make a difference with their wills. Campaign organizers anticipate that if enough Canadians join the effort and leave a charitable gift in their will, as much as $40 billion dollars could be pledged in the next 10 years for important social causes like the elimination of avoidable blindness.
“By leaving a gift in your will to Operation Eyesight, your compassion for others will endure for generations,” says Alena Schock, Operation Eyesight’s Donor Relations Officer. “The ripple effect of your generosity means more than the gift of sight. It means children can thrive in school, grandparents can see the faces of their grandchildren and parents can care for their families through fulfilling employment. With access to clean water and sustainable eye health programs, your kindness will contribute to the overall wellbeing of communities into the future.”
The national participation rate for charitable giving through wills in Canada is currently five percent. The goal of the Will Power™ campaign is to increase it to 8.5 percent by 2030. There are more than 20 countries around the world with similar campaigns aimed at inspiring their public to leave gifts in wills to charity.
Research conducted by the CAGP Foundation shows that 86 percent of Canadians are aware they can leave a charitable gift in a will, but more than 60 percent choose not to because they believe it would take away from their loved ones. But it’s not an either/or proposition – everyone can leave a gift to charity while still taking care of those they love most.
It may come as a surprise that even one percent left to charity in a will can make an enormous impact, while still leaving 99 percent of a person’s estate for their family. Leaving a small portion of an estate to charity could result in a bigger contribution than most people would ever think possible, while still supporting those they love.
We encourage everyone to visit the Will Power™ website to learn about gifts in wills and get tips on estate planning, calculate your potential gift, or contact a financial or legal advisor to take that next step. You can also visit operationeyesight.com/how-you-can-help/leave-a-gift-in-your-will/ to download our Legacy Giving Information Package and free Will Preparation Guide.
About Operation Eyesight
Operation Eyesight is a Canada-based international development organization dedicated to eliminating avoidable blindness in developing countries. It was founded in 1963, and today works in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Zambia, Bangladesh, India and Nepal to prevent blindness and restore sight. Operation Eyesight invests in sustainable treatment, prevention and community development activities to address specific eye health problems as well as the root causes of blindness.
About CAGP and the CAGP Foundation
Will Power™ is a campaign of the CAGP Foundation in partnership with the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP). The CAGP Foundation aims to financially support the development and promotion of excellence in charitable gift planning in Canada; CAGP is a national professional association that brings together charitable fundraisers and advisors advancing strategic charitable giving in their communities. Both organizations believe that we can build a better world by putting the power of philanthropy in the hands of many more Canadians, through gifts in wills and other types of strategic giving. Find out more at www.cagpfoundation.org / www.cagp-acpdp.org
