I can’t believe it’s March already! The post-Christmas season is always a busy time of year for us; it just seems to fly by. We’re so grateful for all of the donations we received over the holidays, and we appreciate everyone who thought of us during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.
But did you know there’s another type of giving that’s not tied to the calendar? Planned giving – also known as legacy giving – is the ultimate gift to charity, and it can bring immense joy to you as a donor.
But it’s also something that can make many people uneasy when the topic comes up. That’s a natural reaction, and it’s okay to feel that way. After all, you’re talking about a world that will go on without you, hard as it is to imagine.
At Operation Eyesight, we’re incredibly thankful when we receive legacy gifts from our donors. Some people are able to leave large gifts, while other gifts are small. Yet they all result in something wonderful happening: giving someone you’ll never meet a life-changing gift – the ability to see their world with their own eyes.
- Because a farmer in Manitoba left a generous gift to Operation Eyesight when he died a few years after selling his farm, a five-year-old girl in a remote village in India can attend school because she can now see the board at the front of the schoolroom.
- A mother who was once blind watched her child smile for the first time, thanks to a donation from a schoolteacher in Fredericton who just wanted to make life better for someone.
- Thanks to a gift from a Victoria woman who passed away after a life full of adventure and travel, a father in Zambia who struggled for years to feed his family now has a job and can make ends meet – because he can see.
- A tribal elder in Ghana, who for years was dependent on others for everything because he was blind, has regained his sight and his independence because of a legacy gift from an Ontario man who knew what it was like to have vision problems.
Making a legacy gift to a charitable organization is one of the most personal things you can ever do – and it’s all about your passion and beliefs. Our donors who leave these final gifts put great thought into their personal legacies. They want to know that their gift will be used wisely and carefully. They want to make a difference, to leave their mark and to make our world a better place when they pass away.
Now that the Christmas season is far behind us and spring is just around the corner, why not take a moment and think about the legacy you plan to leave? Despite what many people think, you don’t need to be wealthy to leave a legacy; you just need to care enough to make the world a better place after you’re gone.
We’d be happy to talk with you about making a legacy gift. We won’t tell you what decisions to make (that’s for you alone to decide), but we do want to hear what’s important to you and how you’d like to be remembered. Please contact us – we’d love to help you share your passion for a better world, for all the world to see!