Memorial Gifts

Often, when someone we love passes we feel the challenge to determine the best way to honour their life and their impact. How do we show our gratitude for them in a meaningful way? If we’re in the process of planning services, how do we help others to direct their well wishes? For many, this has often meant sending well-meaning and beautiful bouquets of flowers. But more and more, we’ve begun to ask instead that donations be made to a charity our loved one valued, or that supported them in life.
These gifts, so often requested, aren’t widely understood. We call them “Memorial” gifts, and they are hugely beneficial to all community-based organizations.  So, what are these gifts?
Simply put, a memorial gift is a gift made to a charity in honour of someone who has passed. Often, requests for these gifts are made in the obituary listing for the individual, or at the location where services are being hosted.
When you make a memorial gift, often you’ll have the opportunity to have a notice of your gift, and a simple card, sent to a loved one of the person who has passed, either by mail or via email. This is a lovely way to show and share your sympathy. These seemingly small tokens can provide comfort to someone, and the small happiness of knowing that they’ve given back to an organization that they and their loved one valued.
As a donor, not only will you know that you’ve honoured your friend or loved one, but your gift may also be eligible for a tax receipt.  Each organization will have a policy dictating what size of the gift that tax receipts are provided for.  As well, you may learn a bit more about someone you hold dear, as you learn more about the organization or charity that is dear to their heart or supported them in life.
Sunbeam gratefully acknowledges the support of all of those who have made memorial donations, and to those that have honoured Sunbeam by designating them as their charity of choice in passing.
If you have questions about the In Memorial gift program, please contact fundraising@sunbeamcentre.com.