Every child deserves to grow up healthy. Their days should be filled with laughter, play and discovery. Sylvie Lamarche shares this deeply held belief with the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation. And it is this belief that inspired her to donate a life insurance policy to the Foundation — a gift of hope for future generations.
“No child asks to be born, let alone with health issues,” she says. “When you fall ill later in life, that’s one thing. But when a child is sick, that’s unfair. It’s important to me to give them the chance to live life to the fullest.”
Sylvie is driven by a strong sense of community and has always felt compelled to give back. “If you’ve been lucky in life, you should share what you have,” she says. “Every act of giving can make a real difference for someone who may not be as fortunate.”
“And when I say ‘fortunate,’ I don’t just mean someone with unlimited wealth,” she adds. “You don’t have to be ultrarich to make a donation.”
Life insurance donation: An effective way to give even more
This desire to make a meaningful contribution has led Sylvie to support many different causes over the years, including the cause of children’s health through the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation. But more recently, she began to wonder how she could extend her impact beyond her lifetime.
Donating a life insurance policy to the Foundation proved to be a solution that was aligned with her values. Through this type of gift, she can put support in place now while planning for the future.
“People tend to give sporadically through donations to one organization or another,” says Sylvie. “But I think a planned gift is a deeper and more sustainable commitment.”
A gift from the heart… and from the head
Beyond its philanthropic impact, a gift of life insurance provides significant tax benefits to the donor, letting them make a sizeable donation at a relatively low cost during their lifetime. All they have to do is pay the annual premiums, for which they will be entitled to annual tax credits, and upon death the charity will receive the insured amount.
“Making a donation through a life insurance policy is a great way to benefit from tax credits during my lifetime. The tax refund is substantial. It lets me maximize what I give, which means I can have an even greater impact on children’s lives.”
Sylvie sees this approach as a win–win for society and for the donor. “Donating is often thought of as an act of pure altruism. It is, but at the same time, if highlighting the tax benefits encourages people to give more, why not?”
She is also keen to challenge the idea that planned giving is only for older individuals. In actual fact, the earlier a donor puts a life insurance gift in place, the more advantageous it can be.
One thing is certain: Sylvie’s generosity will help the teams at Sainte-Justine continue to pursue excellence and provide the best possible care to children and mothers-to-be from across Quebec. “Ultimately, the goal is to save lives. So every contribution matters,” she concludes.
For more information on life insurance donations, contact Nathalie Gagnon, Director, Planned Gifts, and Legal Advisor, at 514 345-4931, ext. 6749, or ngagnon@fondationstejustine.org.
