FAQs

If you are considering a gift in your will– thank you! Leaving a gift in your will is a powerful way to affirm your values and build a legacy. A bequest gives you the comfort of knowing your assets are available today, while enabling you to leave a larger gift than might be possible in your lifetime.

It’s also one of the most efficient ways to give. In fact, a gift in your will can reduce, even eliminate, the tax burden on your beneficiaries.

A will is the easiest, most effective way to ensure the people and causes you care about are provided for and your assets are distributed according to your wishes. A properly planned will can also reduce, even eliminate, the taxes on your estate.

The name you should include in your will is “The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation”. The Foundation is responsible for raising money and performing estate administration on behalf of the Hospital.

Other than a gift in your will, you can help SickKids by:

• Designating SickKids as the beneficiary and/or owner of a new or existing life insurance policy
• Naming SickKids as the beneficiary of your pension plan, RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA
• Setting up a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust
• Making a gift of property, such as real estate, jewelry, or art

There are many ways to include a charity in your will, but these are the two most common:

Residual Bequest:

Commonly designated as all or a percentage of the estate’s residue, a residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after all debts, bills and taxes have been paid and all specific and general gifts have been distributed.

Legacy Bequest (also known as specific bequest):

A legacy bequest is a gift of a specific dollar amount or asset, such as a house, car, stocks, or securities.

No, SickKids fundraisers are compensated hourly. SickKids adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines. Visit Imagine Canada to learn more about their standards.

Please email volunteers@sickkidsfoundation.com.

We encourage you to first consider an unrestricted donation, which gives us the flexibility to deploy funds in the areas of greatest need—and greatest promise. (We can’t predict where we will need funds down the road, nor can we know what research, projects, or funding will be underway when a gift is realized.) However, if you do decide to designate your gift to a specific area, let us know so we can help with the wording and ensure that your gift goes where you want it to.

No, all data is encrypted in a compliant environment according to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

For safety reasons, we do not allow our fundraisers to accept or carry cash donations. If you are interested in making a donation, please do so using our online donation form.

Our canvassers are equipped with PCI compliant, iPhone 4 handheld devices. It captures credit card information through a secure browser over a Virtual Private Network. The information is not stored on the device nor is it shared with anyone. It’s a safe and accurate way to acquire credit card information necessary for processing donations, and reduces administrative costs and human error.

Please call our monthly Donor Specialist at 416-813-1216 to assist you.

No. SickKids adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines. Our fundraisers are compensated with an hourly wage. To learn more about Imagine Canada and their standards, please visit http://www.imaginecanada.ca/.

The funds raised through our door-to-door canvassing program goes towards the highest priority needs of SickKids, which includes urgent measures to combat COVID-19 as well as supporting the building of a new SickKids.

During this time of crisis for all Canadian hospitals, your support of SickKids Foundation has never been more important.

SickKids has been closely monitoring the developments related to the COVID-19 situation. Health and safety for all is the top priority and we want to ensure our community is protected.

As Ontario continues to see a decline in COVID-19 cases, and as Toronto moves to Stage 3 of reopening, we felt it an appropriate time to cautiously resume this type of fundraising initiative.

We are adhering to public health guidelines to ensure everyone is safe while continuing to fundraise to reach our ambitious goal and build a much-needed new SickKids.

· Canvassers are keeping a safe 2 metre distance while talking to people
· Canvassers are wearing a face mask for safety, using hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes to clean all items they touch
· The entire process is touchless  - your welcome package will now be mailed to you

To review the last several years of financial statements, please visit our Publications and Financials section.

The funds raised through our mall canvassing program goes towards the highest priority needs of SickKids, which includes urgent measures to combat COVID-19 as well as supporting the building of a new SickKids.

We are looking for donors who will stay with SickKids for a minimum of one year. Monthly donations can be downgraded, upgraded or cancelled at any time. 

Each week our map is updated with the towns/cities where canvassers are located.  There may be locations not listed on the map due to last minute changes.  Please check back tomorrow if you do not see your location on the map.

SickKids has been raising money through our mall program since 2004.

SickKids is located in 2-3 malls each week across the GTA and Golden Horseshoe area. We also fundraise at Toronto events throughout the year, and some private sites.

Health and safety are top priorities for both our canvassers and the public. SickKids Foundation has been closely monitoring the developments related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease) and will adjust our fundraising activities as needed.  The risk to the public is still considered low and our fundraisers continue to follow Public Health Ontario recommendations:

• Wash hands often and well
• Exercise good hand hygiene (limit hand shaking, use sanitizing wipes or lotions to clean self and any shared equipment, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth)
• Use Lysol wipes to disinfect pitch cards and tablets
• Stay home if unwell

Running a year-round mall fundraising program requires an extensive amount of resources and expertise. Our mall partner, Public Outreach Consultancy Inc., helps us raise much-needed dollars for the highest priority needs of the Foundation. 

Yes, a Welcome Package with a donor bead bracelet, welcoming you to SickKids will be mailed within 2 weeks

Canvassers are adhering to public health guidelines to ensure everyone is safe while continuing to fundraise to reach our ambitious goal and build a much-needed new SickKids.

· Canvassers maintain a 6-ft /2 metre distance while engaging with the public
· Canvassers wear masks or face shields
· Canvassers will use disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers after every interaction
· Canvassers  will remain a safe distance when speaking to anyone
· Canvassers will not share materials or documents to ensure the entire process is touchless 
· Welcome packages will be mailed
· Canvassers will not work if they are experiencing any symptoms associated with the virus

Please fill out our Change of Address Form or call 416-813-6166 ext. 1216.

SickKids canvassers are compensated hourly. SickKids adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines. To learn more about Imagine Canada and their standards, please visit http://www.imaginecanada.ca.

Yes, after a monthly donation is made, we call to verify and confirm your commitment to becoming a monthly donor. We want to make sure you’re comfortable with the details of your new monthly investment.

You can contact SickKids at 1-800-661-1083 or 416-813-6166. 

No, SickKids does not participate in street fundraising. Many other charities raise money through street fundraising. SickKids, however, is not one of them. 

Yes. You will receive a tax receipt for one-time donations of $20 or more. Tax receipts for monthly donations are mailed in February. 

During this time of crisis for all Canadian hospitals, your support of SickKids Foundation has never been more important. SickKids has been closely monitoring the developments related to the COVID-19 situation. Health and safety for all is the top priority and we want to ensure our community is protected. As Ontario continues to see a decline in COVID-19 cases, and as Toronto moves to Stage 3 of reopening, we felt it an appropriate time to cautiously resume this type of fundraising initiative. We are adhering to public health guidelines to ensure everyone is safe while continuing to fundraise to reach our ambitious goal and build a much-needed new SickKids.         

• Canvassers are keeping a safe 2 metre distance while talking to people         
• Canvassers are wearing a face mask for safety, using hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes to clean all items touched
• The entire process is touchless - your welcome package will now be mailed to you

Unfortunately SickKids turtles are not for sale. SickKids turtles are only given to patients at the Hospital.

New donors are mailed a Welcome Package and should receive it within two weeks. Any donation that involves a minimum of $30/month, allows SickKids to give a turtle to a child at the Hospital. If you provide your email, you will receive a confirmation email, updates on how your donation is helping, and our e-newsletters throughout the year. 

Yes, a Welcome Package with a donor bead bracelet, welcoming you to SickKids will be mailed within 2 weeks

108084419RR0001

No. This information is kept strictly confidential unless the donor instructs us otherwise. 

Our Charitable Business Number is: 10808 4419 RR0001 

SickKids Foundation will accept gifts restricted to a specific purpose at The Hospital for Sick Children provided the Hospital can reasonably utilize the gift. The Foundation applies a fee to all restricted donations of 10 per cent. This fee provides the Foundation with increased capacity to raise and grant funds for paediatric health priorities, as we strive to advance children’s health in Canada and around the world. The fee also allows the Foundation to cover its administrative costs such as stewardship, granting, and reporting. If changed circumstances should at some future time make it, in the view of SickKids Foundation acting reasonably, impractical to continue to apply the gift to the designated purpose, SickKids Foundation may redesignate the purpose of the gift using its best efforts to adhere as closely as possible to the original intent of the gift. Any redesignation by the Foundation will be informed by input from the donor.

Through careful planning, it is possible to eliminate taxes owed by your estate. Instead of paying taxes, you can choose to make a significant gift to help SickKids, without compromising your family's financial security.

Should you have questions or require more information, please contact: 

The Gift & Estate Planning Team 

Email: gift.planning@sickkidsfoundation.com 

Phone: 416-813-8271 or 1-800-661-1083 ext. 8271 

Or complete our online request form.  

You can make a donation in the following ways:

Online

Phone: 416-813-6166 or 1-800-651-5825

Cash/In Person Donations

Visit us at our SickKids Foundation office: SickKids Foundation 525 University Avenue 14th Floor Toronto, ON M5G 2L3

Hours of operation

 Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. 

Holiday Hours

(November 26 - December 17, 2016): Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit Us at the Hospital 

The Hospital for Sick Children (located in the Hospital Atrium): 555 University Avenue Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Yes, upon request. When a donation is made, we send a card to the family or individual who is being honoured, acknowledging your generous donation. Visit our Card page for more information. If you would like to send a card but forgot to please call (416) 813-6166.

By becoming a monthly donor, you are making a thoughtful and lasting investment in SickKids. This program allows you to donate on a monthly basis and shows your continuous dedication towards improving our children's health. There are two payment options - credit card or withdrawals from your chequing account. The generosity of friends like you that is what funds the fight at SickKids. Your loyalty enables our winning tradition. Become a monthly donor today. 

Download our annual reports from our Publications and Financials section.

Yes. Named endowment funds can be established during a donor’s lifetime and can be funded in part or completely through future giving. These endowments are considered gifts in perpetuity, and it’s possible for your family to continue contributing to, and receiving updates about, these funds. SickKids acknowledges cumulative lifetime and future gifts for the recognition, which can include naming, an inscription on our Donor Wall, and other forms of recognition. 

Please visit our Host An Event page for more information. 

Gifts in kind to SickKids Foundation can help to raise funds through prize draws, live and silent auctions, SickKids auctions on eBay, and in many other ways. Beneficial items for fundraising purposes include electronics, new teddy bears, toys and games, sporting event or concert tickets, gift certificates, and SickKids-branded materials. Read our Gift in kind Guidelines for more information. 

In March 2018, the Ontario government under Premier Kathleen Wynne announced up to $2.4 billion for a new SickKids. Three months later, before the pledge could be fulfilled, Wynne’s government lost the provincial election. Premier Doug Ford’s recent funding commitment replaces Wynne’s pledge.

SickKids is both a local children’s hospital and a global leader in paediatric health-care. We treat broken arms and appendicitis, rare brain cancers and fetal heart defects. Our patients come from across the city, province and country, and even the world for treatments not available in their home community. For children and families in medical crisis, we are a beacon of hope. We’ve always been on the frontlines in the fight for child health, but today our biggest battle is against the limits of an old building. At a time when patient volume and disease complexity are increasing, SickKids stands at a critical crossroads, severely limited in our ability to provide state-of-the-art care in an antiquated building.

For any new health-care build, provincial funding formulas require that the hospital contribute at least 25% of the total project costs. For SickKids, that works out to $600 million, regardless of how much the government contributes. To reach this goal, we must rely on the generous support of donors.

The Ontario government grant will support design and construction costs of a new SickKids.

SickKids is a vital provincial—and national—service. Rebuilding the hospital is just as vital. Because it’s such a large, important capital project, costs must be shared by a combination of government, hospital, and donor support.

Please contact Kelly Trickett, Director, Gift & Estate Planning at:

Phone: 1.800.661.1083 ext. 5225 or 416-813-5225

Email: Kelly.Trickett@sickkidsfoundation.com

Mail:

SickKids Foundation

Attn: Kelly Trickett, Gift & Estate Planning Team

525 University Ave, Suite 835

Toronto, ON M5G 2L3

Please visit our page on International Giving or contact: Jane Cornelio at 416-813-7680 or jane.cornelio@sickkids.ca.

Please visit the Donate Good and Services page for more information.

Please visit The Hospital for Sick Children website for information on volunteering. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian government has provided individual Canadians until June 1st 2020, to file their 2019 tax return.

For details on how this impacts you, please visit the Canada.ca website.

1. Speak to your lawyer about drafting or revising your will by adding a codicil, an essential step to protect your family’s future and to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

    

2. Add the appropriate bequest wording in your will, which our team can help tailor to your specific area of interest. (For sample wording, see “How should I word my bequest?” below.)

    

3. Let us know about your bequest so we can show our appreciation and ensure your intentions are properly understood and honoured. (See “What’s your contact information?” below)

SickKids treats everything from broken arms and appendicitis to rare brain cancers and congenital heart defects. Every year, some 100,000 patients come to us from across the province, country and even the world for specialized care, while our scientists are making important medical discoveries every day. Our research breakthroughs also have implications in the adult world including expanding knowledge on diseases such as dementia and brain tumours.

For all our triumphs—clinical and research—legacy gifts have been instrumental, helping create our storied Research Institute, where scientists created Pablum, discovered the cystic fibrosis gene, and continue to crack the code of childhood cancers and heart disease. Legacy gifts have enabled SickKids to become a world-class leader for intensive care, organ transplants, and complex heart surgeries. It’s because of our donors that we’ve grown from a community hospital to a global leader in child health.

Once you let us know that you’re leaving a gift in your will to SickKids, we’ll invite you to join the J.P. Bickell Society. You’ll be recognized on the SickKids Donor Hall of Honour in the Hospital’s main corridor, either with your name or in honour of a loved one. You can also choose to remain anonymous, while retaining the many benefits of the Society, including a subscription to our newsletter SickKids Legacies and invitations to exclusive SickKids events like the J.P. Bickell annual luncheon.  If you are interested in becoming a J. P. Bickell Society member, please contact us at 416.813.8271 or gift.planning@sickkidsfoundation.com.

Specific wording depends on the type of gift and its designation, but here are some examples:

Residual Bequest

“My estate trustees shall pay ______(all or %) of the residue of my estate to The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, Toronto, ON, for the purpose of supporting its highest priority needs.”

Legacy Bequest

“My estate trustees shall pay the sum of $ ______ (or transfer assets with an equal value) to The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, Toronto, ON, for the purpose of supporting its highest priority needs."

No. In addition to cash, online, or by check and appreciated stocks or real property, U.S. donors may also make planned gifts via Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children. For Bequests and Trusts, Friends must be the designated charitable beneficiary in order for the charitable remainder trust to qualify for U.S. estate tax and income tax deductions.

Yes, Friends can help U.S.-based donors and their legal and tax advisors choose the best donation vehicle and explore the significant income and estate tax advantages of making cash or planned gifts to SickKids Foundation. As always, seeking legal and tax counsel to review your situation is advisable before making significant gifts.

Friends maintains an account with Fidelity Investments for these types of gifts.

Please contact Susan Flaherty at (202) 833-0033 to alert us to any gift of securities or wired funds and to obtain the details of the Fidelity account transfer instructions.  

If you are an individual or business corporation donor interested in making a contribution to Friends for which you may obtain a U.S. income tax charitable deduction, please make your check payable to “Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.” and mail it to:

Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.

EIN 52-1432586

c/o Roha & Flaherty

1725 I Street, N.W. Suite 300

Washington, DC 20006-2423

You can write to, or email, Susan L.Q. Flaherty, Counsel to Friends.

Her contact information is:

Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.

c/o Roha & Flaherty Attention: Susan L.Q. Flaherty

1725 I Street N. W. Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006-2423

Phone: 202.833.0033

e-mail: slqflaherty-ngolaw@juno.com    

Please see the document titled “Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children – Donor Information” for more detailed information about Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.

You can review detailed financial information such as Friends’ annual IRS Form 990 by visiting GuideStar

U.S. Federal laws only generally allow an income tax deduction for gifts given to qualified U.S. charities. Direct contributions from U.S. resident donors to Canadian charities, such as SickKids Foundation, are generally not tax deductible in the U.S. 

Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc. is often referred to as simply Friends. It is an independent American charity that accepts gifts from U.S.-based individual or corporate donors who wish to support The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. Friends and SickKids Foundation (a Canadian not-for-profit children’s charity that raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children) are completely independent of each other, each with its own independent board of directors. 

Yes. Visit donor advised fund www.networkforgood.org and click on “Donate” to make a credit card gift to Friends. You can search for Friends by its full name “Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.”, or by EIN 52-1432586. Be sure to check the box that enables Friends to receive information about your donation. 

There are other on-line donor advised funds as well, such as www.justgive.org, which features giving options such as charity wedding registries, charity gift certificates and other features.   

You may make a request for the use of the funds. However, Friends’ Board of Directors must retain discretion and control over the use of donated funds. The board of Friends strives to honor a request or a wish made by a donor.

SickKids, with the assistance of Friends, has a tradition of caring for children from all over the world. We collaborate with healthcare organizations in more than 75 countries, helping to build sustainable, integrated programs dedicated to child health. Thousands of patients come to SickKids from outside of Ontario, including from across Canada and U.S. and around the world, each year. You can help by building a legacy to support a vision of improving children’s health worldwide. 

Yes. Have the matching gift program contact:

Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.

c/o Roha & Flaherty

Attention: Susan L.Q. Flaherty

1725 I Street N. W. Suite 300

Washington, DC 20006-2423

Phone: 202.833.0033

e-mail: slqflaherty-ngolaw@juno.com

No. Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, and we’re grateful for every dollar. Even 1% of your estate can make a huge difference in improving the lives of sick children and their families.

Yes. Not only would we like to thank you, but we want to ensure that your gift is properly recognized, and your intentions are understood and honoured. We can also provide the right wording, particularly if you’re designating your gift to a specific area. We understand that creating a gift in your will is one of the most personally significant gift you can make and we will respect your wishes with regards to how much recognition or anonymity you would like.

Letting us know of your future gift is not legally binding in any way, but it does help the Hospital plan for the future when we know we have community support into the future to continue investing in child healthcare.

A “receipt” refers to any document issued by the Foundation to confirm that it received something from another party. A “charitable receipt” is for income tax purposes and allows donors to reduce their income tax. “Gift confirmations” are issued by the Foundation to donors to confirm a gift where a “charitable receipt” is not warranted. 

If you did not receive your tax receipts right away, please check your spam and junk email folders. If you still have not received your tax receipt after 12 hours, please email us at donor.inquiries@sickkidsfoundation.com or call us at 416-813-6166.

To minimize administrative costs, paper tax receipts are issued for donations of $20 or greater. For online donations, e-tax receipts do not have a minimum donation.

Your receipt for the current tax year will be mailed out at the end of February of the following year. You should receive your tax receipt in early March.

Absolutely.  You can become a donor by using our online donation form, or by visiting us at:

SickKids Foundation 

525 University Avenue

Suite 835

Toronto, Ontario

M5G 2L3

Running a year-round telemarketing fundraising program requires an extensive amount of resources and expertise. Our telemarketing partner, Causeworx, helps us raise much-needed dollars for the highest priority needs of the Foundation. SickKids has been raising money through our telemarketing program since 2012 .

A decision will be based on your interests, availability, ability to perform the tasks required, available opportunities, and successful completion of our volunteer engagement intake/screening process. Some volunteer roles require more screening, and others less. It depends on what you’re interested in doing. Completing a volunteer application form does not guarantee you a volunteer role.

Many Foundation volunteer opportunities do not require that you have any previous experience, unless otherwise indicated.  

It really depends on you, and the role you have been assigned. Think about how much time you want to devote to your volunteer activities, and what will be manageable. You can always start off with a few hours here and there, then build towards more hours and responsibility.  

Definitely! The more the merrier. We require all volunteers to complete the volunteer application form. If you’d like to volunteer together for the same event or activity, please be sure to let us know, so we can place you as a group. We will try our best to accommodate these requests, but can’t always guarantee this due to limited availability.

The hospital manages its own volunteer intake process. Please visit the hospital's volunteer page.

Visit our Current Opportunities section for more information.

SickKids provides each fundraiser with the following:  

• ID badge with photo, full name and fundraiser ID #. (Trainees are given a “Professional Fundraiser Trainee” badge with no photo, full name or fundraiser ID #).
• SickKids branded lanyard 
• SickKids branded iPad bag containing a tablet
• SickKids Patient Postcards (for monthly donations of $30 or more)
• SickKids Laminate with information about our fundraising
• SickKids Welcome Packages
• SickKids Bookmarks
• Weather permitting, SickKids branded winter jacket (optional), SickKids summer golf shirt (optional), toques and branded winter gloves.

 If further verification is required, you may contact SickKids Foundation at 1-800-661-1083 or donor.services@sickkidsfoundation.com.

If you would like to update your name, address, phone number or you would like to update your credit card or banking information for your monthly gift, please complete our online form or contact us by telephone at 416-813-6166.

In the event that your receipt has been lost or misplaced or you have moved, a duplicate receipt can be issued. Please complete the following form.