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What is Annual Giving?
Gifting annually to Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region has an immediate impact on our services because it supports all aspects of Pathways’ programming—becoming a Pathways Angel and contributing an annual gift of support assists Pathways in helping to inspire and empower young people in crisis to turn their lives around. Annual Gifts also help to enrich existing services and programs while developing innovative strategies to help. Each contribution assists in ensuring that our youth have a safe place to go for basic needs or to work on their issues and our parents and caregivers can find the information and support they need to care for their little ones.

Giving Priorities
Donors are encouraged to contribute to our COMMUNITY FUND which supports Pathways’ most immediate needs. To maintain our services, provide the support needed and make sure our clients are receiving the best possible solutions Pathways relies on support from its partners, parents, and friends.

How is my gift used?
By making a gift to the Annual Fund, your contribution is used where it is needed most by Pathways. Or, you may direct your gift to a specific program, service or area of interest to you.
Every gift makes a difference and helps to purchase items or sustain vital programs that help build developmental assets within our children, youth and families. Here are just a few ways in which your annual gift works for Pathways:

$25 – food vouchers
$50 – Two movie passes
$100 – basic necessities such as clothes
$150 –One-on-one parenting workshop
$250 - Group parenting workshop
$1,000 – Sponsor one activity at our recreation club at Home Base(Bike Club, Wilderness program)
$2,500 – Sponsor one 8 week Mother Goose Program for 15 caregivers and their children
$5,000 - Host 10 anger management/ family counseling sessions
$10,000 – Host 20 physical and mental health classes for one year
$15,000 – Deliver five, 8 week parenting programs with 12 caregivers and their children per program
$20,000 – Allow our Aftercare program to run for another 2 months
$25,000 – Deliver our Mother Goose program for a full two years providing vital support to 200 caregivers and their children
$30,000 – Sponsor Life Skills delivery for a year to all programs
$50,000 – Provide food for one year to our youth residences and our Home Base Youth Drop In program.
$75,000 – Upgrade our two residences with new windows, doors, carpeting and flooring.
$100,000 – Deliver our recreation program for one year to all our youth and families
$150,000 – Provide Aftercare Services for one year that will help

These are guidelines only. Each level has several programs associated with the value and your gift can be used as you designate.

Monthly Giving/Membership
Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region is able to provide assistance to homeless or vulnerable youth, parents and children in York Region as a direct result of donations from people like you. However, there is a way that your gift can work even harder. We invite you to join the Pathways Angels - an opportunity to provide regular monthly contributions to the work of Pathways. Your contributions help Pathways with administration, operational and program expenses. 

Your commitment to a small monthly gift provides ongoing and steady funding for our important programs. As a Pathways Angel member, you will be regularly updated on initiatives, the capital campaign, events, and client success stories.

PLANNED GIVING

Legacy Gifts
Legacy Giving is a heartfelt way to support the causes you care about without using your current assets. For many donors, a charitable bequest or other such legacy gift is a vital component in their estate plan.
We welcome the opportunity to work with you and your advisors in arranging a gift to Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region that best suits your desire to make a difference.

Legacy Gifts are not given right away. They come in various forms and can allow you to:

The assets you hold today can start giving to the generations of tomorrow. Let us help you find the Legacy Gift that makes sense for you. Please contact our Development Director, Stephen Lollar at 905-471-7877 or mail to : slollar@pathwaysyorkregion.org.

We encourage you to consult with your accountant, lawyer, or financial planner to discuss which method is best for you.

Bequests in a Will
A will is a vital component to remembering your family and friends, but did you know that you can use your will to make a charitable bequest to an organization you believe in? You can name Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region (Pathways) as the direct beneficiary of specific assets, a portion of your estate, or the residue of your estate. A bequest is also a valuable tax asset. Should you decide to pursue this option, please advise us so that we may plan for your gift more efficiently.

Life Insurance
A new or existing life insurance policy donated to Pathways (as owner and beneficiary) gives you the opportunity to make a substantial contribution for the future, with a relatively low payment today. A gift of life insurance may be separate from your estate and not subject to estate or trust costs. Premium payments or cash surrender values of such policies earn tax credits, meaning that your future gift saves tax dollars today.

Charitable Gift Annuity
A Charitable Gift Annuity is an option that offers significant benefits to both Pathways and you. Can you imagine receiving a regular income from your donation during your lifetime, and knowing that this investment will benefit your community youth and families? By using this option, you can. An annuity also offers significant tax credits and estate planning advantages.

Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity
Similar to a gift annuity, except that payments begin at a future date.

Gifts of Stock, Securities, Bonds, Mutual Funds and RRSPs
Donating appreciated stocks, securities or mutual funds directly to Pathways is more cost effective than selling the stock and making a cash gift. There are many attractive tax incentives available to you with this program. Please contact us for further information. 

The capital gains inclusion rate is now 0% for donations of publicly listed securities and publicly listed securities acquired through employee stock options. Securities donors will no longer be subject to capital gains tax on donations of securities, and are still entitled to receive a charitable donation tax receipt for the fair market value (FMV) of the securities donated.
As a result, donating securities to a charitable organization may produce a greater tax benefit than selling the shares first, and then donating the cash

Charitable Remainder Trusts
These trusts provide flexibility in choosing a suitable income arrangement to meet your needs.

Charitable Lead Trust
Assets (cash and securities) are transferred to a trust that pays income to Pathways for a predetermined time period. This option lets you receive a donation receipt for the present value of the remainder of the interest within the year of your gift.

Real Estate
Gifts of real estate offer a popular alternative to cash donations. For more information, please contact Stephan Lollar at 905-471-7877 or consult your financial advisor or accountant to discuss if this method is of benefit to you.

In Memoriam
When you make a donation in memory, we will send a card to the next of kin to notify them of your gift either by email or post. Our cards are a thoughtful way of expressing remembrance of a person who has passed. Your donation will go toward honouring a life and caring for future generations. You will be sent a tax receipt for the total of your gift, but we keep the amount confidential. In other words, the dollar amount of your gift does not appear on the card.

In Honour Of
When you make a gift in honour of a wedding, anniversary, birthday or other special event, we will acknowledge you gift by email or post to the recipient to notify him/her of your gift. Rather than a token, consider sending a card to say you care and want to invest in our youth, families and build a healthier community. You will be sent a tax receipt for the amount you choose, but we keep the amount confidential. In other words, the dollar amount of your gift does not appear on the card

Matching Gifts
Pathways accepts matching gifts from all companies that join with their employees to support charitable organizations through monetary donations.

As a donor, when you make a gift to Pathways please check with your company's Human Resources department to see whether a matching gifts program is offered. If offered, please obtain a form from your company to complete and send to Pathways for verification of your donation so that your company will match your gift. Some companies double, even triple, their employee's gifts to Pathways!!

If you volunteer for Pathways, your company may recognize your efforts with a donation to our agency.

Third Party Events
Host a fundraising event on behalf of Pathways. Please contact Amber Gordon, Resource Development Manager at 905-471-7877 to discuss your ideas, obtain our third party event policy and form and see how we can support your initiatives. Send us an e-mail describing your event details.

Ideas for events:
Scrabble Tournament
A non-event
Golf Tournament
Ping Pong Game
Car Washes
BBQ
Card night
Next Family Dinner
Art Show
Cooking Class
Benefit Concert
Baseball Tournaments
Fun Fairs
Bake Sales
Motorcycle Rides
Bike Rides
Running Races
Backyard Olympics
Office Parties
And so many more…..


Pledges
Make the commitment of a major gift, receive the immediate recognition of your pledged amount, however, pay the pledge amount over an agreed upon amount of time. Pathways will work with you to determine the right commitment amount and how many years your pledge will span. Please download the PDF Pledge form and fax back to 905-471-7949.

Corporate Giving
A donation from your corporation creates a partnership among your company, your employees, Pathways and the community. There are many ways for your company and employees to get involved. Choose an opportunity that's right for you and invest in our community's youth and families. It's good for business!

Sponsor an Event
When Pathways hosts an event, your company can be a sponsor, linking your name to a great event such as our annual Pathways to Wine. www.pathwaystowine.ca
Other opportunities for sponsorships are workshops, our AGM, BBQ’s, a night out for our youth etc.

Donate your Company's Goods or Services
By donating a product or service as a prize or auction item, we can raise more money at a fundraising event or use the money we saved and redirect to the area of greatest need within our organization. Send us an e-mail describing the good/service you can provide.

Create an Employee Fund or Association
One central fund can house all monies raised over the course of the year. You can then purchase a larger item needed to run our programs. Some examples of this would be large appliances such as fridges, stoves, washers and dryers or Televisions and Stereos.

Volunteer
Be a Pathways Angel. Volunteer your time and make your community a better place. Let your company know as they may support your efforts with a financial donation to Pathways. Click here to be redirected to our volunteer page.

Major gifts
A major gift is a large donation, most often given for a designated or specific purpose, such as capital campaign, program or service. These gifts allow for the creation or enhancement of programs and services that enrich the care of our clients at Pathways.

Major gifts are distinctive because their impact is immediate, direct and long-lasting. Pathways have always been grateful to people within our community who continue to generously support our services. These individuals, families and organizations are recognized in a multitude of ways: through acknowledgement in various publications, naming opportunities and with invitations to recognition events.
 

Interesting links for more information on Charitable Giving:

Canadian Revenue Agencies
 
Imagine Canada
 
Association of Fundraising Professionals