Planned giving is another way that you can help L’Arche come to Halifax.

By their nature, L’Arche communities always need some income aside from their principal operating support from government. This pays for important items such as day- and retreat centers, the travel of core members and assistants between communities, special events, and so on. For a new community, such as ours will be, L’Arche Canada also requires that we are able to support our Founding Director for an initial two year period. It is for this last need that we are presently fund raising, and that your generous donations have so far been directed.

This ongoing need for some income raised by ourselves leads naturally to the idea of Planned Giving. This is a means of arranging a gift of assets as part of one’s overall estate or financial plan. It has become popular with many charitable organizations, including churches, and has the advantage that the recipient organization knows that a certain amount of income will be coming in the future. In turn, this allows the organization to plan ahead confidently in the knowledge that funds will be there when they are needed.

Planned Giving covers a wide variety of ways of providing support for an organization. It can describe the setting aside ,after discussion with the organization, of funds through a charitable bequest in a will or other gift arrangement. By carefully planning a gift to a L’Arche community you can both support this important ministry and take advantage of increased income tax benefits. L' Arche Halifax is starting a program of Planned Giving. We will keep you advised of the development of the program and, in particular, when expertise is in place to advise donors who may wish to make contributions in this way.