VOLUNTEER

SPECIAL EVENTS
Contribute by becoming a participant, pledging a participant (and get a tax deductible receipt) or volunteer to help raise funds for and awareness of the ALS Society of Alberta. Its often a great way to have fun and meet great people.

The ALS Society of Alberta
Suite 400, 320 23 rd Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2S 2S8

DONATION IN KIND
You may have a unique and/or valuable item that you wish to donate to us or an item, good or service that you believe would be of use. If this is the case, please send a brief description of the item in an e-mail with the title Gift in Kind to info@alsab.ca. We will be sure and reply to find out more about the treasure. Please be aware that due to Canada Revenue Agency rules we may be limited in our ability to provide a tax receipt for such items (depending on the circumstances) but we are more than happy to explore the options.

PAYROLL DEDUCTION
Your employer should have forms to allow for monthly payroll deductions to be donated to the ALS Society of Alberta and the arrangements are fairly easy to make. Should you wish to enter a payroll deduction program with the ALS Society of Alberta being the designated charity and are having trouble getting the paperwork together, send an e-mail with the title Payroll Deduction to info@alsab.ca. The ALS Society will issue a tax receipt for the value of your generous contribution.

MONTHLY GIVING
A monthly giving plan is similar to a payroll deduction plan but differs in that arrangements are made for funds to automatically be charged to your Visa or MasterCard or directly withdrawn from your bank account. One advantage of this is that you are able to take advantage of special affinity and points programs such as AIR MILES. Should you wish to contribute through a monthly giving program send an e-mail with the title Monthly Giving to info@alsab.ca and we will provide you with the information you require.

Air Miles is a registered trademark of AIR MILES International Holdings N.V.

MEMORIAL DONATIONS
This method of donation is probably the most heartfelt of all donations because they most often come from friends and family members of people with ALS who have recently left us. These donations help the ALS Society of Alberta provide necessary support and services to Albertans living with ALS to help the ALS Society of Alberta ensure that we work towards our mission to make everyday the best possible day for people living with ALS.

PLANNED GIVING
Choosing to make a gift from the heart brings meaning, dignity and purpose to a life well lived. Your gift is your opportunity to participate in charitable and community work most meaningful for you, in a way that allows these important causes to be well supported now and long after you have gone. Surprisingly, such a gift can also be a very practical addition to a financial or estate plan when tax issues are taken into consideration - even for those who do not think they have tax issues.

1. Prepare a will. Without a will you lose control over your property at death.
2. Leave a gift in your will for the not-for-profit organizations that made a difference in your life. Imagine the positive impact on our community if everyone made a gift from their estate to their favorite not-for-profit.
3. Leave a specific dollar amount or a percentage of the assets in your will to a not-for-profit of your choice. Learn about the many tax advantages associated with making a planned gift as part of your financial and estate planning.
4. Consider using both cash and/or assets for your charitable gift. Assets include but are not limited to, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, term deposits, real estate, vehicles, art, jewelry, or insurance. Such gifts may even provide tax incentives.
5. Name a not-for-profit as a beneficiary of your RRSP, RRIF or pension.
6. Name your favorite not-for-profit as the beneficiary of an existing or paid-up life insurance policy.
7. Purchase a new life insurance policy naming your favorite not-for-profit as the beneficiary.
8. Remember loved ones with memorial gifts.
9. Encourage family and friends to leave gifts to not-for-profits in their wills.
10. Ask your financial or estate planning advisor to include charitable gifts as part of their counsel to clients.

Imagine what kind of difference you could make for people living with ALS in Alberta by Leaving a Legacy to the ALS Society of Alberta. For more information on specific ways to Leave a Legacy to the ALS Society of Alberta, please download the following brochure in Adobe Acrobat .

http://www.alsab.ca/plannedgiving.pdf  (Download Now)

Thank you for giving serious consideration to this important decision.

BEQUESTS
Bequests are best known as assets designated for specific distribution in your last will and testament. These donations are bitter sweet; the sadness of the final right of passage is sweetened by the knowledge that this person had the heart and mind to help others as their last great act. If the Estate Planning process has been successful this last great act can end up netting the heirs more than if they had not made the arrangements.

A professional tax/financial planning specialist should always be and integral part of your estate planning strategy. A good source of Estate Planning strategies is the annual Leave-A-Legacy SPRING  LEGACY SEMINAR SERIES.

For more information on upcoming educational sessions or names of good estate planners, please contact Rahael Chester at rahael@alsab.ca or call (403) 228-3857 (Extension 108).