Get Involved
Pledge Your Commitment to help those who thirst!
Wells of Hope relies on your support to continue its life saving work of bringing clean water, education and medical aid to the mountain communities of Guatemala. Every gift can contribute to making a real impact in the lives of people who are living every day on the edge.
Dedicated to making every dollar count, Wells of Hope keeps administrative costs low through the work of a dedicated team of volunteers who offer their time freely for the cause. Many services are donated which makes it possible for donated funds to be put directly to use in the field.
Wells of Hope is a Charitable Organization with Registration Number 83428 1768 RR0001.
Make an on line gift today using the boxes above, or choose from the many donation options below, including our PLANNED GIVING Program. For further information regarding making a donation of any kind you can contact us water@wellsofhope.com (289) 313 7109.
With the projects Wells of Hope is involved in, there is often a need for the donation of particular pieces of equipment which is very difficult to procure on Guatemala. Every winter a sea container is shipped to Guatemala with desks, schools supplies, and other donated items. The organization is also open to the donation of services which could range from office help in Canada to professional well drilling consultations and everything in between. If you or your company has a particular resource or skill that you would like to make available to us, contact us at water@wellsofhope.com
Read more about firefighters’ equipment donation
Wells of Hope is a registered charity with Charitable Registration Number 83428 1768 RR0001 who can issue official donation receipts (also referred to as “tax receipts”) for income purposes to acknowledge gifts. When you voluntarily donate to Wells of Hope by cash, cheque or credit card, we can issue a tax receipt for the amount of the gift. Your tax receipt will be mailed out within 6 weeks of receiving the donation. Please make sure that we have your complete name and address when you make your donation.
If you would like to donate non-cash items, please contact Anneliese at anneliese@wellsofhope.com to see if your donation qualifies for an in-kind tax receipt. Aeroplan point donations are currently not eligible for tax receipts of any kind.
For more info about hosting a wells of hope fundraiser, follow this link to our fundraising section of the website.
Many people who give to Wells of Hope enjoy seeing the fruit of their donation in a tangible way. Large scale projects such as school construction and water wells need the support of an anchor gift to sustain the project. Major gifts provide a concrete way to make an impactful contribution that will leave its mark on a generation. Naming options are available for schools, classrooms , wells, and other buildings and equipment. If you are interested in finding out more information about major gifts, contact Scott at (scott@wellsofhope.com)
Water is a basic human right that all your employees, clients and partners can understand the importance of. By partnering with Wells of Hope your business can work alongside us in making an impact for good. Corporate Giving can come in many forms including event sponsorships, matching gifts, employee giving programs or workplace special events. We can help you investigate a partnership with Wells of Hope that aligns with your vision and values, as well as integrating with any corporate social responsibility programming already in place.
Donate your unused aeroplan miles to Wells of Hope:
Wells of Hope Mailing Address:
174 Cole Cres
Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
L0S 1J0
Please make cheques to the order of Wells of Hope. Thanks!
Did you know that your donation in securities can save you the capital gains tax while helping fund Wells of Hope projects in Guatemala?
In the 2006 budget, the Government of Canada eliminated the capital gain on stocks and securities if they were donated to a registered charity.
Wells of Hope recommends that you consult with your financial advisors prior to making this type of charitable donation.
If you decide to go ahead with your donation in securities, please download the Charitable Stock Donation Form Wells of Hope. If you have any questions, please email us at scott@wellsofhope.com`
Gifts of Life Insurance
There are two Ways to Give:
1) Give the policy to Wells of Hope As your circumstances change, the family grows up, children leave home and marry, life insurance policies that were once important safety nets may no longer be needed.
If you make Wells of Hope the owner and beneficiary of such a policy, you are entitled to a charitable donation receipt for the value of the policy—normally the cash surrender value.
If premiums are still owing and you pay them, you are eligible for a charitable donation receipt for each premium paid. You probably won’t have to pay the premiums indefinitely because most whole life policies have a premium offset option. After a period of about seven to ten years, the dividends earned by the premiums are sufficient to cover the annual premium, and you no longer have to pay to keep the policy in force.
Such a gift enables you to be a major donor for Wells of Hope at a modest current cost—a cost further reduced by the tax savings. Moreover, this substantial gift can be made without impairing other assets intended for family members.
2) Name Wells of Hope as beneficiary You can name the Wells of Hope as beneficiary of a policy but retain ownership. This is advisable if you wish to have access to the cash value and be able to substitute a beneficiary should your circumstances change. Of course, when you retain ownership you are not entitled to a donation receipt for the current value of the policy, nor for future premiums paid. Also, proceeds paid directly to the charity will not result in tax benefits at your death.
An alternative, preferable from a tax-planning standpoint, is to have the death proceeds paid to your estate and include in your will a specific bequest of those proceeds to a charity. Then a tax credit will be allowed on your final income tax return, and also for the immediately preceding year if the entire bequest is not reportable on the final return.
For more information about how you can use a life insurance policy as a donation to Wells of Hope please contact Scott Maxwell at scott@wellsofhope.com or call 289-313-7109
This is another form of residual interest arrangement, funded with cash, securities or real estate, which is transferred irrevocably to a trustee- the charity or another entity capable of managing the trust. You retain the right to the income from the trust according to the terms set out at the time the trust is established. The charity receives whatever remains in the trust after your death or after a specified period of years, whichever has been agreed.
You receive a charitable donation receipt for the value of the residual interest that belongs to the charity. Again this is actuarially calculated, taking into account the value of the property transferred to the trust, current interest rates, and your age, or the duration of the trust if for a term of years. When you fund a trust with appreciated property, you must recognize the capital gain unless the trust is funded with a principal residence. Expert counsel is needed to complete this type of transaction.
This type of deferred gift has several advantages: reliable income without management responsibility, removing the trust property from a possibly contested will, current income tax savings, and a future gift to be used as you direct.
For more information about how you can create a Charitable Remainder Trust for Wells of Hope please contact Scott Maxwell at scott@wellsofhope.com or call (289) 313 7109
When you make the Wells of Hope the beneficiary of your RRSPs or RRIFs you not only preserve the capital of your estate by avoiding estate taxes, but you leave a legacy helping provide strong reassurances for us, concrete signs that this important work will continue.
By donating an RRSP or a RRIF, you will offset the tax that your estate would owe upon your death.
An Endowment Fund is a permanent fund that you can create which provides a reliable source of funding for Wells of Hope and will keep on giving for generations to come.
You can establish an endowment fund with a minimum contribution of $10,000. Collectively these funds create a pool of capital, which earns interest annually and is directed to general or specific purposes within the mission of Wells of Hope
You can continue to make contributions to your endowment fund at any time.
For more information about how you can create an endowment for Wells of Hope please email us at water@wellsofhope.com.
Each year, thousands of individuals designate a portion of their assets by bequest to benefit charitable organizations. Gifts by will are becoming an increasingly important part of the Canadian philanthropic tradition because they enable individuals to make significant gifts that they may not have been able to make while living. Bequests can take various forms.
A specific bequest directs that a charitable organization is to receive a specific piece of property.
Example: “I give to Wells of Hope International Development Inc. all of my shares in XYZ Mutual Fund to be used for the general purposes of said charity.”
A general bequest directs that the charity receive a specific amount of a certain kind of property, usually a sum of cash.
Example: “I give to Wells of Hope International Development Inc. the sum of $100,000 to be used for the general purposes.”
A residual bequest designates all or a portion of whatever remains after all debts, taxes, expenses, and all other bequests has been paid.
Example: “I give to Wells of Hope International Development Inc. fifty percent (50%) of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, to be used for the general purposes.”
A contingent bequest takes effect only if the primary intention cannot be met (e.g., if the primary beneficiary does not survive the donor). This ensures that property will pass to the charity rather than unintended beneficiaries (including the government).
For more information about how you can create a bequest for Wells of Hope please contact Scott Maxwell at scott@wellsofhope.com