Legacy Gift Boosts Central Okanagan Food Bank’s Holiday Campaign

A significant legacy gift has been donated to the Central Okanagan Food Bank (COFB) to support its annual holiday campaign, Set the Holiday Table. Earlier this year, a donor provided a substantial estate gift that will match every dollar raised in the community, up to $100,000. This initiative aims to address growing food insecurity in the region, where demand for food bank services has surged.

Trina Speiser, the COFB’s director of development, emphasized the importance of estate and planned legacy giving in creating a lasting impact within the community. “Estate and planned legacy giving is so important to non-profits because of the profound and exponential impact it creates in the community,” Speiser stated. The anonymous donor’s contribution reflects a growing trend in legacy giving, which allows individuals to support causes they value without affecting their current finances.

Legacy gifts are designed to provide meaningful support for future generations, according to Speiser. “It’s a beautiful way to leave a gift for future generations. It’s very thoughtful, very purposeful.” This approach not only benefits the community but also offers donors a sense of fulfillment, knowing their contributions will have a lasting influence.

Neil Daponte, a financial planner with Springleaf Financial Group in Kelowna, facilitated the estate gift to the COFB. He noted that there are various methods for individuals to make impactful contributions to their communities. “There are several ways to support a non-profit, and part of my role is helping clients and donors navigate those options in a way that truly reflects their values and intentions,” Daponte explained. He added that structured estate planning aligns legacy gifts with personal values, ensuring that donors contribute to causes they believe in.

The demand for food assistance has risen sharply in the Okanagan, with client visitations at the food bank increasing by an astounding 415 percent over the past six years. This trend underscores the urgent need for support as many food bank clients come from two-parent working households, reflecting the region’s high cost of living. Speiser pointed out, “Food insecurity is not an individual issue. It’s a communal one. When children go to school or adults go to work malnourished, the health-care system and the whole social fabric feel the effects.”

As the COFB prepares for this year’s Set the Holiday Table campaign, Speiser is optimistic about the potential impact of the legacy gift. She hopes the campaign will not only provide essential resources but also inspire others to consider legacy giving as a powerful way to contribute to the community. “Our organization is the sum of the whole,” she stated. “Whether you’re a farmer, an individual donor, a volunteer or a corporation, we all move forward when we invest in our community.”

Speiser concluded with a strong message about the importance of community support: “Nobody should go hungry, especially in a country with so much abundance. When we all gather around the table as families, neighbours, and communities, we all do better.”

To learn more about the Central Okanagan Food Bank and the impact of legacy giving, visit their official website.