Leave an Estate Gift

A Legal Will. For Real. For Free.

Have you been meaning to create a Will but can’t seem to find the time? We totally get it. That’s why St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation has partnered with Willfora!

Willfora is an online Will provider that offers you the chance to create or update a basic Will for FREE! (No, that’s not a typo!) Through their online platform they’ve made the process simple and easy so you can check making a Will off of your to-do list in no time at all.

There’s even a section dedicated to helping you leave a portion of your Will to a charity that is close to your heart, whether that’s St. Joe’s or another worthy cause in our community.

Start my will for free now

*Note: this offer is free regardless if choose to include St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation in your Will or not. However, we hope you may consider including St. Joe’s in your Will as a way to benefit patient care for generations to come.

We invite you to share your legacy plans with us…

The Life & Legacy of Karl Heinz Gross: How One Hamilton Man Made A Difference with a Planned Gift in his Will

When Karl Heinz Gross immigrated to Canada, his first job was in the kitchen at St. Joe’s Hospital. At the time, he had no idea the Hospital would play a pivotal role in caring for his beloved daughter, nor that St. Joe’s would one day be the grateful beneficiary of a $125,000 gift in his will.

Ancaster Couple Makes a Gift Both Now and Through Their Will for St. Joe’s

Barbara and Randy Raphael have dedicated their lives to charitable giving, so leaving a legacy in support of healthcare through both a present-day and a planned gift in their will to St. Joe’s was an obvious choice for the couple.

Making an Impact Now and in the Future

His relationship with the Hospital began in 2007 when his father, Phillip, passed away peacefully due to complications from liver cancer in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Joe’s Charlton Campus. This is the beginning of Kenny's story.

Long-Time St. Joe’s Employee Leaves a Legacy Gift for the Mental Health & Addiction Program

For 23 years, Maureen Weatherston was a warm and welcoming face in the hallways of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. After her passing, a portion of Maureen’s estate has been designated to support the Mental Health and Addiction Program at St. Joseph’s West 5th Campus.

Bequest in Your Will

This is the most common type of planned gift. A bequest in your Will is easy to set up and allows you to make a future gift to St. Joe’s without affecting your income today.

To learn more about leaving a gift in your will click here.

Registered Retirement Funds

You can name St. Joe’s as a beneficiary of your RRSP or RRIF with the help of your financial institution. This allows you to support St. Joe’s after the financial needs of you and your loved ones are met.

To learn more about leaving a gift through your RRSP or RRIF click here.

Life Insurance

Naming St. Joe’s as the owner or beneficiary of your life insurance policy allows you to make affordable yearly contributions that will result in a larger gift to the Hospital down the road.

To learn more about leaving a gift of life insurance click here.

Charitable Gift Annuity

A charitable gift annuity is an agreement where you make a contribution to St. Joe’s and get guaranteed income (mostly tax free) for a set number of years or for life. We keep a portion as a donation and use the rest to buy an annuity.

To learn more about leaving a gift of annuity click here.

Special Care Suites Make All the Difference during End of Life Care

With reverence and in remembrance of his late wife, Barbara, Stephen J. Pustai is making it possible for St. Joe’s to provide compassionate end-of-life care for more patients. From personal experience, he knows that high-quality palliative care can make all the difference.

Planning Your Legacy

Whether you believe in planning for the future, or are paying it forward in gratitude for good care, it's never too early to start planning your legacy. See what inspired Dean and Peggy to plan ahead.

See more stories of impact

Resources for You & Your Advisor

Legacy Brochure

Confirm Your Plans

Advisor Resources

Calculate the Impact of Your Legacy

Start the Process

Learn if You are Eligible to Create or Update your Will for FREE

A Family's Gratitude

From the birthing suites to the ICU, Luciano and Theresa Cravero were always cared for at St. Joe’s and they wanted to ensure the health of their family and the community for generations to come.

View More Stories of Impact

I chose to include St. Joe's as a beneficiary in my Will because, in many ways, St. Joe's feels like home to me. This is just one way I can say thanks for all the Hospital has done for me, my family and my loved ones.

Dr. Richard Persadie, Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Planned Gift Donor

Recognizing Your Legacy Gift

If you notify us of your planned gift, we'd love to recognize your generosity during your lifetime and invite you to join St. Joe's Legacy Society. You'll receive our publications, event invitations, and we'll recognize you on the legacy panel of our Garden of Grace Donor Wall after your lifetime.

Learn More About Our Donor Wall

For inspirational stories about the impact planned gifts have at St. Joe’s, click here to read past issues of our legacy publication The Legacy Tribune.

Do you want to learn more about how you can leave a legacy at St. Joe’s or wish to share your estate plans with us? We would value your feedback to help with the planning for our legacy program, please complete the on-line survey here.

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Gonnering
Manager, Estate & Gift Planning
905.522.1155 ext. 35978

E-Mail Lisa

Disclaimer: The information above is for illustration purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or tax planning advice. We recommend that you consult with your own professional advisor in planning your donation.