FAQs

SickKids is grateful for all donations we receive. For safety reasons, we do not accept cash. Monthly donations offer the most flexibility, providing a reliable source of ongoing revenue. One-time donations cannot be processed at the door however the canvasser can email a link to make a secure online donation or you can donate online here. If you prefer to make a single yearly donation which renews every twelve month, that option is now available at the door.

SickKids fundraisers can be easily identified by their identification badges (which they should present upon request). They will also be wearing SickKids branded items such as vests, polo shirts and tablet bags. Our fundraisers carry touchless tablets to efficiently collect your contact information only and will never accept cheques or cash at the door.

The most successful time of day for door-to-door fundraising is when people are likely to be home.  Our fundraisers work from 1:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday to Friday and weekends during certain times of year. 

If you want to cancel, upgrade, hold, or change the amount you donate, please email donor.inquiries@sickkidsfoundation.com or call 1-800-661-1083. 

All information collected to become a monthly donor is used directly for tax receipting purposes and to update our donors on how their donations are making an impact. All information will remain confidential and will not be shared with any other organization. We do not share, sell or rent donor lists. Your contact preference can be changed at any time simply by calling us at 1-800-661-1083.

Once you decide to become a monthly donor, the fundraiser will fill out your contact information on their tablet which will be sent to our partner, Globalfaces Direct.  The canvassers will call the  verification call centre and hand the phone to the donor to speak to the agent and collect payment details in order to process the donation. They will confirm your intent to become a monthly donor.  When completed, you should receive a text message from the canvasser thanking you for your donation followed by a confirmation email.  The whole process should take about 15 minutes. 

SickKids partners with Globalfaces Direct, one of Canada’s largest face-to-face fundraising services. In keeping with Imagine Canada’s Standards Program and best practices for fundraising, our fundraisers are compensated through an hourly wage with no commission.

Our fundraisers are not volunteers.  They are compensated with an hourly wage.  SickKids Foundation adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines for compensation in the not-for-profit sector and is an accredited member of their standards program. To learn more about Imagine Canada and their standards, please visit imaginecanada.ca.

• A thank you text message from the fundraiser
• An email confirming your donation and introducing our patient Everett, your SickKids welcome buddy
• A package in the mail and a phone call officially welcoming you to the SickKids monthly donor community
• A consolidated receipt for your contributions in the current tax year at the end of February of the following year
• Patient stories and updates about the hospital and the impact of your life-changing donations from Everett and his friends
• Additionally, you can receive a postcard featuring a patient and turtle for those who choose $30/month and a bookmark with the canvasser name and ID number on the back
 

Face-to-face fundraising represents our most successful way of growing our monthly donor community. Monthly donations, regardless of size, are crucial because it helps us to build long-term relationships with our donors.  Giving monthly lets our donors spread out their giving over the course of the year, and provides SickKids with a strong foundation of support that we can count on every month. It also allows us to save on paper and processing, which increases efficiency and sustainability.

SickKids monthly donor sign-up process has evolved into a touchless experience without compromising the ease and benefits of becoming a new monthly donor. Here’s what we’ve done to ensure the health and safety of our communities and fundraisers: 

• Only fully vaccinated fundraisers represent SickKids in the community
• Fundraisers are required to wear masks upon request or when speaking to masked shoppers
• Donor information is entered by the fundraiser on a tablet
• Welcome packages are mailed

SickKids monthly donor sign-up process has evolved into a touchless experience without compromising the ease and benefits of becoming a new monthly donor. Here’s what we’ve done to ensure the health and safety of our communities and fundraisers: 

• Only fully vaccinated fundraisers represent SickKids in the community
• Fundraisers are equipped with personal protective masks and practise physical distancing
• Donor information is entered by the fundraiser on tablet
• Verification call is conducted onsite through speaker phone or donor's phone
• Welcome packages are mailed

During this time, your support of SickKids Foundation has never been more important.

SickKids has been closely monitoring the developments related to the COVID-19 situation. Health and safety for all is the top priority and we want to ensure our community is protected.

As a result, we have temporarily suspended all mall fundraising activities.

No. In addition to cash, online, or by check and appreciated stocks or real property, U.S. donors may also make planned gifts via Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children. For Bequests and Trusts, Friends must be the designated charitable beneficiary in order for the charitable remainder trust to qualify for U.S. estate tax and income tax deductions.

Yes. You will receive a tax receipt for one-time donations of $20 or more. Tax receipts for monthly donations are sent in February. 

If you are an individual or business corporation donor interested in making a contribution to Friends for which you may obtain a U.S. income tax charitable deduction, please make your check payable to “Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.” and mail it to:

Friends of The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Inc.

EIN 52-1432586

c/o Roha & Flaherty

1725 I Street, N.W. Suite 300

Washington, DC 20006-2423

Friends maintains an account with Fidelity Investments for these types of gifts.

Please contact Susan Flaherty at (202) 833-0033 to alert us to any gift of securities or wired funds and to obtain the details of the Fidelity account transfer instructions.  

Yes, Friends can help U.S.-based donors and their legal and tax advisors choose the best donation vehicle and explore the significant income and estate tax advantages of making cash or planned gifts to SickKids Foundation. As always, seeking legal and tax counsel to review your situation is advisable before making significant gifts.

Running a year-round mall fundraising program requires an extensive amount of resources and expertise. Our mall partner, Public Outreach Consultancy Inc., helps us raise much-needed dollars for the highest priority needs of the Foundation. 

You can make a donation in the following ways:

Online

Phone: 416-813-6166 or 1-800-651-5825

Cash/In Person Donations

Visit us at our SickKids Foundation office: SickKids Foundation 525 University Avenue 14th Floor Toronto, ON M5G 2L3

Hours of operation

 Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. 

Holiday Hours

(November 26 - December 17, 2016): Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit Us at the Hospital 

The Hospital for Sick Children (located in the Hospital Atrium): 555 University Avenue Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fundraisers are adhering to public health guidelines to ensure everyone is safe while continuing to fundraise to reach our ambitious goal and build a much-needed new SickKids.

• maintain a 6-ft /2 metre distance while engaging with the public
• wear masks or face shields
• will use disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers after every interaction
• will remain a safe distance when speaking to anyone
• will not share materials or documents to ensure the entire process is touchless 
• will not work if they are experiencing any symptoms associated with the virus
• welcome packages will be mailed

SickKids Foundation adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines for compensation in the not-for-profit sector and is an accredited member of their standards program. Our fundraisers are compensated with an hourly wage. To learn more about Imagine Canada and their standards, please visit imaginecanada.ca.

For safety reasons, we do not allow our fundraisers to accept or carry cash donations. If you are interested in making a donation, please do so using our online donation form.

SickKids Foundation will accept gifts restricted to a specific purpose at The Hospital for Sick Children provided the Hospital can reasonably utilize the gift. The Foundation applies a fee to all restricted donations of 10 per cent. This fee provides the Foundation with increased capacity to raise and grant funds for paediatric health priorities, as we strive to advance children’s health in Canada and around the world. The fee also allows the Foundation to cover its administrative costs such as stewardship, granting, and reporting. If changed circumstances should at some future time make it, in the view of SickKids Foundation acting reasonably, impractical to continue to apply the gift to the designated purpose, SickKids Foundation may redesignate the purpose of the gift using its best efforts to adhere as closely as possible to the original intent of the gift. Any redesignation by the Foundation will be informed by input from the donor.

Our Charitable Business Number is: 10808 4419 RR0001 

Our residential program is focused on acquiring long-term donors. You can fund the fight with a one-time donation by visiting our website, or by mailing in your donation. Cheques payable to SickKids Foundation can be mailed to: 525 University Avenue, Ste 835 Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2L3. We value every donation we receive no matter the size.

For safety reasons, we do not allow our canvassers to accept or carry cash donations. If you are interested in making a donation, please visit our online donation page to make a donation.

Please visit Globalfaces Direct.

Our overall Foundation cost per dollar is 28 per cent, which includes the Business-to-Business fundraising program. You can find more information in our annual report and financial statements. SickKids Foundation encourages transparency and accountability.

An email on SickKids letterhead is sent to the local police departments prior to our fundraisers visiting your neighbourhood.  

Business-to-Business fundraisers visit businesses Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Yes, the business to business program visits small business who like to support the Hospital for Sick Children

Yes, a Welcome Package with a donor bead bracelet, welcoming you to SickKids will be mailed within 2 weeks

Health and safety are top priorities for both our canvassers and the public. SickKids Foundation has been closely monitoring the developments related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease) and will adjust our fundraising activities as needed.  The risk to the public is still considered low and our fundraisers continue to follow Public Health Ontario recommendations:

• Wash hands often and well
• Exercise good hand hygiene (limit hand shaking, use sanitizing wipes or lotions to clean self and any shared equipment, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth)
• Use Lysol wipes to disinfect pitch cards and tablets
• Stay home if unwell

SickKids has been raising money through our mall program since 2004.

SickKids is located in 2-3 malls each week across the GTA and Golden Horseshoe area. We also fundraise at Toronto events throughout the year, and some private sites.

New donors are mailed a Welcome Package and should receive it within two weeks. Any donation that involves a minimum of $30/month, allows SickKids to give a turtle to a child at the Hospital. If you provide your email, you will receive a confirmation email, updates on how your donation is helping, and our e-newsletters throughout the year. 

SickKids provides each fundraiser with the following:  

• ID badge with photo, full name and fundraiser ID #. (Trainees are given a “Professional Fundraiser Trainee” badge with no photo, full name or fundraiser ID #).
• SickKids branded lanyard 
• SickKids branded iPad bag containing a tablet
• SickKids Patient Postcards (for monthly donations of $30 or more)
• SickKids Laminate with information about our fundraising
• SickKids Welcome Packages
• SickKids Bookmarks
• Weather permitting, SickKids branded winter jacket (optional), SickKids summer golf shirt (optional), toques and branded winter gloves.

 If further verification is required, you may contact SickKids Foundation at 1-800-661-1083 or donor.services@sickkidsfoundation.com.

Yes, after a monthly donation is made, we call to verify and confirm your commitment to becoming a monthly donor. We want to make sure you’re comfortable with the details of your new monthly investment.

Each week our map is updated with the towns/cities where canvassers are located.  There may be locations not listed on the map due to last minute changes.  Please check back tomorrow if you do not see your location on the map.

Yes, a Welcome Package with a donor bead bracelet, welcoming you to SickKids will be mailed within 2 weeks

Running a year-round telemarketing fundraising program requires an extensive amount of resources and expertise. Our telemarketing partner, Causeworx, helps us raise much-needed dollars for the highest priority needs of the Foundation. Causeworx has been a trusted partner of SickKids since 2012.

SickKids utilizes the expertise of a third party to help us reach our fundraising goals. We have been partnered with Globalfaces since 2015.

The funds raised through our mall canvassing program goes towards the highest priority needs of SickKids, which includes urgent measures to combat COVID-19 as well as supporting the building of a new SickKids.

During this time of crisis for all Canadian hospitals, your support of SickKids Foundation has never been more important.

SickKids has been closely monitoring the developments related to the COVID-19 situation. Health and safety for all is the top priority and we want to ensure our community is protected.

As a result, we have temporarily suspended all door-to-door, mall and venue fundraising activities.

During this time of crisis for all Canadian hospitals, your support of SickKids Foundation has never been more important.

SickKids has been closely monitoring the developments related to the COVID-19 situation. Health and safety for all is the top priority and we want to ensure our community is protected.

As a result, we have temporarily suspended all door-to-door, mall and venue fundraising activities.

SickKids Foundation adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines for compensation in the not-for-profit sector and is an accredited member of their standards program. Our fundraisers are compensated with an hourly wage. To learn more about Imagine Canada and their standards, please visit imaginecanada.ca/

Our canvassers are equipped with PCI compliant, iPhone 4 handheld devices. It captures credit card information through a secure browser over a Virtual Private Network. The information is not stored on the device nor is it shared with anyone. It’s a safe and accurate way to acquire credit card information necessary for processing donations, and reduces administrative costs and human error.

Health and safety for all is the top priority and we want to ensure our community is protected.

Any time our SickKids fundraisers speak to the public, they are closely following public health guidelines which means staying 2 metres away, wearing a mask, using hand sanitizers frequently and not sharing any materials or devices during the sign up process.  

The fundraisers have been trained on how to engage with the public safely while speaking to the importance of raising much needed funds to build a new, safer SickKids.

Once you decide to become a monthly donor, the fundraiser will ask for your contact information, donation amount and payment method and enter it on their tablet.  After the information is collected, it is sent to a secure server and removed from the tablet. No donor information is stored on the tablet. At the completion of the sign-up process, an email will be sent immediately confirming your donation and welcoming you to the SickKids monthly donor community. Within a few days, a representative from Public Outreach will call to thank you for your monthly donation.

The funds raised through our door-to-door canvassing program goes towards the highest priority needs of SickKids, which includes urgent measures to combat COVID-19 as well as supporting the building of a new SickKids.

Once you let us know that you’re leaving a gift in your will to SickKids, we’ll invite you to join the J.P. Bickell Society. You’ll be recognized on the SickKids Donor Hall of Honour in the Hospital’s main corridor, either with your name or in honour of a loved one. You can also choose to remain anonymous, while retaining the many benefits of the Society, including a subscription to our newsletter SickKids Legacies and invitations to exclusive SickKids events like the J.P. Bickell annual luncheon.  If you are interested in becoming a J. P. Bickell Society member, please contact us at 416.813.8271 or gift.planning@sickkidsfoundation.com.

1. Speak to your lawyer about drafting or revising your will by adding a codicil, an essential step to protect your family’s future and to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

    

2. Add the appropriate bequest wording in your will, which our team can help tailor to your specific area of interest. (For sample wording, see “How should I word my bequest?” below.)

    

3. Let us know about your bequest so we can show our appreciation and ensure your intentions are properly understood and honoured. (See “What’s your contact information?” below)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian government has provided individual Canadians until June 1st 2020, to file their 2019 tax return.

For details on how this impacts you, please visit the Canada.ca website.

Please contact Kelly Trickett, Director, Gift & Estate Planning at:

Phone: 1.800.661.1083 ext. 5225 or 416-813-5225

Email: Kelly.Trickett@sickkidsfoundation.com

Mail:

SickKids Foundation

Attn: Kelly Trickett, Gift & Estate Planning Team

525 University Ave, Suite 835

Toronto, ON M5G 2L3

SickKids is a vital provincial—and national—service. Rebuilding the hospital is just as vital. Because it’s such a large, important capital project, costs must be shared by a combination of government, hospital, and donor support.

The Ontario government grant will support design and construction costs of a new SickKids.

In March 2018, the Ontario government under Premier Kathleen Wynne announced up to $2.4 billion for a new SickKids. Three months later, before the pledge could be fulfilled, Wynne’s government lost the provincial election. Premier Doug Ford’s recent funding commitment replaces Wynne’s pledge.

As a new monthly donor, you’ll receive:

• An email confirming your donation and introducing our patient Everett, your SickKids welcome buddy
• A package in the mail and a phone call officially welcoming you to the SickKids monthly donor community
• Patient stories and updates about the hospital and the impact of your life-changing donations from Everett and his friends
• A consolidated tax receipt for your contributions in the current tax year at the end of February

Unfortunately SickKids turtles are not for sale. SickKids turtles are only given to patients at the Hospital.

No, SickKids does not participate in street fundraising. Many other charities raise money through street fundraising. SickKids, however, is not one of them. 

You can contact SickKids at 1-800-661-1083 or 416-813-6166. 

SickKids fundraisers are compensated hourly. SickKids adheres to the Imagine Canada guidelines. To learn more about Imagine Canada and their standards, please visit their website.

As a new monthly donor you’ll receive:

• An email confirming your donation and introducing our patient Everett, your SickKids welcome buddy
• A package in the mail and a phone call officially welcoming you to the SickKids monthly donor community
• A consolidated receipt for your contributions in the current tax year at the end of February of the following year
• Patient stories and updates about the hospital and the impact of your life-changing donations from Everett and his friends

Our Tele-Fundraisers are compensated through an hourly wage with no commission.

You can contact our donor service team at 1-800-661-1083 or donor.inquiries@sickkidsfoundation.com. Or you can reach Elizabeth Goddard at elizabeth.goddard@sickkidsfoundation.com 416-200-1748

It is completely safe to provide information over the phone. Our agents follow PCI-compliant procedures to ensure your information remains confidential and safe.

There are many reasons why SickKids would be calling. If you’ve made a donation, you could be receiving a thank you or welcome call. We have other fundraising initiatives such as matching gift campaigns, monthly giving, legacy giving, gifts of security that our donors might be interested in.

Please call our monthly Donor Specialist at 416-813-1216 to assist you.

No, we will not auto-cancel your donations. However, if you want to cancel your monthly donation, simply contact our Monthly Donor Specialists at any point in time at 416-813-1216 and they can help you process the request.

SickKids is both a local children’s hospital and a global leader in paediatric health-care. We treat broken arms and appendicitis, rare brain cancers and fetal heart defects. Our patients come from across the city, province and country, and even the world for treatments not available in their home community. For children and families in medical crisis, we are a beacon of hope. We’ve always been on the frontlines in the fight for child health, but today our biggest battle is against the limits of an old building. At a time when patient volume and disease complexity are increasing, SickKids stands at a critical crossroads, severely limited in our ability to provide state-of-the-art care in an antiquated building.

For any new health-care build, provincial funding formulas require that the hospital contribute at least 25% of the total project costs. For SickKids, that works out to $600 million, regardless of how much the government contributes. To reach this goal, we must rely on the generous support of donors.

A will is the easiest, most effective way to ensure the people and causes you care about are provided for and your assets are distributed according to your wishes. A properly planned will can also reduce, even eliminate, the taxes on your estate.

Yes. Not only would we like to thank you, but we want to ensure that your gift is properly recognized, and your intentions are understood and honoured. We can also provide the right wording, particularly if you’re designating your gift to a specific area. We understand that creating a gift in your will is one of the most personally significant gift you can make and we will respect your wishes with regards to how much recognition or anonymity you would like.

Letting us know of your future gift is not legally binding in any way, but it does help the Hospital plan for the future when we know we have community support into the future to continue investing in child healthcare.

We encourage you to first consider an unrestricted donation, which gives us the flexibility to deploy funds in the areas of greatest need—and greatest promise. (We can’t predict where we will need funds down the road, nor can we know what research, projects, or funding will be underway when a gift is realized.) However, if you do decide to designate your gift to a specific area, let us know so we can help with the wording and ensure that your gift goes where you want it to.

No. Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, and we’re grateful for every dollar. Even 1% of your estate can make a huge difference in improving the lives of sick children and their families.

108084419RR0001

The name you should include in your will is “The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation”. The Foundation is responsible for raising money and performing estate administration on behalf of the Hospital.

Specific wording depends on the type of gift and its designation, but here are some examples:

Residual Bequest

“My estate trustees shall pay ______(all or %) of the residue of my estate to The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, Toronto, ON, for the purpose of supporting its highest priority needs.”

Legacy Bequest

“My estate trustees shall pay the sum of $ ______ (or transfer assets with an equal value) to The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, Toronto, ON, for the purpose of supporting its highest priority needs."

Other than a gift in your will, you can help SickKids by:

• Designating SickKids as the beneficiary and/or owner of a new or existing life insurance policy
• Naming SickKids as the beneficiary of your pension plan, RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA
• Setting up a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust
• Making a gift of property, such as real estate, jewelry, or art

There are many ways to include a charity in your will, but these are the two most common:

Residual Bequest:

Commonly designated as all or a percentage of the estate’s residue, a residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after all debts, bills and taxes have been paid and all specific and general gifts have been distributed.

Legacy Bequest (also known as specific bequest):

A legacy bequest is a gift of a specific dollar amount or asset, such as a house, car, stocks, or securities.

SickKids treats everything from broken arms and appendicitis to rare brain cancers and congenital heart defects. Every year, some 100,000 patients come to us from across the province, country and even the world for specialized care, while our scientists are making important medical discoveries every day. Our research breakthroughs also have implications in the adult world including expanding knowledge on diseases such as dementia and brain tumours.

For all our triumphs—clinical and research—legacy gifts have been instrumental, helping create our storied Research Institute, where scientists created Pablum, discovered the cystic fibrosis gene, and continue to crack the code of childhood cancers and heart disease. Legacy gifts have enabled SickKids to become a world-class leader for intensive care, organ transplants, and complex heart surgeries. It’s because of our donors that we’ve grown from a community hospital to a global leader in child health.

If you are considering a gift in your will– thank you! Leaving a gift in your will is a powerful way to affirm your values and build a legacy. A bequest gives you the comfort of knowing your assets are available today, while enabling you to leave a larger gift than might be possible in your lifetime.

It’s also one of the most efficient ways to give. In fact, a gift in your will can reduce, even eliminate, the tax burden on your beneficiaries.

Absolutely.  You can become a donor by using our online donation form, or by visiting us at:

SickKids Foundation 

525 University Avenue

Suite 835

Toronto, Ontario

M5G 2L3

Yes. Named endowment funds can be established during a donor’s lifetime and can be funded in part or completely through future giving. These endowments are considered gifts in perpetuity, and it’s possible for your family to continue contributing to, and receiving updates about, these funds. SickKids acknowledges cumulative lifetime and future gifts for the recognition, which can include naming, an inscription on our Donor Wall, and other forms of recognition. 

Yes, upon request. When a donation is made, we send a card to the family or individual who is being honoured, acknowledging your generous donation. Visit our Card page for more information. If you would like to send a card but forgot to please call (416) 813-6166.

By becoming a monthly donor, you are making a thoughtful and lasting investment in SickKids. This program allows you to donate on a monthly basis and shows your continuous dedication towards improving our children's health. There are two payment options - credit card or withdrawals from your chequing account. The generosity of friends like you that is what funds the fight at SickKids. Your loyalty enables our winning tradition. Become a monthly donor today. 

Gifts in kind to SickKids Foundation can help to raise funds through prize draws, live and silent auctions, SickKids auctions on eBay, and in many other ways. Beneficial items for fundraising purposes include electronics, new teddy bears, toys and games, sporting event or concert tickets, gift certificates, and SickKids-branded materials. Read our Gift in kind Guidelines for more information. 

Please visit The Hospital for Sick Children website for information on volunteering. 

Please visit our Host An Event page for more information. 

Please visit our page on International Giving or contact: Jane Cornelio at 416-813-7680 or jane.cornelio@sickkids.ca.

Download our annual reports from our Publications and Financials section.

No. This information is kept strictly confidential unless the donor instructs us otherwise. 

Please visit the Donate Good and Services page for more information.

To review the last several years of financial statements, please visit our Publications and Financials section.

We are looking for donors who will stay with SickKids for a minimum of one year. Monthly donations can be downgraded, upgraded or cancelled at any time. 

Please fill out our Change of Address Form or call 416-813-6166 ext. 1216.

No, all data is encrypted in a compliant environment according to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.