Legacy Giving

Legacy Giving

Strengthening the Acquired Brain Injury Community Through Legacy Giving

For more than forty years, CHIRS has been a leader in community-based acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation. As the first transitional residential ABI program in North America, CHIRS has helped shape a model of care grounded in dignity, independence, and meaningful participation in the community.

Through partnerships across the continuum of care – including its role as a foundational member of the Toronto ABI Network – CHIRS shares expertise, advances best practices, and strengthens coordinated support for people living with ABI.

Legacy gifts help ensure this leadership endures. By including CHIRS in your estate plans, you help sustain community-based rehabilitation and create lasting impact for individuals with ABI, today and into the future.

Scott Southwell ABI Assistance Fund

Scott Southwell’s Legacy with CHIRS: Supporting ABI Programs

Scott Southwell (d. 2006) served as an active Board Member of Community Head Injury Resource Services of Toronto (CHIRS) for many years and served as its Chair for four of them. Provincially, Scott served as a Board Member of the Ontario Brain Injury Association, the latest as its Vice Chair and served as the Chair of the Fund Development Committee. He stepped down from these roles only when his disease would no longer allow him to contribute in a way that he felt was satisfactory. Scott was a Founding Member of the Toronto Brain Injury Awareness Month Committee and a great supporter of the Toronto ABI Network and the Brain Injury Society of Toronto. He was also a member of the inaugural Board of Directors of the CHIRS Foundation for Brain Injury Rehabilitation.

Even as Scott’s own health was deteriorating, his passion for giving and his resolve to make a difference did not. In partnership with CHIRS, Scott founded The Scott Southwell ABI Assistance Fund. For years to come, this fund will provide financial assistance to individuals who are or have been recipients of ABI services provided by CHIRS. This funding will enable them to participate more fully and meaningfully in the community and to reach their own personal development goals through education, training, devices, equipment, or support services.

To make a contribution and provide tax receipt information, please call CHIRS at (416) 240-8000.

Learn More About Leaving a Legacy Gift

Leaving a legacy gift is a meaningful way to ensure your values continue to make a difference beyond your lifetime. A gift in your Will helps CHIRS sustain community-based rehabilitation, strengthen partnerships, and support individuals living with acquired brain injury for years to come.

There are several simple ways to include CHIRS in your estate plans:

  • A gift in your Will (residual, specific, or contingent)
  • Naming CHIRS as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy
  • Naming CHIRS as a beneficiary of an RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA
  • A charitable gift of securities as part of estate planning

Legacy gifts of any size are deeply appreciated and can be tailored to reflect your personal wishes and circumstances.

If you are considering a legacy gift, we encourage you to speak with your professional advisors. CHIRS is also happy to answer general questions and work with you and your advisors to ensure your intentions are understood.

For more than thirty years, my brother David was part of the CHIRS community. He received exceptional residential care, participated in meaningful day programs, and formed friendships that enriched his life. CHIRS was more than a service provider — it became his home and his extended family.

Knowing David was safe, engaged, and genuinely cared for gave our family immense peace of mind. CHIRS offered him dignity, purpose, and belonging over the long term — things that matter deeply over a lifetime.

Including CHIRS in my Will was a natural and deeply personal decision. It is my way of helping ensure that others like David continue to have access to the care, community, and opportunities they deserve. A legacy gift is more than a donation — it is an expression of trust, gratitude, and belief in the work CHIRS does every day.

David called CHIRS home for over 30 years. Leaving a legacy gift is my way of giving back to the place that gave us both so much.

— Legacy Donor

“CHIRS was more than care for my brother — it was home.”

Disclaimer: CHIRS does not provide legal or financial advice. We encourage donors to consult their professional advisors when planning a legacy gift.

Legacy Giving and Estate Planning Resources

Planning your estate is an important step in protecting the people and causes you care about. These resources are intended to provide general information to support conversations with your professional advisors as you consider your personal estate planning and philanthropic goals.

Why Having a Will Matters

A Will ensures that the assets you have worked hard to accumulate are distributed according to your wishes — whether to family, loved ones, or charitable organizations you support. Without a Will, provincial legislation determines how your estate is divided.

Did you know?

  • More than 50% of Canadians need a Will.
  • More than 70% of Canadians need a Power of Attorney for Personal Care and/or their property.
  • Charitable gifts through a Will may provide tax benefits to your estate.

Ways to Include CHIRS in Your Estate Plans

There are several ways to support the CHIRS Foundation for Brain Injury Rehabilitation through estate planning, including:

  • Adding CHIRS to your Will or Codicil
  • Leaving a specific amount or a percentage of your estate
  • Making a residual gift after other obligations are met
  • Naming CHIRS as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy
  • Naming CHIRS as a beneficiary of an RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA
  • Donating publicly traded securities or mutual funds

Sample Bequest Language

The following examples are provided for general information only and may be shared with your legal advisor when preparing or updating your Will.

General (Unrestricted) Gift

“I give to the CHIRS Foundation for Brain Injury Rehabilitation, charitable registration number 88773 0711 RR0001, ___% of the residue of my estate, to be used for its general charitable purposes.”
“I give to the CHIRS Foundation for Brain Injury Rehabilitation, charitable registration number 88773 0711 RR0001, $000.00, to be used for its general charitable purposes.”

This sample language is provided for illustrative purposes only. Donors are encouraged to consult their legal or financial advisor to ensure the wording reflects their personal estate planning goals.

For questions about planned giving, please contact us at (416) 240-8000 to discuss options.

Gifts of Securities

Gifts of publicly traded securities may be a tax-efficient way to support charitable causes. In many cases, donating securities directly can reduce or eliminate capital gains tax otherwise payable.

Donors considering a gift of securities are encouraged to consult with their accountant or financial advisor to determine whether this approach is appropriate for their situation.

More information is available from the Canada Revenue Agency: CRA – Gifts of Publicly Traded Securities

Professional Advice

CHIRS does not provide legal, financial, or tax advice. We strongly encourage donors to consult their personal team of professional advisors, such as a lawyer, financial planner, and accountant, when considering estate planning or a legacy gift.

Our team is pleased to provide general information and to work collaboratively with you and your advisors to ensure your charitable intentions are clearly understood and respected.

Contact us to learn more at (416) 240-8000. All conversations are confidential and without obligation.