The ‘Include a charity, help the work live on’ campaign, which launched today (21/3) with a TV advertisement, aims to change people’s behaviour and educate the public into leaving a gift in their will. The campaign is supported by a consortium of Australia’s most loved charities.
Research shows that while 70% of the Australian population support charities, only 7.5% of Australians over 60 leave a charitable gift in their will. If this figure increased to 14%, it would create an additional $440 million for charities in Australia every year.
Include a Charity Founding Director Marcus Blease said, “Charities play an important role in filling the gaps in services where government or society can’t. Without this income, the vital support services and research projects that charities deliver simply would not happen.”
Most charities rely on bequests or gifts in wills as a vital source of income and without money from bequests, many charities would not exist. Fortunately the research is encouraging, with 29% of people surveyed saying that they would be happy to leave a gift in their will once family and friends had been provided for.
“Leaving a percentage of your estate, a sum of money or other assets in your will can make a huge difference to the lives of so many Australians, including our own children, families and friends.” Mr Blease said.
The income that charities receive from the public is under increasing pressure due to rises in the cost of living and donations to other important causes such as natural disaster appeals. The “Include a Charity” campaign is calling on the generosity of everyday Australians to leave a gift in their will, however small.
Australians can get involved by visiting the Include a Charity website which contains practical tips about preparing a will; how to leave a gift in your will, and finding a suitable charity to donate to.
The new campaign also challenges the misconception that only wealthy people leave bequests.
Include a Charity Director Jo-Anne Reeves said, “Gifts left to charities in wills are made from people in all walks of life, not just the wealthy. Even a modest gift can be life changing for someone in need. And when you choose to leave a gift in your will, it benefits the whole community.”
The TV advertising campaign runs through March. For the full list of charities involved see page two.
Media contacts:
Debbie Agnew, Project Manager, Include a Charity: 0416 753 984
Sue Bobbermein, Cancer Council Australia: 02 8063 4154
Member charities include:
| ActionAid Alzheimer’s Australia NSW Amnesty International Australia Anglicare Canberra & Goulburn Animals Australia Arthritis Australia Australian Children's Music Foundation Australian Diabetes Council Australian Heart Foundation Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT) Autism Victoria Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute Baptcare Baptist Community Services Benetas Benevolent Society Bowel Cancer Australia Breast Cancer Institute of Australia Brotherhood of St. Laurence Burnet Institute Bush Heritage Australia Cancer Council Australia CARA CARE Australia CBM Australia Centenary Institute Cerebral Palsy Alliance Charitable Works Fund of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ChildFund Australia Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia Children's Hospital Westmead Children’s Medical Research Institute Cure Cancer Australia Cystic Fibrosis Australia Diabetes Australia – QLD Diabetes Australia - VIC Disability, Sport and Recreation Down Syndrome NSW Down Syndrome Society of SA Earthwatch Institute Australia Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria Fred Hollows Foundation Garvan Research Foundation Glaucoma Australia Greenpeace Australia Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Guide Dogs SA Guide Dogs VIC Heart Research Centre House With No Steps Independence Australia Interplast Australia & New Zealand Leukaemia Foundation QLD | Life Education Lort Smith Animal Hospital Lung Institute of Western Australia Mater Melbourne City Mission Mental Health Research Institute Mission Australia Motor Neurone Disease Australia MS Australia Murdoch Children’s Research Institute National Breast Cancer Foundation Nature Foundation SA Neuroscience Research Australias Odyssey House Victoria Opportunity International Australia OzChild Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation Priests’ Retirement Foundation Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia Red Cross Rotary Foundation Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation Royal District Nursing Service Royal Flying Doctor Service Royal Institute for Deaf & Blind Children RSL Care RSPCA Sacred Heart Mission Salvation Army SANE Australia Save the Children SIDS and Kids Smith Family Southern Cross Care (Vic) St. Mary’s Cathedral St. Vincent’s Brisbane St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation Starlight Children’s Charity Stroke Foundation Surf Life Saving Foundation Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation Taronga Conservation Society Australia The Pyjama Foundation The Royal Society for the Blind The Shepherd Centre University of Technology Sydney Variety VicRelief Foodbank Villa Maria Vision Australia Westpac Helicopter Rescue World Society for the Protection of Animals Yooralla Young Care |
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