Explore meaningful ways to support affordable homeownership for generations to come.
Why Legacy Giving Matters
A legacy gift is more than a future donation.
It is a reflection of your values, your hopes for the future, and the kind of community you want to help create for generations to come.
At Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North, legacy gifts help families build strength, stability, and independence through affordable homeownership.
One of the most meaningful examples is the legacy of Jim Wilks whose generosity helped make possible the construction of 1375 Piercy Road. Read more about Jim’s Legacy here →
Designed with a strong focus on community living, Wilks Place features a shared courtyard and outdoor living spaces where neighbours gather for celebrations, gardening, family BBQs, conversations, and everyday connection. The space reflects Jim’s belief that housing is about more than shelter. It is about belonging.
Today, families continue to build their futures there.
For Habitat homeowner Jessica:
“Our home will provide us the stability to start living, not just surviving. Letting my son go outside to play anytime he wants. There’s green space right outside, and other kids his age in the neighbourhood… I know he’ll love that.”
Jessica and her son are among the 12 families creating new beginnings at Wilks Place, demonstrating how one person’s legacy can continue strengthening lives and communities for generations. You can read more about Jessica’s story here.
Legacy planning can feel overwhelming at first, but it can also be deeply empowering. Whether through a gift in your will, life insurance, securities, retirement funds, real estate, donor-advised funds, endowments, or monthly giving, there are many ways to create meaningful impact while supporting the people and causes you care about most.
We created these resources to help make those conversations easier.
Explore Legacy Giving Options
There is no single way to leave a legacy.
Some gifts are planned through a will or estate. Others are created through investments, insurance policies, property, or even ongoing monthly support. Every donor’s circumstances, goals, and wishes are unique.
We’ve created a collection of free information sheets to help explain several different ways to support affordable housing through a future gift to .
Each guide includes:
simple explanations
potential tax and estate considerations
possible benefits
practical next steps
questions to discuss with your professional advisors
In 2018, Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North received the largest personal donation in our history. The gift came from the estate of Jim Wilks, a former teacher who became dedicated to Habitat’s mission after retiring in the Comox Valley.
Several years before he passed, Jim inquired about leaving Habitat a gift in his will. We later found out decided to leave the majority of his estate to Habitat, after providing gifts to his niece and nephew.
Jim retired in Comox after a 30-year teaching career. It was here that he became committed to helping our local Habitat for Humanity. He volunteered on and off for years, and the more he got to know about how the program worked, the more dedicated he became.
Jim’s bequest is having a transformational impact on local families in need of safe, decent, and affordable homes. Because of Habitat’s ‘revolving fund for humanity,’ in which homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are reinvested into a fund used to build more homes, his legacy will continue to grow for years into the future.
Types of Legacy Gifts
Create a future gift through your estate while maintaining full control of your assets during your lifetime
Name Habitat VIN as a beneficiary of all or part of your registered retirement savings or retirement income funds.
Donate publicly traded securities such as stocks or mutual funds in a tax-efficient way.
Consider donating property or other tangible assets to help create lasting community impact.
Recommend grants to Habitat VIN through your donor-advised fund and explore long-term giving opportunities. Create enduring support through a fund that continues generating impact for years to come. Or build ongoing impact through steady monthly support that helps Habitat plan for the future with confidence.
Why People Choose Legacy Giving
Legacy gifts are deeply personal.
For many supporters, legacy planning is an opportunity to reflect on the values, people, and causes that have shaped their lives and consider how they would like to make a lasting difference in the future.
People choose legacy giving for many different reasons, including:
Creating Lasting Impact
Legacy gifts help future families access safe, affordable housing and create stronger communities across Vancouver Island North.
Supporting Causes They Care About
Many donors choose to support organizations that reflect their lifelong values and priorities.
Flexibility & Control
Many types of legacy gifts can be adjusted over time as personal or financial circumstances change.
Potential Tax Advantages
Some legacy gifts may help reduce taxes payable by you or your estate. We encourage all donors to speak with professional legal and financial advisors.
Honouring Loved Ones
Legacy gifts can be made in honour or memory of family members, friends, or others who have had a meaningful impact on your life.
Peace of Mind
Many donors appreciate knowing they have made plans that reflect both their wishes and their commitment to community.
Building Community for Future Generations
Legacy gifts help create stability, belonging, and opportunity for families who will benefit for years to come.
At Habitat VIN, we believe a legacy is not only about what we leave behind. It is about the future we help build together.
Talk With Us
Legacy planning is personal, and every conversation is different.
Whether you already have plans in place or are simply beginning to explore your options, we would be honoured to speak with you confidentially about the impact your future gift could create.
We are happy to:
answer general questions about legacy giving
provide printed copies of our information sheets
discuss how your gift could support Habitat VIN
help ensure your wishes and intentions are understood
work with you and your professional advisors as needed
There is never any obligation or pressure. Our goal is simply to provide helpful information and support as you consider what kind of legacy feels meaningful to you.
Contact
Sara Lopez
Director of Communications & Fundraising
legacy@habitathorthisland.com
Printed copies of our Legacy Giving Information Sheets are available upon request.
Together, we can help build a future where everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home.