Supporting MEOW Foundation means helping cats live safer, healthier lives. Legacy giving is a way to carry that compassion forward, ensuring your care for cats continues to make a difference long into the future.
What is Legacy Giving?
Legacy giving—sometimes called planned giving—is the act of including MEOW Foundation in your estate plans. For many supporters, it’s a deeply personal way to reflect their values and their lifelong love for cats.
There’s a common misconception that legacy gifts are complicated or only an option for those with large estates. In reality, these gifts can be arranged in ways that don’t impact your current finances and may even offer tax benefits during your lifetime or when your estate is settled. Above all, legacy giving offers peace of mind, knowing your kindness will continue to help cats when you’re no longer able to do so yourself.
Legacy gifts are as unique as the people who make them. Some supporters choose to leave a specific amount, while others designate a percentage of their estate after family and loved ones are provided for. Gifts may support MEOW Foundation’s overall work or be directed toward a cause close to the donor’s heart, such as medical care for cats in our program. Each gift is a reflection of compassion, care, and connection.
Ways to Leave a Legacy with MEOW
There are several ways to make a legacy gift with MEOW Foundation, offering flexibility to suit different needs and circumstances. Whether you’re planning well ahead or just beginning to explore your options, there are meaningful ways to help cats for years to come.
Some of the options available include:
- Bequeathing a companion cat – An option designed for cat guardians who want reassurance that their cat(s) will be cared for if they outlive them.
- Life insurance gifts – Naming MEOW Foundation as a beneficiary or owner of a policy can be a simple yet impactful way to give.
- Gifts of securities – Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds may provide tax advantages while making a significant contribution.
To learn more about these options and explore what might be right for you, visit our Legacy Giving webpage.
Why Legacy Giving Matters
For MEOW Foundation
Legacy gifts help provide stability and long-term sustainability for our organization. They allow us to plan ahead, respond to urgent needs, and continue offering care, shelter, and advocacy for cats—both now and in the future.
For You and Your Estate
Legacy giving makes it possible to create a meaningful impact without affecting your day-to-day financial needs. Gifts to MEOW Foundation are charitable and tax-deductible, which may help offset taxes when an estate is settled. Many supporters also find comfort in knowing their love for cats will continue to change lives for years to come.
How to Get Started
Beginning the process is easier than you might think. A helpful first step is simply letting us know of your intentions so we can thank you and ensure your wishes are clearly understood. All conversations are confidential, and there is never any pressure.
When working with your lawyer or estate planner, your will should include a clear statement outlining the amount or type of gift you wish to leave to MEOW Foundation, along with our charitable number. It’s also considered best practice to include a clause directing your gift to another cat-focused animal welfare organization should MEOW Foundation no longer be operating at the time your will is carried out.
We also encourage you to discuss your plans with family members and to keep your will accessible and up to date.
A Few Things to Know
- In Canada, legacy gifts represent a significant portion of charitable giving and are one of the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy.
- Many people include a charity in their will without reducing what they leave to family or loved ones.
- Even modest legacy gifts, when combined, can have a powerful and lasting impact.
If you ever have questions or would like to talk through your options in a no-pressure, supportive way, please reach out to us at plannedgiving@meowfoundation.com. We’re always happy to connect.
Your thoughtfulness means so much to us and to the cats whose lives will be changed because of it.
