Give | Fall 2024

WINNIPEG FOUNDATION

Giving a gift that counts CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS IN PLACE OF TRADITIONAL GIFTS A GROWING TREND

BY TODD LEWYS

M anitoba has long been recognized as one of – if not the most – generous provinces in Canada. In 2021, 19.7 per cent of Manitobans made charitable donations, a full two per cent higher than the national figure that year. That figure is impressive, as Manitoba’s median income is generally lower than the national average. Now, it turns out Manitobans have found another way to give. In recent years, an increasing number of people in North America has chosen to make charitable donations, or contributions, in place of giving presents during the holiday season or on other special occasions. Mary Beth Taylor, vice-president of community generosity with the Winnipeg Foundation, says that trend is alive and well in Manitoba. “Yes, we’re definitely seeing it,” she says. A few factors have contributed to the trend, says Taylor, including an alignment with a minimalist movement that has captured the fancy of many people.

“First, it’s a way of combining what you like to do in the community with regular gift buying,” says Taylor. “It’s also a way to be more creative with gift giving. These days, people have less disposable income, so instead of buying a costly gift for someone, they instead choose to gift what they would have spent on that gift in the honour of a charity.” She adds that this this shift is aligned with a practice that goes back decades. “People have always given at the end of a person’s life. When they gave a gift in their honour, it was directed to a charity such as CancerCare. Now, we’re seeing more people give charity-themed gifts more during a person’s life as a tribute to who they are.”

Mary Beth Taylor,vice president of community generosity, Winnipeg Foundation. Submitted photo

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Manitoba