Introduction

This page applies to persons who have submitted a donation pledge to CanadaHelps and received from CanadaHelps an email message with a Subject line beginning "Action Required".

  • The message includes, as an attachment in pdf format, a critically important document titled "Letter of Direction".

Steps

The instructions and observations provided below were accurate as of 11 July, 2022, when we last visited the relevant pages on the CanadaHelps site. Please inform our webmaster (webmaster@haalsa.org) of any now-out-dated or otherwise incorrect details.

6. Note the Content in the Action Required Message

  1. The email you received likely looks much like the reproduction displayed below, apart from where we're displaying customized field values and comments.
  2. Open and review the message. Pay particular attention to the pledge confirmation details.
  3. If something doesn't seem correct, contact CanadaHelps.
  4. Do not immediately mail or deliver CanadaHelp's Letter of Direction to your broker/investment firm.
    • Some "direct investment" platforms have a form by which the client authorizes transfer of their securities to a designated charity. The form is sometimes titled "Charitable Donations of Securities in Kind" (CDSK) and the client is required to complete and submit that form. In that context the Letter of Direction from CanadaHelps is not an acceptable substitute, although you should problably submit CH`s form along with the completed CDSK form.
    • The following firms, among others, require a completed CDSK form. (The links below were valid when the relevant page on the various sites were last visited.)
    • Some details requested on a CDSK form can be found in your Letter of Direction, which is why you shouldn't send the latter to your broker/investment firm until you know whether they require you to complete and submit the firm's mandatory CDSK form.

7. Deal With the Letter of Direction

  1. The Letter summarizes your pledge and provides information that your broker/investment firm will need in order to faciliate the transfer of your securities to CanadaHelps.
  2. Save the file to your device/pc. It may be useful later to note now the path to where you've saved it!
  3. Open the file.

    You'll need a pdf reader to do that. Most current web browsers are able to open a pdf-type file. If you have a problem opening the file download one of the free pdf readers available on the web. If, after confirming that you can open other pdfs but can't open the Letter, contact CanadaHelps.

  4. If your broker/investment firm does not require a CDSK form, only a Letter of Direction, then..
    • If you are allowed to mail the Letter to the firm:  Be sure to sign the Letter on the "Donor Signature" line before putting it in an envelope.
    • If you have to take the Letter to the firm's local office:  It's probably best to delay signing it until during your meeting with the firm's representative.
  5. If your broker/investment firm requires you to complete and submit their CDSK form, then..
    • If you are allowed to mail the CDSK form to the firm:  Be sure to sign the Letter on the "Donor Signature" line before putting it and the CDSK form in an envelope.
    • If you have to take the CDSK form to the firm's local office:  It's probably best to delay signing both the Letter and the CDSK form until during your meeting with the firm's representative.

8. The "Action Requested" Email      (Customized Example)

Subject:ACTION REQUIRED: Complete Your Security Donation Pledge made using CanadaHelps
From:CanadaHelps.org <noreply@canadahelps.org>
To:{Your name and email-address}
Date:{the date on which you submitted your pledge}
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Dear {Your Given Name},

Thank you for your security donation pledge. Your pledge confirmation details are below. To turn your security pledge into a donation, you must complete one more step.

ACTION REQUIRED:

Sign and send the attached Letter of Direction to your investment firm authorizing the transfer of shares to CanadaHelps.

This is a required step that will allow us to sell the shares, issue you a charitable tax receipt, and disburse the proceeds of the sale, less our non-commercial rate, to the charities indicated in your pledge.

Once you complete this step, CanadaHelps works with your broker or investment firm to complete your transaction.

Step 1 - Receiving Your Shares

It typically takes between 2 and 5 days for your financial institution to transfer your security to our account.

Step 2 - Settlement & Selling

Once received, we promptly sell your shares. It typically takes up to 1 week for the account to be settled but may take up to 5 weeks in the case of some mutual funds from select companies.

Step 3 - Tax Receipt & Confirmation

Once sold, we will send you a confirmation email with your tax receipt and disburse the funds to your chosen charity(ies).

Please note, if you use a direct investment platform such as RBC Direct Invest, Scotia iTrade, or Questrade, you may need to complete the Letter of Direction available from your direct investing firm. The attached Letter of Direction includes all the information you will need to complete their form.

PLEDGE CONFIRMATION DETAILS:

Pledge Number:  {A number}

Pledge Date:  {yyyy-mm-dd}

Type of Gift:  {"Stocks" or "Mutual Funds"}

Name/Description:  {Name you provided for the stocks or fund you pledged}

Quantity:  {Units of the stock or fund}
    o A whole number (if stocks), or either a whole or fraction (if a fund)

Designated Charity:  THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LITERATURE SCIENCE AND ART

In Support Of:  {Name of the expense fund you selected}

Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1‑877‑755‑1595 or, email us at securities@canadahelps.org. We’re happy to help.

Thanks,

The CanadaHelps Team

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