World Bequest Day for Associations and Foundations

Every year, on September 13, the World Bequest Day is celebrated in favor of associations and foundations. This symbolic day invites everyone to reflect on another form of generosity that is still too little known: the transmission of one's heritage. On this occasion, La Chaîne de l'Espoir would like to remind you that by making a bequest, a donation or by designating us as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, you are making a long-term commitment.

A young girl at the Children's Pavilion in Kabul

What is World Bequest Day?

The aim of World Bequest Day is to raise public awareness of the importance of passing on assets to associations and foundations. Making a bequest means deciding to pass on all or part of your assets – real estate, financial or personal – to a cause that reflects your values. This gesture of great generosity provides associations with indispensable and lasting resources, enabling them to pursue their missions over the long term. For La Chaîne de l’Espoir, bequests represent essential support in financing vital medical operations for sick children, training local healthcare staff and building and equipping hospital facilities.

Legacies: an act of transmission and solidarity

The figures confirm the growing importance of this form of generosity. According to the Panorama national des générosités (France générosités and Fondation de France), in 2022, gifts accounted for 14% of the 9.2 billion euros collected by associations, or 1.27 billion euros. Of these, almost 70% came from bequests.Life insurance, meanwhile, continues to grow, rising from 24% of donations in 2013 to 30% in 2022. All the signs are that this dynamic will continue in the years to come. This trend is also true for La Chaîne de l’Espoir: in 2024, bequests and life insurance represented 9.8% of our resources, or €2,848,000. These funds give us the stability we need to carry out our vital missions.

Why are legacies so important to La Chaîne de l’Espoir?

Every bequest, whatever the amount, enables us to plan our actions and programs over the long term, to invest in ambitious solidarity projects, and to multiply the impact of our actions. Thanks to the generosity of our testators, we can treat and save even more sick children.

With €15,000, we can save a child’s life by financing a heart operation in France, as well as the child’s convalescence.

“I’ve always been very attached to Madagascar. Now I’m 80, I won’t be going back, but part of my heart is still there… but I didn’t know how I could continue to help them? My notary confirmed that it was possible to bequeath part of my estate to an association. I chose La Chaîne de l’Espoir. Their action is serious and really useful for the Malagasy population, and in particular for children. explains Marie-France, who decided to make a bequest to La Chaîne de l’Espoir.

How can I make a bequest to La Chaîne de l’Espoir?

To bequeath all or part of your estate to La Chaîne de l’Espoir, you need to draw up a will to express your wishes. The will can be drawn up with the help of a notary, who can then register it with the FCDDV (fichier central des dispositions de dernières volontés).

Under article 795-4 of the Code général des impôts, bequests to La Chaîne de l’Espoir are fully exempt from inheritance tax.

Life insurance, an alternative to bequests

Life insurance is becoming increasingly popular with savers. It is a simple and advantageous tool, enabling everyone to pass on part of their estate while retaining complete freedom to modify their arrangements.
By designating La Chaîne de l’Espoir as the beneficiary of all or part of your policy, you can transform your personal savings into a shared legacy. To find out which formulas are best suited to your financial situation and needs, simply contact your bank or insurance company, which will provide you with all the information and advice you need.

A legacy with a future

According to the barometer “Les Français, le testament et le legs” (The French, wills and legacies), 36% of French people believe that legacies are reserved for people with high incomes and/or substantial assets. But this is not true. Bequests, like life insurance, are not reserved for the wealthy. Every gesture counts and can have a concrete, measurable impact. With €10,000, we are financing the purchase of an incubator to improve care for premature newborns or those suffering from respiratory infections, as part of the Harmonie Mère-Enfant project.

On this World Bequest Day, La Chaîne de l’Espoir would like to thank all those who have shown their generosity by choosing, over time, to help sick children around the world through a bequest, a donation or by passing on a life insurance policy.

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Photo credit: La Chaîne de l’Espoir / Pascal Deloche / Godong