The that keeps on giving...

F O U N D A T I O N

A Bequest to LITTLE EDEN

gift

PBO No. 930 034 635

Sr. Tessa, a volunteer from India, bonds with Brigitte, a

resident at Elvira Rota Village.

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Leaving a bequest to a charitable institution is a

tradition dating back to the 18th Century. Many of

the great universities around the world – including

Harvard, the Smithsonian Institute and several Oxford

Colleges – owe their existence to a founding bequest.

It’s a tradition that has at its root our very real

human need to leave the world a better place ... to

believe that our lives and actions have the power to

make a difference and continue to exert a positive

infl uence long after we are gone.

At LITTLE EDEN, the names of our generous

bequestors are woven into the fabric of our history.

We only have to walk through the grounds of

Elvira Rota Village, and see volunteers interacting

with our residents, to remember with gratitude that

the accommodation in which they live was provided

by a generous bequest from the late Caroline Tindall.

Her vision makes it possible for us to welcome

young people from Europe, Asia and America, who

not only bring new ideas, culture and energy to our

residents, but also support the work of our staff.

The Michael Welsh House provides a permanent

home for our chaplin, enabling him to minister to

the spiritual needs of our large family of children,

adults and staff. A R4-million bequest was used to

start the LITTLE EDEN Foundation Reserve Fund – an

investment aimed at protecting assets and providing

stability for the long-term future of the organisation.

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal.”

~ Albert Pike

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Why leave a bequest?

That’s exactly what happens when you decide

to include a bequest to LITTLE EDEN in your Will. It

gives you the opportunity to make a substantial gift –

one which you might not be able to afford right

now – to an organisation that is close to your heart.

So when you no longer need it your money will

be used to ensure that children and adults with

profound intellectual disability will be loved and

nurtured for the rest of their lives.

It’s not only the wealthy who have the power

to infl uence the future in this way. Many ordinary

folk have the capacity to make a difference, if they

only knew how.

Save money

In many cases, including a bequest to a charitable

institution in your Will can even save money that

would otherwise have to be paid in estate duty.

If the total value of your assets at the time

of your death amounts to more than a certain

threshold (check with your bank or attorney for

current legislation), you will become liable for the

payment of estate duty at the current rate.

However, gifts in your Will made to charities

like LITTLE EDEN are tax-free. This means the

value of those gifts is deducted from your estate

before the duty is calculated. If your gift reduces

the value of your estate below the threshold, then

no duty is payable.

If something you did today – which cost you absolutely nothing – had the power to bring

joy into the lives of hundreds of disabled children in the years ahead ... would you do it?

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What is a bequest?

Broadly speaking there are two main types

of bequests:

• A specifi c amount of money, including

the proceeds of a life assurance

policy, or a particular piece

of property;

• The residue – whatever is left over

once all taxes, funeral expenses

and specifi c bequests have been paid.

You can bequeath the entire residue to a

single benefi ciary or apportion it among several,

e.g. 50% to your family and 10% each to fi ve

other benefi ciaries.

The advantage of the latter is that the bequest

automatically keeps pace with infl ation and ensures

a fair distribution among your various benefi ciaries.

If you make specifi c bequests, you need to

check regularly to make sure you are not giving

away items you no longer possess, or that the value

of the gift has not decreased to the point where it

will no longer benefi t the recipient to the extent

you intended.

A bequest is simply a gift to an individual or organisation specifi ed in your Will. It could

be money or an item of sentimental or monetary value, such as jewellery, furniture, a motor vehicle or house.

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The Foundation was established in 2010 as a

separate legal entity with an independent Board of

Management and is registered with SARS as a Public

Benefi t Organisation (PBO number 930 034 635).

If you prefer your gift to be put to work

immediately to help with current needs or

capital expenses, you should make the bequest

to LITTLE EDEN Society.

Unspecifi ed gifts are best, as no one knows what

the most pressing need will be at the time your

bequest is actioned. However, if you are considering

a bequest towards new buildings, renovations of a

particular piece of equipment, please contact us to

discuss your ideas.

Naming rights

Many of our buildings are named for the generous

people who made them possible – it’s our way of

acknowledging exceptional support and ensuring

that their memory lives on forever at LITTLE EDEN.

Naming rights cover a wide range of gift

amounts – from complete new buildings to a

bench in the sensory garden at Elvira Rota Village,

which can bear your name or that of a loved one.

How your gift is used is your choice. If you would like the money to be invested to

safeguard the long-term sustainability of the organisation, please make the bequest

to LITTLE EDEN Foundation.

How would LITTLE EDEN use my bequest?

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Why choose LITTLE EDEN?

For inspiration, we need look no further than our

founder, the late Mrs Domitilla Rota Hyams. Although

she passed away in January 2011, her legacy lives

on in the hearts and minds of all who knew her.

An ordinary housewife and mother of six,

Domitilla believed she should do something to

help children with intellectual disability. She knew

nothing about social work; she had very little money;

she had no government backing and no friends in

high places.

But what she lacked in resources and experience,

she made up for with dogged determination and an

unshakable faith in God’s purpose.

She began by running a day care facility for three

little girls at the Edenvale Methodist church hall.

Today, LITTLE EDEN is a benchmark non-profi t

organisation

caring for 300

children and

adults of all races

in two specialised

residential care

facilities. Children

at LITTLE EDEN

benefi t from

LITTLE EDEN has been caring for children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities since 1967. That it has continued to operate successfully

for so many years bears witness to the solid leadership, principles and beliefs that are

practised and lived daily.

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24-hour nursing care and a full programme of physio,

occupational, speech and hydrotherapy, music, art,

and refl exology – all aimed at enhancing their quality

of life.

Ranging in age from 18 months to over 60 years,

the residents include people with Down Syndrome,

profound intellectual and multiple physical

disabilities, as well as those with psychiatric illness

and disturbed behaviour.

They are grouped according to ability to ensure

that each receives appropriate care and stimulation

in the best possible environment. Younger children

and those requiring intensive medical care generally

live at Domitilla and Danny Hyams Home, in Edenvale

while more mobile and older residents are better

suited to life at Elvira Rota Village, our 43-hectare

farm in Bapsfontein.

Visitors tell us there is something very special

in the atmosphere at our Homes. Whether it is the

joyful smiles of the children, who accept the burden

of their disability without complaint – or the patient

cheerfulness of the staff who care for them day after

day – LITTLE EDEN is a unique place.

“Thank you for the opportunity to be in some small way a part of what LITTLE EDEN does.

It fi lls me with joy and happiness to know that I have been so close to Heaven’s doors.”

Barry Munro, Mamba Strike Force

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Our Values

We believe these special people are precious in

the eyes of God and that they have a right to live and

to be helped to reach their full potential despite their

limitations. They deserve the best possible care in

order to live a happy life, whilst being cared for

and nurtured in a safe environment.

Subsidies

Although we receive government subsidies for

some of our residents, the amount falls short of the

cost of providing dedicated care 24-hours a day,

365 days a year.

Without help from compassionate organisations

and people who care, the work could not continue.

We urge you to consider leaving a bequest to

LITTLE EDEN to ensure children and adults with

profound

intellectual

disability

will always

have a

place to

call ‘home’.

The LITTLE EDEN values of Respect, Sanctity of Life and Love & Care are encapsulated in a series

of symbols that guide the way we respond to children and adults with intellectual disability.

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Codicil

You can make as many codicils as you wish,

but if there are several changes, it may be better

to make a new Will. Each codicil must be signed

by two witnesses in the same way as your Will,

although they do not have to be the same people

who witnessed your Will. Neither they, nor their

marriage partners, may be benefi ciaries of your

Will or the codicil.

If you decide to include LITTLE EDEN among

your benefi ciaries, you may fi nd this wording

helpful:

SPECIFIC BEQUEST

I bequeath to the LITTLE EDEN FOUNDATION,

PO Box 121, Edenvale, 1610, free of all tax, the sum

of R ............... (or the specifi c item/s as the case

may be) and I further direct that the receipt of

their Treasurer or public offi cer shall be a full and

suffi cient discharge.

RESIDUAL BEQUEST

Subject to the payment of my debts, funeral and

testamentary expenses, I give (insert the word “all”

or a percentage share) of the residue of my estate

not otherwise disposed of by this my Will to

the LITTLE EDEN FOUNDATION, PO Box 121,

Edenvale, 1610 and I further direct that the receipt

of their Treasurer or public offi cer shall be a full and

suffi cient discharge.

If you have an existing Will, adding a bequest can usually be done by means of a simple

codicil. This is an additional document that is read in conjunction with the original Will.

How to make a bequest

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But I don’t have a Will!

Won’t everything go to my spouse anyway?

Many married people think there is no need to

make a Will, because everything they own will

automatically go to their partner. This isn’t always

the case – and what happens if you die together in

an accident?

Others think they have nothing to leave. But if you

add up the value of your home, car, insurance policies

and furniture, you might be surprised.

Can I do it myself?

Legally, you can write your own Will, but it’s easy

to make mistakes that invalidate the entire document.

Far better to seek assistance from an attorney, bank,

accountant or trust company, to ensure that the Will is

properly worded, signed and witnessed.

It is not a morbid or depressing

task – on the contrary, knowing

your possessions will be divided

up according to your wishes and

that your affairs will be handled

by someone you know and trust,

brings great peace of mind.

If you are over the age of 18 you should have a Will, regardless of your state of health, marital

status, or degree of wealth. Why leave it to someone else to decide who will benefi t from the possessions

you’ve accumulated during your life – or what will happen to your loved ones (including pets!)

when you are no longer here?

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Under these laws, only blood relatives and

married partners can inherit. Even if you have

promised a dear friend, charity or loyal domestic

worker an item or sum of money, they will not

receive it unless you have made provision for

them in a valid Will.

Delays

Your affairs could take years to sort out, subjecting

your family to additional on-going stress at an already

diffi cult time.

Before intestacy is accepted, fi rst a search for

the non-existent Will has to be made. Then all living

relatives have to be traced and decisions made as

to who will inherit what. In the meantime, no one

receives any money, which can cause great hardship

to those you leave behind.

The Wrong people might benefi t

If you are separated but not divorced,

your former partner could receive almost

all your money and property. If you have

no living relatives everything you own could

go to the State.

If you die Intestate (i.e. without a valid Will) your possessions will be divided in strict

accordance with the laws of intestacy, which may not be in the best interests of your family: for example, the family home may need to be sold in order to pay

one of the benefi ciaries.

What happens if you die intestate?

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What to do fi rst

Before you make an appointment to have your Will drawn up, there’s a certain amount of preparation to be done. Some of the things

you need to think about are:

Who will benefi t from your estate?

Most married couples leave everything to

the surviving spouse and/or children – but you

need to consider what will happen in the event

that you die together (e.g. in an accident). If you

and your spouse make a joint Will, remember

that once one of you dies, the surviving spouse

will not be able to change the Will, as the

deceased partner will not be able to sign

consent to the changes.

Apart from your spouse and children, you

will need to decide who else will benefi t from

your estate – dear friends and other family

members, charities, loyal domestic workers –

and which, if any, particular items you want

each to have. Make a list of the names and

addresses of all benefi ciaries, together with

the item or the percentage value of the estate

that you want them to have.

Unless you are having the Will drawn up by

your bank or trust company, which normally act

as your executors, you will also need the full

names and addresses of the executors you’ve

chosen (after fi rst checking that they are willing

to assume this responsibility).

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To calculate the value of your estate, fi rst list all your assets and then subtract your liabilities.

Use this handy form to get started:

How to calculate the value of your estate

Total assets R ............................ Total liabilities – R ............................ Value of Estate = R ............................

AssetsHome R .....................Other property R .....................Furniture/appliances R .....................Antiques/artwork R .....................Jewellery R .....................Car/motorbike R .....................Caravan/Boat/Trailer R .....................Savings and cash R .....................Stocks and shares R .....................Other investments R .....................Pension benefi ts R .....................Life Assurance R .....................Other assets R .....................Total assets R .....................

LiabilitiesMortgage Bond R .....................Bank/personal loans R .....................Vehicle fi nance R .....................Other purchase agreements R .....................Bank overdraft R .....................Credit card balance R .....................Tax owed R .....................Other liabilities R .....................Total liabilities R .....................

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Who will be your benefi ciaries?

In terms of the law, close friends – including

those to whom you have promised an item or sum

of money – will not inherit anything unless you have

named them in a valid Will. Be sure to clearly identify all

benefi ciaries in your Will with a full name, occupation

and address which makes them easier to locate.

If you have no living relatives and fail to make a

Will naming any benefi ciaries, everything you leave

behind could go to the State. Isn’t it better to surprise a

friend or someone who has served you loyally, or help

a charity which will remember you with affection, than

for your money to end up in the Receiver’s pocket?

Normally your spouse or children will be the benefi ciaries of your Estate. If any of your

children to whom you have left a legacy die before you, then their children automatically

inherit in equal shares.

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Be sure to ask the person fi rst, to make sure they

are willing. It’s also wise to name a second executor,

in case anything happens to the fi rst, especially in the

case of a close family member who may be involved

in the same accident that claims your life.

Asking a professional or an organisation such as

your bank to act as executor will take the burden

away from your family, but you will have to pay for

their services from your estate.

Usually, the person nominated is a close relative –

but this person may not necessarily share your ideas

about child-rearing. You are the best person to decide

who will raise your children in accordance with your

family values and beliefs.

The Executor of a Will is the person you nominate to carry out the instructions in your

Will. This person may also be a benefi ciary of the Will, and many people choose their spouse,

a grown up son or daughter, or other trusted relative or friend.

What is an executor?

Who will look after your children?

If you have children under the age of 18, and you and your spouse die together in an accident without making a Will, the courts

will decide who will bring them up.

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Funeral arrangements

You can express a preference in your Will for

burial or cremation and include specifi c instructions

about music to be played at the service or where

your ashes should be placed.

Nowadays, many people feel that in death they

would like to provide life for others by donating

various organs or tissue. Others donate their bodies

to medical research.

If you want to donate all or part of your body for

medical or scientifi c purposes, you should include a

paragraph

to this

effect in

your Will,

and be sure

to let your

executor

or family

know now

so that no

mistake is

made by

burial or

cremation.

Far from being macabre, letting your family or friends know your preferences regarding funeral

arrangements can be a huge weight off their minds and prevent arguments about what “mom (or dad)

would have wanted us to do.”

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Update it regularly

You’ll need to update your Will from time to

time – especially if you move to another country,

get married or divorced, sell assets mentioned in the

Will, or if one or more of your heirs or executors die.

If your estate increases in value (perhaps you have

received an inheritance yourself, or the value of your

house has escalated) you may become liable for

estate duty. But in making certain changes to your

Will, estate duty could be reduced or avoided.

Keep it safe

Keep your Will in a safe place and make sure

your family or executors know where to fi nd it.

Never staple or pin anything to the Will – you may

invalidate the entire document. If you have added

codicils to the original, simply keep them together

with the Will in an envelope.

Let us know

If you have made a bequest to LITTLE EDEN –

or are thinking of doing so – please let us know

by fi lling out and returning the form with this

brochure. We appreciate the opportunity to

thank you now, rather than your executors later,

and possibly discussing with you how you would

like your gift to be used.

Knowing that your Will has been properly drawn up, signed and witnessed, and that all your

affairs are in order should anything happen, brings a sense of satisfaction and relief. But it doesn’t mean you can now forget all about it.

Now what?

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Information contained in this

booklet is intended for guidance

and should not be used as a

substitute for proper legal advice.

You are advised to consult

an attorney or other qualifi ed

professional before drawing

up your Will.

P O Box 121 Edenvale 1610Tel. +27 (0)11 609 7246 Fax +27 (0)11 452 4560Email: info@littleeden.org.zawww.littleeden.org.za

F O U N D A T I O NPBO No. 930 034 635