Gifts of all sizes can make a significant difference. A gift in your will is a wonderful legacy for future generations, and can change lives in many different ways: from supporting research and best practice in perinatal medicine, to improving facilities for hospitals and aged care.
Our story began from a gift left in a will. Today, we continue to bring that gift to life for the people we serve. Mercy Health can trace its origins back to the establishment of our health services in Victoria in 1920. The organisation has since grown from strength to strength, caring for the needs of the community from the beginning to the end of life. Today Mercy Health provides acute and subacute hospital care, aged care, mental health programs, maternity services, specialist women’s healthcare, early parenting services, palliative care, home and community care, and health worker training and development.
We are committed to responding to people’s needs and improving health outcomes for those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged.
How can a bequest help Mercy Health?
Gifts of all sizes can make a significant difference. A gift in your will is a wonderful legacy for future generations, and can change lives in many different ways, from supporting research and best practice in perinatal medicine, to improving facilities for hospitals and aged care.
Bequests without specified intentions — known as ‘unencumbered bequests’ — are the most flexible way to benefit future generations. These bequests will be directed to the areas of greatest need within Mercy Health, which are determined and prioritised by our Distribution Advisory Committee.
Suggested wording for bequests
If you wish to make a bequest, we recommend that you and/or your legal advisor contact our office.
The suggested wording for including a gift in your will is:
“I give, devise and bequeath to the Mercy Health Foundation (ABN 60 905 269 648) in the State of Victoria for its general purposes, free of all duties, the following: [indicate whichever is applicable % of my estate, % of my residual estate, sum, personal item or property] and I direct that a receipt of the public officer or other proper person for this organisation shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor.”
It is preferable that bequests are designated for general use, as areas of need within Mercy Health change over time. However, it is possible to specify that your gift contribute to a specific purpose, for example:
- a particular cause: “for the purpose of supporting research in aged care”
- a facility or location: “to be used for the general purposes of the Werribee Mercy Hospital”.
Contact us to start the conversation
If you wish to make a bequest, whether for a general or specific purpose, we would love to help you. We often come and meet with people interested in making a bequest and we are happy to work with your advisers too.
Please contact the Foundation team on 03 8416 7766.