What You Can Do

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.”   Barbara De Angelis

You can change a person's life forever through a simple gift of sight.

Seva means “service” in Sanskrit. There are many ways that you can be of service and help us help others in need, from making a donation that will change someone’s life, to buying one of our beautiful products, to volunteering your time or expertise.

Donate Online
Note: If you would like your donation to be designated to a specific country or program that is not listed as one of our "Gift of Sight" options, please add a note in the comment box provided on our Online Donation page.
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Give Monthly
Give the Gift of Sight
Circle of Light
Create A Legacy
Honor Someone
Create a Personal Fundraising Page
Give Securities
Corporate Giving
Other Ways to Give

 

Give Monthly

By becoming a monthly Circle of Sharing donor, you will be helping to bring sight and hope to people – every month.

Your tax-deductible gift will help Seva’s critical, community-led programs that reach out and give sight to the most vulnerable people in Nepal, Tibet, eastern Africa, India, Guatemala, Cambodia and Egypt. We'll send you updates on Seva's work, sight stories from the field, special invitations to Seva events, and an annual consolidated gift statement to aid in your tax preparations.

NOTE: Many companies and organizations will match the charitable gifts of their employees and sometimes even retirees and spouses of staff. Click here for a list of companies who match charitable gifts so that you can double the value of your gift to Seva at no extra cost to you.

        Benefits of monthly giving

• you choose the method of payment.
• receive one tax receipt at the end of the year.
• you can change or stop your monthly gift at any time.
• you are helping seva keep administration costs low and provide a dependable stream of  revenue for our sight programs.

By credit card: to make a monthly gift through your MasterCard or VISA, click here.

Through your bank account: Give monthly through your chequing account by printing, filling out, and mailing our monthly donor form to Seva Canada along with a signed cheque marked void. This is by far the most efficient way for Seva to receive your monthly donation and provides the most possible for our efforts to end preventable blindness.

By mailing us a monthly cheque: If you would prefer, you can complete our monthly donor form and send a cheque monthly to Seva at #100 – 2000 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6J 2G2.

By phone or email: Call us today at 604-713-6622 (toll-free 1-877-460-6622) or email admin@seva.ca to make arrangements directly.

For more information: Please call us at 604-713-6622 or toll-free 1-877-460-6622 or email admin@seva.ca.

Seva Canada Society is a registered Canadian charity, #13072 4941 RR0001. Contributions are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. Seva Canada adheres to the Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code of Imagine Canada. your privacy is our priority. Seva does not sell or trade names and contact information.

Thank you for your generous support!

Join the Circle of Light

To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.
Mother Teresa 1910 – 1997

The Circle of Light is a special group of donors willing and able to make a significant pledge to Seva’s mission of bringing light where darkness prevails.

This group is composed of people who have committed to making a donation of $750 or more each year and who are willing to repeat this commitment over a period of years. These are the friends of Seva we have come to know well and upon whom we depend as the foundation of our operations.

As a member of the Circle of Light, you will join a group of extraordinary individuals who care deeply about changing the world for the better. Twice a year, you will be invited to attend a Seva event where we will brief you on our activities and experiences. If you are interested in joining this dedicated group, please contact Penny Lyons, Executive Director (604) 713-6622 or indicate your intention when you send your gift and Penny will call you at your convenience.

Honour Someone

By choosing a gift of sight for any occasion, you’re giving so many kinds of gift in one – the miracle of eyesight and the gift of hope and a better life for a person, their family and community.

Choose a gift that does a world of good – and we’ll send a personalized card to your friends and family. 

If you choose to use your gift to honour another person, Seva will send a card to that person advising that you have made a gift in their name. All we require from you is:

•  the purpose of the gift
•  the name of the person being honoured
•  your relationship to that person
•  their mailing address.

We do not disclose the amount of the gift given. And because you are the giver, you are the one to receive the tax receipt and our thanks.

We can send a notification card on your behalf or you can send it yourself – the choice is yours.

Tribute Gift
Express your gratitude, respect or love with a gift that will help someone see their loved ones again – a gift that feels like a miracle. Many people have chosen a gift to Seva as a way of thanking their own ophthalmologist for treatment received.

Birthday
What do you give someone who has everything? Celebrate that special birthday with a gift that will provide eye care services or sight-restoring surgery for those most in need – truly, a gift that makes a difference.

In Memory
What better way to express your love in memoriam than with a gift that shows deep compassion in action and allows someone to see again.

To select a gift in honour of someone, please click here or call the Seva Canada office at 604-713-6622.

Give Securities

Maximize the benefits to you and to Seva’s sight programs.

When you donate securities to Seva Canada Society, you can reap significant tax benefits.

Under Canadian tax laws, if you sell your appreciated securities you will have to pay capital gains tax on an amount equal to one-half of their increase in value. But if you give these securities to a registered charity, you won’t have to pay any capital gains tax at all. You also get a tax deduction for the full value of the securities.

Moreover, by giving securities you may be able to make a substantially larger donation than would otherwise be possible, helping more people receive the gift of sight.

Listed securities include stocks, bonds, mutual funds and futures traded on approved stock exchanges in Canada, and major international exchanges.

By donating appreciated securities, you will receive a tax receipt for the full market value of the securities and you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are helping to restore sight and prevent blindness and paying no capital gains tax on these donated securities.

Follow these links for more information on making a gift of securities to Seva or to download a securities transfer form.

 

Corporate Giving

Sight is everyone’s business.

By joining in partnership with Seva to restore sight and prevent blindness, corporations can not only play an important role in changing peoples’ lives, but at the same time inspire their employees, gain recognition for their philanthropy and foster a reputation for social responsibility. Seva has over 25 years of experience in world-changing sight programs. Join us.

There are several ways companies can become involved in Seva's vital work:

Sponsorship. Sponsorship opportunities range from one-time sponsorship of specific events such as our “A Shot in the Dark” Night Golf Tournament or multi-year funding of specific overseas projects. Seva would be happy to discuss sponsorship options, large or small, that fit your corporation’s market and interests.

Workplace giving and matching gifts. Seva is extremely grateful to the corporations that support our sight programs through workplace giving and matching gifts. Workplace giving is a convenient way for employees to support Seva by making charitable contributions through automatic payroll deduction. Many corporations choose to demonstrate their commitment to philanthropy by matching charitable contributions made by employees. Seva can recognize this support in various ways, from framed Certificates of Appreciation to special presentations by Seva staff or program partners about our overseas projects.

Public awareness. A simple and no- or low-cost way to support Seva through raising public awareness of Seva’s work. Your corporation can help Seva by displaying brochures in your office or retail locations, by placing inserts or notices in your customer mailings or publications, by buying our calendars or by hosting informational sessions for your staff or clients.

Employee fundraising. If you have an idea to raise funds among your colleagues, we’d love to hear from you.

Cause-related marketing. The Seva logo – the eye’s of the Buddha – is distinctive and a sign of compassion. Your corporation can distinguish itself from competitors through on-pack licensing, promotions and co-branded advertisements.

Gifts-in-kind. Over the years Seva has benefited from generous in-kind donations of equipment and supplies for our Vancouver office and specific ophthalmic supplies requested by our overseas partners. Sometimes costs of shipping makes sending medical and ophthalmic supplies overseas prohibitive, so each gift-in-kind must be carefully considered. Please contact us at 604-713-6622 for more information.

Other Ways to Give

There are many ways we can show compassion and give service (Seva) to others. Here are a few more ways you can help Seva help others.

Give Frequent Flyer Miles:

Put those miles to good use! A donation of frequent flyer miles helps our programs by saving on the high cost of staff travel. For information please contact Penny Lyons at 604-713-6622. Please note that donations must be enough for roundtrip travel either within Canada or to one of our international programs.

Give Your Time:

Become a Seva volunteer and fundraise in your neighbourhood or help out in the Seva office in Vancouver. Click here to find out more.

Give Gifts That Give:

By buying Seva products, such our beautiful wall calendar and greeting cards, you are helping to support our sight projects overseas. Shop at Seva for all occasions and know that the gifts you purchase are truly gifts that keep on giving. Click here to find out more.