Bethany Galbraith has a long history with House of Friendship.
Her entire family does.
“My brother, Matt, was a student at House of Friendship in 2006, so that introduced me to the Emergency Food Hamper program,” said Bethany.
That initial connection led to Bethany’s college placement at House of Friendship. It wasn’t long before the entire family started volunteering.
Even now, Bethany’s parents, John and Betty, volunteer weekly at the food program. And her niece, Binny, has worked on class projects that focus on House of Friendship, inspiring her fellow Grade 6 students to support the organization.
“It’s been a family affair. I would say we all believe quite strongly in the vision, mission and values of House of Friendship,” said Bethany. “It’s become the organization of choice for my family.”
In addition to volunteering, Bethany and her husband Jon have chosen to support House of Friendship financially throughout the year, including during the holiday season.
“We donate at Christmas in honour of our sons’ teachers,” said Bethany. “It shares the message to our children about the importance of giving and helping those in need in our community.”
And over the many years of support that Bethany and her family have provided, she’s been pleased to see how much House of Friendship has continued to adapt to meet the needs of the community.
“It’s been exciting to see the growth over the years,” said Bethany. “And how many people are now supported through House of Friendship.”
And since House of Friendship aligns so well with her family’s values, it was only natural for Bethany and Jon to consider leaving a gift for future generations, through a gift in their will.
“It was a simple choice for us,” said Bethany. “That was eight years ago, and still to this day, we would absolutely make the same decision.
“What I like about leaving a gift in our will is that it is sharing what our wishes are. It tells the story of what has been important to us, long after we are gone – and making sure this work will continue into the future.”
If you are interested in learning more about leaving a gift in your will to House of Friendship, contact Development Director Natalie Schill, at natalies@houseoffriendship.org.
