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It’s the gifts of ordinary people that make extraordinary change possible

At Jesuit Social Services, we go where the need is the greatest – into difficult, complex places others won’t or can’t reach. A gift in your Will helps make that possible. 

It keeps vital programs running when government funding isn’t available, or when priorities shift. 

It supports courageous action on problems others turn away from – challenging the systems that push vulnerable people to the margins. 

It creates big-picture change through cutting-edge research, advocacy and education programs. 

It also helps us respond to emerging challenges – from climate inequality to the pressures of a digital world. 

Every gift – no matter the size – makes a difference, helping to create lasting change for people experiencing disadvantage, injustice and exclusion. 

For a confidential conversation about including Jesuit Social Services in your Will, please call our Fundraising & Philanthropy Coordinator, Emily, on 0477 605 933 (Mon-Thurs) or email emily@jss.org.au. She will be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have.

Why leave a gift to Jesuit Social Services?

When you bring love to hard places, it changes things.

Love changes people

There’s no other word Dean* can find to describe the support he received at Jesuit Social Services’ Perry House, other than ‘life changing’.

“I just didn’t have the confidence to work or study,” he said. “That came later, when I moved into Perry House, when I relaxed and knew I was in a safe space. Then I started thinking, ‘What’s next?”

Perry House was one of the supportive housing programs Jesuit Social Services has offered for young people involved with the justice system who have other complex needs that put them at at risk of homelessness.

This kind of supportive housing is underpinned by the belief that feeling safe at home is crucial to every person becoming their best self.

With support, Dean developed independence and confidence, and re-engaged with school. He completed his VCE, with hopes of apprenticing as a jeweller and one day owning his own shop.

“The workers were definitely helpful with anything that I was struggling with,” Dean says. “It felt like a home, it felt like family.”

*Dean is a real person and their story is true. We’ve changed their names and used a representative image to protect their privacy.

Love changes situations

Aged 13, Hannah* projects a confidence beyond her years.

A participant of the Willmot Community Hub, Hannah joins a range of community and advocacy initiatives, participates in youth events and most importantly – attends Girls Group, a weekly youth-led program for girls aged 10-17.

“We talk about things that really matter – like depression, anxiety, stress, and how to recognise and speak up about situations that aren’t okay,” Hannah explains.

“It’s helped me feel more confident around new people – not just at the Hub but at school and in everyday life.”

Since 2008, Jesuit Social Services has been building on the strengths of Western Sydney communities, supporting people to break out of cycles of disadvantage.

The Hub, and in particular, Girls Group, empowers young women like Hannah to find their voice and change the story of their community.

“If you want to feel safe, heard and supported, this is the place to come,” Hannah says.

*Hannah is a real person and their story is true. We’ve changed their names and used a representative image to protect their privacy.

Love changes minds & systems

Violence doesn’t begin with an act of violence. It often starts much earlier, with harmful attitudes and behaviours that go unchallenged. The consequences are devastating for individuals, families and whole communities.

At Jesuit Social Services, we believe violence can be prevented before it starts.

That’s why we established The Men’s Project. Drawing on 50 years of experience and research, it helps men and boys build respectful relationships and live free from violence and other harmful behaviours.

The Men’s Project works with schools, councils, community groups and workplaces to challenge harmful attitudes before they become harmful actions.

We believe real change happens when we tackle the causes of problems, not just the consequences. That’s how we build safer communities for everyone.

Imagine what your gift in Will could help change…

Every story you read on our website began because someone cared enough to act. Your legacy could help write the next one.

How do I leave a gift in my Will?

Your Will is a legally binding document that expresses how you’d like your estate to be shared after you’re gone. It can also outline any charitable gifts you’d like to leave, allowing your values to live on in the causes you care about.

Put your family first, then consider what you might like to leave to Jesuit Social Services. We encourage you to speak to your loved ones about your decision.

Your Will is a legally binding document. Jesuit Social Services recommends you use a solicitor to make or change your Will.

There are a variety of choices available to you when including a gift in your Will.  You may choose to leave:

  • the whole, or a percentage, of the estate
  • the residue of the estate, after loved ones have been taken care of
  • a specific amount of money
  • a house, property or specific item.

It is important to remember to review your Will regularly, particularly when your circumstances change.

If you already have a Will, the most cost-effective way to include Jesuit Social Services is by adding a codicil – a short legal amendment to your Will. Talk to your solicitor to find out whether a codicil is appropriate for the updates you wish to make.

Make sure the person preparing your Will uses our organisation’s correct name, and adds our ABN, to prevent any confusion about where you want your gift to go.

Should your solicitor request appropriate wording for a gift in your Will to Jesuit Social Services, the following can be provided:

I give, free of all duties and taxes,

(Please nominate one of the following)

  • The whole / ____% of my estate
  • The residue / ____% of the residue of my estate
  • The sum of $____ (nominate the sum you intend to give)

to Jesuit Social Services (ABN 72 005 269 554) for their general use. The official receipt of the organisation shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my executor.

Stories of legacies left to us

Susan, a homemaker, and her late husband John, a pharmacist, have ensured their values live on through gifts in their Wills.

Honouring John’s legacy in “the best possible way”

The saying, “We’re all God’s children,” passed from Susan Curwood’s mother to her, and down the line to her now adult children.

When Susan met her husband, John in the 1960s, she found a partner who shared her values of treating everyone with respect and seeing the best in people. Despite having five children, the couple found time to help those on the margins – teaching English to migrants, welcoming refugees into their home and volunteering with various welfare-focused charities.

They became regular givers to Jesuit Social Services in 2006, with their first donation dating back to 1997. Over many years, they noticed how the organisation valued people, while tackling difficult social issues. “They do the research and then they follow through in ways that are honest and caring,” Susan says.

When they met with their solicitor to organise their estate, they asked to include a sum of money in both of their Wills. Susan says the couple were not wealthy but were happy to do this after providing for their family.

Sadly, John passed away in 2024. Susan was proud to honour his legacy by delivering the gift he had left in his Will to Jesuit Social Services. She knows it will be used in “the best possible way”, honouring a man who gave so much of himself in service of others. “He loved his family dearly [and] he cared for other people… He treated everybody with respect,” she says.

Susan hopes their gifts will help Jesuit Social Services continue reaching people doing it tough – whether through the same work they witnessed over the years, like supporting people leaving prison or experiencing homelessness, or through a new program responding to a future need. She also feels their decision allows the couple’s love for people to continue beyond them.

“We don’t mind how it’s used, as long as it’s helping someone,” she concludes.

Like Susan and John, you may one day decide that a final act of generosity is the perfect way to continue the values that have guided your life.

 

Helen’s lifelong ties to the Jesuits inspired a lifetime of generosity and a gift in her Will that will carry it forward.

Helen’s legacy will ensure her values live on

“My Christian values taught me to care for others, and I know that by supporting Jesuit Social Services, I’m living out that commitment,” says Helen.

After decades of supporting Jesuit Social Services, Helen has chosen to leave a gift in her Will, ensuring the values that have guided her throughout her life can continue to make a difference long into the future.

A supporter of Jesuit Social Services since 1997, Helen’s connection to the Jesuits began in childhood and grew into a deep appreciation for their commitment to supporting the most vulnerable.

Today, Helen is a valued Community Partner at Jesuit Social Services, giving monthly since 2006.

Helen’s family had a connection with the Jesuits from when her brother went to St Pat’s East Melbourne, a school which had been run by Irish Jesuits since 1865. She herself found a further connection with Jesuit causes when she was young, helping her mother run the St Patrick’s Mothers’ Auxiliary stand at the annual Xavier College Fair. Helen’s involvement sparked a lifelong commitment to volunteering, and she continued to support the Fair as secretary of the organising committee for many years, inspired by the Jesuit commitment to bringing about a more inclusive and just world.

Helen says her deep admiration for Jesuit Social Services is rooted in a shared belief that people can overcome adversity when they are given the opportunity, support, and encouragement to do so.

“I love reading about young people who’ve overcome adversity – these stories motivate me to keep giving. The staff and volunteers at Jesuit Social Services are remarkable, and what you achieve is extraordinary.”

For Helen, giving is a way of putting her values into action.

“Once I paid off my mortgage, I had a little more to spare, and I knew I wanted to give to an organisation I trusted to use the money wisely.”

That trust, built over decades supporting Jesuit Social Services, has led Helen to make a lasting commitment to the organisation with a gift in her Will.

She believes you don’t have to leave a large gift to make a difference.

“Even if you are just leaving a little bit – every little bit counts, and it is a way that your values can live on after you are gone.”

By including Jesuit Social Services in her Will, Helen is ensuring her legacy of care and compassion will live on.

“If anyone asked me who to give to, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Jesuit Social Services. Your work is enabling people to live good, healthy lives in society.”

If Helen’s story inspires you to embrace the power of giving and join her in including a gift in your Will, please know that every contribution – no matter how big or small – is a meaningful way to care for others and leave a lasting legacy of compassion.

To find out more or have a confidential conversation about your intentions, call Emily on 0477 605 933.

 

Joseph, who worked as a laboratory technician, is delighted to continue his long-term giving to Jesuit Social Services through a gift in his Will.

Leaving a legacy of forgiveness

Joseph’s first donation to Jesuit Social Services was in 1977.

“It started with the Father Brosnan appeal – there was no accommodation for men who left jail,” he recalls.

Joseph admired the prison chaplain’s advocacy for men who have left prison and had nowhere to go. They had finished serving their time and needed a new start. “I gave my first $10 because of that.”

“The crux of the matter was they had nowhere to go. No halfway home. They would even have to put up a bond on a low-level boarding house – they could never afford a little flat or something like that. Estate agents didn’t want them.”

Almost 50 years later, 83-year-old Joseph is leaving a gift in his Will he hopes will continue supporting the reintegration of young people who have offended and keep growing initiatives aimed at keeping them out of prison.

When talking to our Fundraising & Philanthropy Coordinator Emily about his gift, he reflected on his long-standing support of Jesuit Social Services and how important the values of social justice and forgiveness are to him personally.

“I’m a good forgiver,” he admitted with a smile. That’s why he’d always admired Jesuit Social Services’ nonjudgemental approach when people need a second chance, and has been a Community Partner, giving monthly for over a decade.

“It all comes back again to the Christian message of forgiveness,” he explained. “Jesuit Social Services goes into the difficult areas that others don’t go into. That’s important to me.”

Joseph says he decided to include Jesuit Social Services as one of two charities in his Will because he believes that it is important that this work continues into the future.

“It comes back to sticking to the difficult job,” he says.

If you’d like to talk to someone about joining Joseph in leaving a legacy that can bring love to hard places, Emily would be happy to hear from you on 0477 605 933 (Mon-Thurs).

Want to know more?

For a confidential conversation about including Jesuit Social Services in your Will, please call our Fundraising & Philanthropy Coordinator, Emily, on 0477 605 933 (Mon-Thurs) or email emily@jss.org.au. She will be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have.