Frequently asked questions

When TeamUHN comes together believing anything can happen, it does. The spirit behind UHNITED (pronounced “united”) is the power of great minds from different disciplines – across multiple hospital sites – coming together to not only deliver the best care for our patients, but to tackle some of the toughest medical challenges of our day.

People who work at UHN are constantly changing the health care status quo on behalf of our patients, because never been done is what we do together. When we are UHNITED, we can:

• Apply artificial intelligence technology to assist surgeons in real time
• Find new ways to care for the most vulnerable in the emergency room
• Perform some of the most complex spine surgeries in the country
• Restore vision through ocular stem cell transplants
• Pioneer programs that care for patients as they navigate life beyond the ICU

Of course, no one ever changed the world on their own. Achievements like these are only possible with support from UHN Foundation’s donor community – because never been done is what we do together.

Our new commercial aims to communicate the significant impact that UHN is making on health care. It features real UHN stories and real UHN staff, as well as some of our patients. The impact waves that travel through the hospital and through Toronto are a powerful and unignorable metaphor for the impact that UHN is having on our patients here, and on health care around the world. The driving force behind this impact is donations. We hope to show that anyone who cares about health care in Toronto and the GTA can join us in making a massive impact on health care by donating to UHN Foundation – because it takes a city to change the world.

All charities need to invest in marketing to promote their mission, increase awareness, grow their donor pipeline and ultimately increase donations. The UHNITED campaign shares real UHN stories that focus on UHN’s leadership role as Canada’s #1 hospital and the results we achieve together.

Our research has shown that while people may have heard of UHN, they mostly know of its individual parts (e.g., Toronto General, Toronto Western or Toronto Rehab) – and they may not understand the full scope of UHN’s impact here and globally. The UHNITED campaign aims to help people understand the impact that UHN is making – and can continue to make – while doing what’s never been done in health care. And so we’re calling on Toronto and the GTA to join us in our mission to reimagine health care – because it takes a city to change the world.

Every dollar to UHN Foundation – regardless of amount – makes a difference in helping UHN change the status quo of health care. That being said, there are other ways to get involved:

• Follow us on social media and share our content with your communities
• Get involved in some of our events
• Create your own fundraiser and ask family and friends to donate

We are always looking for incredible stories that show the impact of being UHNITED, and for people who are willing to share their story with as many people as possible. If you have a story to share, you can fill out this form on our website or email us directly.

Olivia Monardo, Public Relations Officer, UHN Foundation
[email protected]

Phone: Donations can be made by telephone by calling 416-603-5300 or toll-free at 1-877-846-4483 (UHN-GIVE). A Foundation staff member would be happy to accept your gift. Please be prepared with your credit card information before calling.

Mail: You can mail a cheque and/or completed donation form to the following address:

UHN Foundation
Toronto General Hospital
R. Fraser Elliott Building, 5th floor, 5S-801
190 Elizabeth Street
Toronto ON M5G 2C4

Yes, you can designate your gift to support a specific program or project. There is an allocation of 10% applied to any gift or new pledge made with a designation. You will receive a tax receipt for the full amount of your gift, subject to the rules and guidelines established by the Canada Revenue Agency. The allocation ensures that UHN Foundation has the capacity to support the growing needs and emergency priorities of UHN, while continuing to help donors direct funds to programs close to their hearts.

For more information, please reach out to Jamie Hall, our Chief Operating Officer, at [email protected].

If you have misplaced a receipt or noted an error, please contact us at 416-603-5300 or [email protected].

Regardless of whether your receipt was originally issued by Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation, Toronto Rehab Foundation, or UHN Foundation, we can help!

Please note that currently the Foundation provides receipts for gifts under $15 upon request only.

Government funding only covers the basics of health care, and fundraising is critical to ensuring UHN can deliver world-class care and get revolutionary research off the ground. Support from past patients who have experienced care here plays an integral role in enabling the Foundation to raise much-needed additional funds for our hospitals.

The practice of soliciting past patients is a common and regulated process governed by the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). No personal health information is shared with the Foundation, only your name and address is provided to us by the hospital as regulated under PHIPA.

Under PHIPA, you have the right to request no future fundraising appeals be sent to you. To make such a request please contact the Foundation at 416-603-5300 or [email protected], providing your full name and address to ensure we can remove you from all future mailings.

For more information, you can view the Foundation’s privacy policy as well as UHN’s privacy policy.

If you are using an international credit card and are unable to complete your donation online, please call 416-603-5300 or toll free 1-877-846-4483 (UHN-GIVE) to make your gift over the phone.

The donation of physical items (gifts in kind) can be a wonderful way to support the hospitals. Please reach out to 416-603-5300 or [email protected], with a description of the item and photo if possible, and a Foundation representative will be in touch to review our policies and acceptance processes with you.

We are so very grateful for your interest in supporting UHN Foundation in memory of your loved one. Discover all the necessary details and contact information to set up a memorial.

We are so sorry for your loss. Please reach out to 416-603-5300 or [email protected] so that we can update our records and remove your loved one from our mailing list.

A recurring gift is a convenient way to provide stable funding for innovation and research, and you can feel good knowing your support is driving the most impact at our hospitals – today and tomorrow. Your automated monthly gifts are secure and you’ll receive a consolidated tax receipt once a year.

You can sign up for monthly giving online, by mail or phone at 416-603-5300, and you can change your giving options at any time.

Monthly donors receive one receipt per calendar year. These are distributed in February and will account for the total of all gifts given, including any additional one-time donations on top of your monthly support.

Please reach out to the Foundation at 416-603-5300 and we would be happy to collect the required details to change how you make your monthly gift or update credit card and account information.

UHN Foundation has a dedicated team of callers that help us carry out our telemarketing activities.

Monthly Giving Telephone Outreach Teams

UHN Foundation works with telemarketing agency Keys Marketing to conduct thank you and fundraising calling. They are currently calling a group of supporters to provide an update on our work and to ask them to become monthly donors or increase their monthly support.

If your payment information for your monthly donation becomes outdated or incorrect, our dedicated recovery team will contact you to update your account. The team is from Artsmarketing Services (AMS) and they would be pleased to also help you with any questions or inquiries you may have about your gift.

If you should have any questions about the call you received that are not answered here, please call UHN Foundation at 416-603-5300 or 1-877-846-4483 (1-877-UHN-GIVE) or email us at [email protected] and we can confirm any current and ongoing campaigns.

In Canada, UHN Foundation has partnered with UP Fundraising to conduct our In Hospital face-to-face fundraising campaign. UP Fundraising is a well-regarded professional agency dedicated to building a sustainable charitable sector through ethical and socially responsible methods. The agency has undergone a rigorous evaluation process to partner with and represent the UHN Foundation.

Face-to-face fundraising is one of the most effective ways for UHN Foundation to raise awareness about our work, connect with our communities, and explain how individuals can help support world-class research, education, and patient care at the University Health Network.

If you should have any questions about this activity, please call UHN Foundation at 416-603-5300 or 1-877-846-4483 (1-877-UHN-GIVE) or email us at [email protected].

Please contact us at 416-603-5300 or [email protected] and a staff member will be able to update your information for you.

We would be happy to make changes to how the Foundation contacts you, and have a number of options available to support your preferences. Please reach out to 416-603-5300 or [email protected] and a staff member will be in touch with you to discuss your options and have your preferences updated.

UHN Foundation is committed to upholding Canadian and international principles in privacy legislation. We do not lend, exchange, rent or sell our donor lists to third parties.

For more information, you can view the Foundation’s privacy notice

Whether you host your own event or set up a donation page for a special occasion, you can feel good knowing that you’re helping build a healthier world. To learn more about you can fundraise within your community, please click here.

Using our handy online tool, you can create your own personal fundraising page, where friends and family can easily support your efforts and are eligible for a tax receipt for their gifts.

We have an online fundraising Frequently Asked Questions page that should address most of your inquiries. Alternatively, please reach out to 416-603-5300 or [email protected], and a staff member will assist you.