Create a Lasting Legacy
Leave a gift in your will and create a future free from eating disorders.
After you have taken care of your loved ones, consider leaving as little as 1% to Butterfly.
Your gift will allow us to continue our mission and change the lives of those affected by eating disorders and body image concerns. Leaving a gift in your will is one of the most impactful things you can do, and it costs you nothing today.
Getting started is simple! Just let your solicitor know your wishes, and give them our name and ABN:
Butterfly Foundation
ABN 42 102 193 582
Eating Disorders affect 1.1 million people in Australia each year; a prevalence similar to substance use disorders. Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any major mental illness. Tragically, individuals with an eating disorder are up to 31 times more likely to die by suicide. Furthermore, the economic and social cost of eating disorders in Australia is an astounding $66.9 billion annually.
That’s why Butterfly is on a mission to prevent eating disorders and body image concerns from occurring, to ensure that the best possible treatments are available and that appropriate care and support are there for those affected.
We do this through:
- Treatment and support services
- Education and prevention program
- Advocacy, awareness and collaboration campaigns
Thanks to the support of donors like you…
- Our Helpline saw a 275% increase in contacts, with 22,043 engagements.
- 458 individuals participated in treatment and support programs.
- Wandi Nerida treated 95 participants and won the ACHS Clinical Excellence and Safety Award.
- 209,919 young people were reached through our educational services.
- 1,099 schools got involved with the Body Kind Schools Initiative.
- We launched a petition for a National Body Image Inquiry and formed the Parliamentary Friends of Eating Disorder Awareness Group.
- The Body Pride campaign reached over 25 million people, focusing on LGBTQIA+ awareness.
Now we need your help. Include Butterfly in your will, and ensure this vital work can continue for future generations.
(All stats above are from the 2022/23 financial year. Learn more about our impact here)
Helen & Jonathan
Helen & Jonathan
"A friend of ours lost her daughter through anorexia"
View detailA friend of ours lost her daughter through anorexia. The illness finally took its toll on her mental health and she couldn’t carry on living with it. She was one of twins – a boy and a girl. It devastated the community, and it was heart-wrenching to see her parents’ anguish and suffering. We decided to leave a gift in our will to Butterfly to help tackle this much-misunderstood issue, and support the families and friends of those living with these devastating physical and mental health conditions.
Barbara & Paul
Barbara & Paul
"Our daughter has severe and enduring eating disorders, the effects of which are devastating and pretty much beyond words."
View detailI first heard about Butterfly when I was in a clothing shop in Tasmania with my daughter; there were Butterfly bracelets on the counter being sold as a fundraiser, we bought two of them for $2 each after my daughter explained what Butterfly was all about. At this point in time my daughter Keely had already been diagnosed with an eating disorder – so fast forward 17 years and I have just transferred a bequest to Butterfly in my late husband’s name as he sadly died a few months ago.
Our daughter has severe and enduring eating disorders, the effects of which are devastating and pretty much beyond words. Virtually every aspect of her life has been affected and the lives of our whole family have been impacted. There have been innumerable times when we as parents have felt utterly out of our depth, have had no idea how to support and protect our daughter and have been unbelievably fearful.
At one such time I just happened to read about the work that Butterfly was doing and some of their plans that were coming to fruition; I rang up ostensibly to ask for more details but in fact I realised later that I just needed someone to talk to – that turned out to be a very important and influential day on our journey.
Knowing that there is an organisation like Butterfly can be life-changing; a group of people who really understand eating disorders, people at the end of the phone that can listen, advise and support when it is most needed. To know that Butterfly is there to share this journey is an incredibly powerful lifeline when in fact you have actually been feeling like the ground is just about to open up and engulf you.
Paul and I decided many years ago to add Butterfly into each of our wills; we wanted individuals and their families to have the vital support and access to programs that they need. It was after Keely had been part of one such program that she was able to say, “I feel for the first time in years that I have hope”.
I am so proud that we are able to leave this legacy and to play a small part in helping others on their journey from despair to hope!
Judy
Judy
"I lost my eldest daughter, Alana, to Anorexia"
View detailThe decision to bequeath a gift in my Will to The Butterfly Foundation was deeply personal. I lost my eldest daughter Alana to Anorexia Nervosa and suicide in 2011. Since that time, along with close family & friends, I have supported the amazing and tireless work done by this organisation to address the scourge of eating disorders in Australia. When I die this gift will be my final gesture of LOVE for Alana and HOPE for others who continue to suffer.
Matthew
Matthew
"It’s a battle I have faced every day since I was 7 years old"
View detailMiddle-aged men don’t usually talk about eating disorders, but it’s a battle I have faced every day since I was 7 years old. There probably won’t be answers to the challenge of binge eating disorder during my lifetime, so that’s why I’m leaving a gift in my Will to the Butterfly Foundation. I want to make sure that there’s hope and help for people until those answers are eventually found.
Create a Free Will
Butterfly has partnered with Australia’s top-rated Wills platform, Gathered Here, to bring you free, easy, online wills. In just 10 minutes, you can create a Will to ensure your wishes are fulfilled while also giving future generations the chance to live in a world where eating disorders are understood, prevented, and treated.
Get peace of mind over the things that matter to you! You can nominate guardians for your children, appoint executors, make allowances for pets, determine how assets will be distributed, and much more.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common way to create a will is to use a solicitor. They will be able to advise you on the best will for your needs. See “Where to find a solicitor”, below, for help finding one.
Online will platforms are an increasingly popular way to write your will. Butterfly has partnered with Gathered Here to bring you free, legal Wills. Click here for more info on creating a free Will with Gathered Here. You may also like to check out the other online platforms in Australia, such as Safe Wills or Willed.
To update your will and include Butterfly, simply contact your solicitor and tell them about your wishes. If you’re using an online will platform, please visit their help page, or reach out to our team for advice.
There are a few ways to express your gift in your will.
- Percentage: You choose a percentage of your estate to give to charity.
- Residual Gift: After caring for family and friends with specific amounts, you can leave all or part of your estate to charity.
- Whole Estate: Some people choose to give their whole estate.
- Fixed Amount: You can specify a fixed amount to leave as a gift.
Tip: Leaving a percentage or a residual gift (options 1 or 2) is the most common way to structure your gift. These two options are great because people from all financial positions can make a big impact! It also means that your potential gift grows along with your wealth, so you don’t have to update your will again.
There is no minimum or maximum amount, and we are so grateful for all gifts, large and small.
The amount people choose to give to charity in their wills is an intensely personal question, and can vary quite a bit depending on personal preferences, financial means and other factors. But here are some common trends:
- A smaller portion: Many folks opt to leave a modest portion, usually between 1% to 5% of their estate. This way, they can support their favourite causes while still taking care of their family and loved ones.
- A larger portion: Some people decide to be even more generous, leaving around 10% to 25% to charity. This is often the case when they have a strong passion for a particular cause.
- Major contributions: Others choose to leave a significant part of their estate, 50% or more, to charity. This is more common among individuals who are deeply committed to their chosen causes and have the financial means to do so.
- Everything: In rare cases, individuals without close family, friends or dependents might decide to leave their entire estate to charity.
It’s always a good idea to talk with a financial advisor or estate planner to figure out what works best for you.
If you’re not sure where to start, consider leaving 1% to Butterfly. You’d be surprised what a big impact you can have with such a small number!
When you make a will or update your existing one, you should obtain independent legal advice. Then, if you decide that leaving a gift to Butterfly is something you’d like to do, we suggest you use the following wording:
I give, devise and bequeath to Butterfly Foundation (ABN 42 102 193 582)
a) The residue (or ______ % of the residue) of my estate OR
b) _______ % of my estate OR
c) A sum of $ _______
to be used for the fulfillment of Butterfly’s charitable purposes through its awareness, research, education and advocacy programs, and treatment and support services, free of all death and estate duties. I declare that the receipt of such gift by an authorised officer of the Butterfly Foundation shall constitute a full and sufficient discharge of my Executor’s duties.
No, you do not have to tell us if you have included Butterfly in your will, however we would love the opportunity to thank you in person to acknowledge your generous contribution during your lifetime. Please get in touch, we’d love to chat!
If you need help finding a solicitor, please contact the relevant organisation listed below. Each organisation runs their own legal referral program and will be able to put you in touch with a solicitor that meets your needs.
Executors and solicitors, please contact us to request any further information you may need, including bank details.
Get In Touch
Complete the form below or contact our team.
All interactions are confidential and obligation-free.
Joel Cahill, Gifts in Wills Manager
(02) 9412 4499
bequests@butterfly.org.au
