Faith, family and giving
Murray Faulkner’s faith has served as a catalyst for a lifetime of giving. His generosity is now enriching the lives of people who make Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care their home.
Growing up on the outskirts of London, a young Murray Faulkner would join his family for Sunday worship every week. He says that when it came time to make the offering, he would give five cents of his 15-cent weekly allowance. The tradition instilled in him the values of community and giving back.
The faith he holds today and the values he gained through this family practice served as a catalyst for a lifetime of giving through an endless list of volunteer roles and donor support for organizations such as the YMCA, the London Community Foundation, the United Way and St. Joseph’s Health Care London.
“Giving is the rent we pay for living on this earth,” says Murray
At St. Joseph’s, Murray has been a volunteer Board member for the Hospital and the Foundation. He’s served on major fundraising campaign committees and encouraged others to get involved. And he’s been a dedicated donor for about 30 years, supporting a wide range of programs and needs including the breast care and palliative care programs, the Ivey Eye Institute and operational stress injury research.
More recently, Murray and his wife Lynda added to their decades of donor support with a gift directed to the residents who make their home at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care.
Their generosity supported sit-to-stand lifts, designed for safe, comfortable and ergonomic standing assistance, as well as beds that provide safety and comfort for residents.
Home to approximately 375 people, Mount Hope is nestled in a space surrounded by greenery, gardens and gazebos, and occupies a full city block in north London. It’s a special place for the Faulkner family, as Murray’s mother Evelyn lived there for two years.
“When my mother needed to move into long-term care, we felt lucky to have Mount Hope so close by,” says Murray. “And once she was living there, we saw firsthand how compassionate the care is. It was phenomenal.”
After Evelyn passed away, Murray arranged for a special fundraiser with family and friends to purchase blanket warmers for every other floor at Mount Hope.
Genuinely pragmatic about his support and his “why” for giving, Murray says that he believes that each individual should give what they can to improve their community.
“Giving is the rent we pay for living on this earth,” says Murray, sharing one of his most cherished quotes.