By: Stacy Starkman
beingwell magazine Spring 2007

Stephen Sandler, a firm believer in supporting his community, leads by example.

A philanthropist, this senior portfolio manager with Dundee Securities Corporation, maintains charitable endowments at a number of organizations, including, Sick Children’s Hospital and the Baycrest Foundation. His wife, Cookie, is the chair of the Children’s Aid Foundation’s fundraising gala for 2007; the Teddy Bear Affair, and in 2002, the couple established a scholarship fund awarded annually to high-risk youth pursuing post-secondary education.

Now Mr. Sandler has turned his sights to Southlake hospital with a major donation to sponsor the building of an endoscopy suite in the new medical arts building at the corner of Davis Drive and Lundy’s Lane, set to open this spring. Mr. Sandler, who has spent 61  summers on Lake Simcoe and maintains a country house on Roches Point, has a personal interest in ensuring the viability of Southlake.

“I think it’s immensely important to support the hospital because if something happens to us up there we are going to end up in Southlake. It is absolutely in the interests of everyone who lives in the area to maintain Southlake,” he said, adding he is willing to help the hospital with its fundraising efforts.

“There are a lot of summer residents at Lake Simcoe and I don’t think the area has been well canvassed,” he states.

Mr. Sandler says convincing his Lake Simcoe neighbours to support the hospital shouldn’t be difficult.

“I have clients who are physicians who tell me they are very impressed with the new cardiac care unit and I am hoping the new cancer centre will achieve the same stature,” he explains.

Mr. Sandler’s very generous donation went even further when it was matched by his company’s charitable arm, Dynamic Foundation. He says both he and Dundee are committed to making sure the initiatives they support are well-funded so they can achieve their goals.  

“We at Dundee Wealth feel privileged to direct a portion of our charitable donation dollars to support those causes that our employees feel to be worthwhile,” said foundation chairman, Ned Goodman.

Not only does Mr. Sandler give generously to a variety of charities, he also counsels others on how to give so both the charity and the individual reap the maximum financial benefit. With 37 years investment experience, he advises donors one of the easiest ways to give to charity is through the gift of appreciated securities. Mr. Sandler says because of recent changes in tax law, which eliminated capital gains tax on gifts of securities to Canadian charities, this method of bestowing funds is the most advantageous way to give money.

“It allows people to donate more than they would otherwise be able to,” said Mr. Sandler. “All my donations are by securities.”

Mr. Sandler chose to donate to the endoscopy suite at Southlake because of a family history of bowel cancer; he is a strong proponent of screening and prevention as a means of fighting cancer. Southlake is the fortunate recipient of his generosity and he is hoping to spur others to follow his example.

“I think that people who have done well have a responsibility to support the community in whatever way they think is suitable. This is my way.”

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