When Toronto’s Lawrence Merkur passed away in 2008 at the age of 54, the somewhat reclusive and extremely compassionate man left an unknown fortune to Toronto’s Salvation Army.

In his will, Lawrence left his silver, worth more than $6 million, to The Salvation Army “to use the income therefrom for programs administered by The Salvation Army to improve the lives of impoverished and needy persons in Canada.”

Today Lawrence’s generous gift allows The Salvation Army to continue to make significant strides toward its goal of putting a sense of dignity within reach for the three million Canadians living in poverty.

The Salvation Army continues to underscore the point that everyone deserves fundamental human dignity.

While recognizing that, for too many Canadians, the necessities of life needed for basic human dignity are out of reach, The Salvation Army is grateful for people like Lawrence Merkur, whose quiet respect for those in need will make a difference in the lives of society’s most vulnerable people for years to come.

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