Community has come to count on Clayton Gyotoku. A fundholder since 2012, Clayton often called us for advice on how to better address the city’s steepest challenges. And then he acted on that advice.
Clayton participated in many of the learning opportunities we’ve offered: joining our community bus tours, diligently reading our annual Good to Give Guides and then integrating new organizations from our guides into his annual giving strategy. In just over a decade, Clayton supported 80 charities with 440 grants totaling over $860,000.
Whether it was time, resources or funding, Clayton showed up to support community.
"Clayton began his support of The Stop in 2017 with a donation of money, as well as home grown potatoes. That speaks to his approach; it was about supporting in any way he could, whether it was food or financing.”
- Shae London, Executive Director, The Stop
Clayton led by example, showing up as a volunteer, attending community events and providing in-kind support to the organizations he loved. Even as illness and the challenges of COVID-19 limited his ability to participate in person, Clayton stayed deeply connected, reading newsletters and sharing inspiring stories with Foundation staff. Giving brought Clayton joy.
A nearly missed opportunity, Clayton didn’t think he could make enough of a philanthropic impact while alive. He was first introduced to Toronto Foundation through Keith Thomson as part of his estate planning.
“It quickly became clear to me how much Clayton wanted to make a positive difference in his community. Like many Canadians, he had a number of charities in his will, but was concerned that he did not have enough assets to give significantly “with a live hand versus a dead one.” However, with some financial planning, we were able to show him that he could actually do both!”
-Keith Thomson, CI Private Wealth
Inspired by his earlier conversations with Keith, Clayton began formalizing his fund's inclusion in his will. Following Clayton’s passing in March 2024, we learned that his estate gift would nearly double the size of his current permanent endowment.
Our team was incredibly saddened to know Clayton was gone but channeled those feelings into a nomination for the 2024 CAGP Donor Distinction Award (the first fundholder we’ve ever nominated for the third annual awards). We are so proud that he was announced as the winner in November 2024.
When articulating his long-term wishes for his fund, Clayton named over 50 charitable organizations. Long-term support is especially transformational for many smaller grassroots organizations that typically do not receive such substantial and unrestricted funding. Organizations across the city have come to know Clayton’s warmth and generosity and will continue to feel it for many years to come.