B2B Pledge | A Corporate Giving Campaign

Company:

Pledge Campaign

How One Business Leader Inspired a Culture of Giving

Project Overview

The Challenge:

Mackenzie Health Foundation was nearing the $250 million fundraising goal for its Ultimate Campaign, which aimed to build and equip Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and enhance care at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital. Engaging corporate donors was a key priority, but the Foundation needed compelling storytelling to inspire businesses to give.

One standout opportunity was Illumiti, a leading tech company whose founder, Nir Orbach, had pledged $100,000 to support mental health initiatives at Mackenzie Health. To maximize the impact of this contribution, the Foundation wanted to craft a donor profile that would not only highlight Orbach’s generosity but also encourage other companies to follow suit.

Team:

Giovanna Dabner, Copywriter, Communications Specialist, Interviewer
Niki Gastis , Senior Manager, Leadership Gifts

Claire Falcon Restituto, Art Director

Read the Package

Nir Orbach (front right), and Illumiti employees.

Behind the Story: Crafting an Authentic Narrative

To ensure that Illumiti’s generosity was authentically represented, I conducted a deep-dive interview with Nir Orbach. My goal was to go beyond surface-level answers and uncover the real motivations, values, and vision behind his philanthropy.

Some of the key questions I asked included:

What inspired you to make a donation to Mackenzie Health and healthcare?
Why was supporting the Mental Health Unit particularly meaningful to you?
How do you encourage your employees to give back, and what has been the impact of your company’s giving program?
What message would you share with other businesses considering corporate philanthropy?

By leading with thoughtful, open-ended questions, I was able to draw out compelling personal anecdotes, shaping a story that would resonate with both potential donors and the community.

The Approach

As the lead copywriter and storyteller for this initiative, I took a multi-layered approach to shaping Nir Orbach’s story:

In-depth Interview & Photography: Conducted a journalistic-style interview, asking layered follow-up questions that uncovered deeper insights into Orbach’s motivations, values, and personal connection to mental health philanthropy. The Giving Officer I accompanied was impressed with my ability to create a natural, engaging conversation that built trust and elicited rich storytelling elements.
Humanizing the Narrative: Framed his gift as a tribute to his late niece, who struggled with mental health challenges. This emotional anchor made the story more relatable and powerful.
Corporate Social Responsibility Angle: Positioned Illumiti’s donation as not just philanthropy, but a smart business move—strengthening employee morale and company culture.
Call-to-Action for Other Businesses: Structured the piece to encourage other corporations to match Illumiti’s pledge, contributing to the Foundation’s larger goal.
Authenticity Through Visuals: Captured professional photography of Orbach, ensuring his story was supported with compelling imagery that resonated with readers.

A copy of the Business to Business Pledge Package Design

The Impact

Featured in Mackenzie Health’s fundraising communications, including InTouch Magazine and Foundation newsletters, amplifying its reach to potential corporate donors.
Used in donor outreach materials, helping to secure additional contributions from the business community.
Contributed to the final push of the $250 million campaign, which successfully reached its goal in June 2022.
Strengthened donor relationships through a meaningful, well-researched interview approach that deepened engagement between Orbach and the Foundation.

“It’s important that communities have access to good quality health care, and to be able to say we have world-leading hospitals for health care is huge.”

— NIR ORBACH, FOUNDER, ILLUMITI

Outcome + Take aways

This project showcased my ability to combine copywriting, storytelling, donor relations, and strategic engagement—essential skills in healthcare communications and fundraising. By crafting a compelling narrative that blended personal impact and corporate social responsibility, we created a piece that not only honored a donor’s generosity but also inspired meaningful action from others.