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Stories from our 2025 Donor Impact Report Stories from our 2025 Donor Impact Report

Giving With Trust and Impact

Ensuring Flexibility with Unrestricted Giving

A generous unrestricted contribution from Gail and Mark Appel is providing the library with vital flexibility.

One of the first things a guest will notice at Gail and Mark Appel’s home is the staggering number of books. Tomes fill bookshelves, stack up on tables, and cover desks. “Most of us, at some point in our lives, are going to search for meaning,” says Mark. “Books are the pathway.”

This deep appreciation of the written word has inspired the Appels’ support of TPL. Since 2009, they’ve been part of TPL Foundation’s Literary Circle—a dedicated community of donors who give annually to sustain and grow the library’s impact.

“They’re exceptional leaders in philanthropy, championing the library and inspiring a broader community of support through their generosity,” says Helen Gaan, Director of Individual Giving at TPL Foundation.

That same year, contributions from a trust set up in memory of Mark’s mother, philanthropist Bluma Appel, enabled the creation of the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon and the Salon Series, known for hosting internationally recognized authors, thinkers, and newsmakers at Toronto Reference Library.

Most recently, Gail and Mark made a significant, unrestricted gift to TPL. This type of donation comes without specific details from the donor on how the funds should be used, allowing the library the freedom to allocate resources wherever they’re needed most. Often, that means making library services and programs more accessible.

For the Appels, it made sense to let the library decide how to best distribute their contribution. “I knew that if we gave an unrestricted gift, it would be well used,” says Gail, who serves as Honorary Chair of TPL Foundation’s Governors’ Council. “The library has never done a project I didn’t agree with.”

Unrestricted gifts are important to TPL because they provide a reliable source of funds to address urgent needs, plan for the future, and spark innovation. “The library protects and furthers culture,” says Mark. “It’s an amazing facility, and it seems to be getting better and better.”

To learn more about the many ways you can support TPL, please contact us at: foundation@tpl.ca

Read more stories like Mark and Gail’s in our latest Donor Impact Report.

Read the 2025 Donor Impact Report