"I've been here 25 years and it happens quite often."
A lot of the people who left vast amounts to charity usually had no children and once their intentions were written down in a will it would happen, she said.
Cancer Society of New Zealand Waikato/Bay of Plenty communications manager Rachel Mounsey said that over the past five years about 28 per cent of its income was from bequests.
The largest bequest was from a Tauranga family for $1.7 million in 2006 but it averaged $1 million a year.
Bequests were made by people who wanted to make a positive difference to their community and other people's lives after they had gone, she said.
Acorn Foundation general manager Nicky Wilkins said its largest bequest was $1.3 million in 2011. It had $9.4 million invested since its inception 11 years ago.
"Donors leaving a bequest to the community through the Acorn Foundation can be assured that their capital will remain intact, while enabling Acorn to make annual distributions from their endowment fund, to benefit the local community - forever."
Bequests were the "cornerstone" of the foundation, she said.
Salvation Army spokesman Jon Hoyle said in the 2013-2014 financial year it received $25,000. The largest was $10,000.
"They want to make a positive and often life-changing difference to the lives of people living in poverty."
Tauranga SPCA manager Margaret Rawiri said amount left changed year on year and could range from $30,000 to $100,00.
Waipuna Hospice CEO Richard Thurlow said the hospice received around $200,000 a year from multiple bequests. Bequests were important to the long-term security of Waipuna Hospice in its service provision and facilities, he said.