Centraide of Greater Montreal celebrates half a century of generosity with the launch of its 50th fundraising campaign
Montreal, September 20, 2023 – Today, Centraide of Greater Montreal announced the launch of its 50th fundraising campaign and celebration of a half-century of social impact, solidarity and generosity for a better future. Since its first campaign in 1974, Centraide has become a key actor in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. Every year, it supports 375 community agencies and projects that help one out of five people in Greater Montreal.
Centraide’s fundraising campaign collects donations from the public, businesses and organizations to generate long-term positive impacts on the living conditions of our society’s most vulnerable people. This campaign also represents five decades of commitment to young people’s present and future success, decent living conditions, inclusive communities, and a strong and cohesive social fabric.
“We are proud to celebrate this 50-year milestone of harnessing generosity, partnerships and collective action to address social issues and bring about concrete and lasting changes on many dimensions of poverty to benefit our entire community,” stated Claude Pinard, President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal. “This campaign is very special, as it reminds us of not only where we came from but also how far we’ve come and how we can continue to transform lives.”
“Solidarity has been part of our DNA for 40 years and influences our approach to business every day,” said Janie C. Béïque, President and CEO of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and co-chair of Centraide’s 2023 campaign. “The Fonds’ success is proof that every small action counts and that, when we pool our resources, we can make a big impact. This same approach—along with expertise in helping stakeholders work together and an ability to act in the field—is also what has made Centraide so effective for 50 years. Given our uncertain economic climate and the current housing crisis, Centraide’s campaign is essential to improving the living conditions of many people who need our solidarity.”
“Centraide makes a huge difference in people’s lives and in our struggling communities. Centraide’s commitment over the past 50 years to rally people together to support hundreds of thousands of people deserves to be recognized,” said Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group, who is co-chairing the annual campaign with Ms. Béïque. “In addition to its crucial role to support the most vulnerable people in our community, Centraide helps develop concrete and lasting solutions that attack the very roots of poverty. When you give to Centraide, you invest in the present and build the future to give everyone the chance to realize their full potential.”
Centraide’s 50th fundraising campaign starts today and runs until the end of December 2023. Centraide of Greater Montreal will celebrate its 50th anniversary until August 2024. A full range of activities have been planned to mark the occasion.
About Centraide of Greater Montreal
A true agent of change, Centraide of Greater Montreal is a public foundation whose mission is to bring people together and take action for an inclusive and poverty-free Greater Montreal. To achieve this goal, it supports a network of 375 community agencies and projects in Laval, in Montreal and on the South Shore that improve the living conditions of vulnerable people. Centraide works with the Greater Montreal population and with communities, businesses, institutions and philanthropic organizations. Its history dates back 50 years, when five charities merged into one entity. This year, Centraide invested $61.8 million in the community, which represents over 86% of the money raised from its annual campaign. Every year, nearly 800,000 people benefit from the help of the agencies that it supports.