Hon. J.-F de Grandpré. Sophie Mauzerolle, Yvan Gauthier

Montréal, January 21, 2020 – The Foundation of Greater Montréal (FGM) kicked off its 20th anniversary activities last night, with a cocktail reception in the Hall of Bronzes at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Close to 300 people, including several Montreal philanthropists and builders who have been the Foundation’s partners, were in attendance, as were representatives of community organizations FGM has supported over the years, in every sector of society, from arts and culture to healthcare, from education to the environment.

Sophie Mauzerolle, the Associate City Councillor responsible for urban planning and mobility on the City of Montreal’s Executive Committee, addressed the gathering, as did the Chair of FGM’s Board of Directors, the Hon. Jean-François de Grandpré, and the Foundation’s President and CEO, Yvan Gauthier.

“FGM’s role is to be an instrument for Greater Montreal’s development and well-being. It’s an exceptional tool that the community has created for itself, and it works through unifying and innovative leadership. That explains why the individuals who have chosen to become involved with the Foundation over the last two decades hail from all segments of our community. These individuals, who are native to the Greater Montreal community, or who have chosen to be here, truly care about its future. I want to express our deep gratitude to them tonight,” said Mr. de Grandpré.

“It’s been 20 years since Montreal joined the vital and vibrant community foundations movement, thanks to the collective effort of pioneers who came from all sectors of society. And in those 20 years, FGM has grown at an exceptional rate. Using the major financial lever that constitutes our funds’ assets, we have been able over the years to distribute more than $60M to more than 1,200 charitable organizations in our region. We are extremely proud of those results, and we are looking to the future with a great deal of confidence and enthusiasm,” added Mr. Gauthier.

An increasingly large role in Greater Montreal’s philanthropic ecosystem

Building on 20 years of continuous growth, FGM is playing an increasingly large role in Greater Montreal’s philanthropic ecosystem. At this defining moment in its history, FGM wanted to bring together key actors in that ecosystem to thank them and celebrate with them the causes they support, as well as 20 years of philanthropy and community involvement. To add a special touch to the celebration, the MU group and artist Christian Robert de Massy created a collective work of art that the evening’s guests could contribute to. Invitees were asked to add a message or a symbol representing their cause to the work, which will be given a place of honour in the Foundation’s offices. To get a glimpse of the evening in photos, click here. You can also read the addresses of Sophie Mauzerolle, Associate Councillor responsible for Urban Planning and Mobility for the City of Montreal’s Executive Committee, the Hon. Jean-François de Grandpré, FGM’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Yvan Gauthier, FGM’s President and CEO.

Source: Foundation of Greater Montreal

For more information: Simon Delorme, Project Manager – Communications
simon.delorme@fgmtl.org,  (514) 866-0808 local 107.

About FGM

The Foundation of Greater Montréal (FGM) helps individuals, families and organizations to get involved and support their community by creating funds for selected causes in all sectors. In addition to publishing the Vital Signs of Greater Montréal report, FGM manages the assets of close to 650 funds, guides donors and supports community organizations. A member of the Community Foundations of Canada, a network of 191 community foundations, FGM encourages philanthropy as a major driver for well-being in Greater Montréal. www.fgmtl.org