Stories that inspire
The Foundation of Greater Montréal supports hundreds of community organizations in every sector. Their work enhances the well-being of the entire community, including that of its most vulnerable individuals. All our gratitude goes out to the men and women who work day in and day out to bring a better quality of life to all.
Our thanks go as well to FGM donors and fund creators, whose philanthropic efforts bring to life the values they embody: solidarity, generosity and community engagement. It is through their commitment that the Foundation and its partner organizations can have a real impact on the well-being of Greater Montréal’s population. Here are some of their stories.
Projets autochtones du Québec
The Managed Alcohol Program (MAP) offered by Projets autochtones du Québec (PAQ) is, first and foremost, a housing service. 8 Indigenous men, living in a situation of chronic homelessness and suffering from a severe addiction to alcohol, can participate in it. It is a pilot program of permanent housing, which allows users to take part in a program aiming to reduce their dependance to alcohol. Its goal is to curb the obstacles to supervised housing and reduce the acute, chronic and social harms stemming from that dependence. The MAP house residents make breakfast and lunch by themselves, every day. On…
The Centre communautaire Bon Courage at Place Benoît
The Centre communautaire Bon Courage (CCBC) is a living environment. It aims to welcome, accompany and support residents from the Hodge-Carré Benoît sector in the Saint-Laurent borough and surrounding areas. Working with its users, it initiates projects that aim to enhance their development on a personal, social and community level. It offers several programs, for young people, families and seniors. The CCBC is active on the front lines, working to meet the needs of individuals in difficulty. It also works to improve living conditions in the community in a sustainable way, and make neighbourhood life more dynamic. In that spirit,…
The Fonds Claude Leblanc
The Fonds Claude Leblanc is a donor-advised fund with a mission to provide community support in the areas of the arts, education, health and social involvement. Mr. Leblanc explains his desire to give back to the community through his Fund: "In today's world, the success of any society cannot only rest on public initiatives or budgets. I had the opportunity to participate in many philanthropic organizations and I discovered their importance as part of a healthy and well-balanced society. Having been privileged by dedicated parents and an interesting career, my family and I now wish to support projects and organizations…
The Fonds La lecture en cadeau et alphabétisation
Since 1999, The Gift of Reading (La lecture en cadeau) program imparts the fun and desire of reading to children aged 0 to 12 who come from disadvantaged backgrounds across Quebec. This initiative helps to build a special attachment with books and to prevent reading and writing difficulties that might lead to dropping out of school or even to illiteracy. Every year, thanks to The Gift of Reading, thousands of children are given new, age-appropriate books. For a kid coming from a disadvantaged background, this book is often the first brand-new one they ever received. And they appreciate it even…
The St. Michael's Finnish Montreal Community Fund
The St. Michael's Finnish Montreal Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1927 by Finnish immigrant women, many of whom had come to work as domestic help for families of Montréal. As a Finnish community formed, the new church quickly became a center of various activities and events. To this day, St. Michael's Church has been an organization providing a wide range of spiritual, social and cultural services to Finnish-speaking people as well as local friends in Montréal. The St. Michael's Finnish Montréal (SMF) Community Fund was created in 2021 as part of the Foundation of Greater Montréal to carry on…
The Fonds Vital d'aide aux réfugiés
In 2015, an anonymous donor created a donor-advised fund with FGM, the Fonds Vital d'aide aux réfugiés (the Refugee Vital Assistance Fund). This fund aims to support integration projects for refugees in the Greater Montréal area, as a complement to government programs and sponsorship initiatives from local community organizations. The Fonds Vital d'aide aux réfugiés grants can be used to: Strengthen community support networks available to refugees; Support cultural awareness programs, including French-language classes; Support employment integration programs; Answer basic needs and necessities such as housing, clothing, food and education; Support any other action that furthers the Fund’s goals. Thank…