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.
The Fonds Littératie
The Fonds Littératie aims to support initiatives across Quebec and Canada that promote literacy, in order to foster access to education and equal opportunities for all. The Fund distributes annual impact grants to initiatives promoting various forms of literacy (health, financial education, access to technology, etc.). A committee has been set up to promote the development of this fund and raise the profile of innovative literacy projects. Donations received are deposited in perpetuity with the Foundation of Greater Montreal. This fund was created in 2022 by Sophie Labrecque, President of MAGNET, as a continuation of her 30-year commitment to literacy in…
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…
La Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud
The Maison Internationale de la Rive-Sud (MIRS) is an independent community organization based in Brossard, in the Montérégie region. Its mission is to support newcomers to Quebec who are either asylum seekers or refugees as they try to settle here and integrate themselves on a socioeconomic level. MIRS also promotes cultural rapprochement and fosters cultural diversity within the community. The Maison can help users find temporary accommodation when they arrive here. Through the Maison, individuals also have access to a health checkup, including psychosocial followup as needed, via the Clinique des réfugiés, run in collaboration with the Montérégie-Centre CISSS. Community…
Chamandy Foundation Fund
In 2015, the Chamandy Family Foundation was created in Montréal. It aimed to improve the day-to-day lives of children, and offer them hope for a better future. In December 2018, Amel Chamandy, President of the Chamandy Foundation, and Tiffany Chamandy, its Executive Director, wanting to increase their commitment to the very youngest in our society, created a philanthropic fund with the Foundation of Greater Montréal. "The Chamandy Foundation commits to supporting children in all aspects of their development: education, rights, the fight against poverty, and health and well-being." The Chamandy Foundation Fund immediately went into action, distributing $825,000 in grants…
Fonds Julie Thorn
In 2012, while she was in gym class, 16-year-old Julie Thorn’s life came to a sudden and tragic end when she went into cardiac arrest. A subsequent inquiry showed that a defibrillator could have saved her life. Her sister, Marie-Hélène Thorn, and her friend Marie-Hélène Proulx, both students at the time, decided to act to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again. With the support of the Foundation of Greater Montréal, they created the Julie Thorn Fund with an initial investment of $80. Its aim is to provide schools with automatic external defibrillators (AED), and with training in cardio-pulmonary…