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.
"Giving Everyone a Roof and a Seat at the Table" in Verdun
Since 2016, the Foundation of Greater Montréal, eight other major foundations and three strategic partners have supported the Collective Impact Project (CIP). This collective endeavour operated by Centraide of Greater Montreal comes to the aid of local actors and initiatives that improve the well-being of Montreal residents. Particularly, 17 Montreal neighbourhoods, including five where more intensive work is being done, are targeted. The foundations’ collective commitment to disburse $23 million over five years to back this strategic action has enabled the fight against poverty and social exclusion to be carried out in a sustained fashion. It also helped develop communities…
La Société pour les arts en milieux de santé (SAMS)
Created in 2009, La SAMS (Société pour les arts en milieux de santé) is the largest network of professional musicians offering customized concerts in health care facilities in Quebec. This charitable organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals in health care settings by bringing the arts to them, in particular the healing properties of music. Since its creation, it has presented nearly 7,000 concerts to audiences of nearly 300,000 people, while also hiring more than 220 professional artists drawn from the finest classical, jazz, world music and singing ensembles. The COVID-19 pandemic affected SAMS in two…
Fonds Clavecin en concert - Luc Beauséjour à perpétuité
"Thanks to the creation of an in-perpetuity fund at the Foundation of Greater Montréal in 2015, Clavecin en concert (Harpsichord in concert) today has a solid financial base. Our organization benefits from the support of generous donors, and with matching grants from Mécénat Musica, Mécénat Placements Culture et Canadian Heritage, we can look to the future with confidence and optimism. With endeavours like public concerts, album recording, master classes for young musicians and partnerships with festivals and with other organizations, we are able to showcase harpsichord music here and abroad. We feel it is essential to ensure the continuity of…
ENvironnement JEUnesse
Created in 1979, ENvironnement JEUnesse (ENJEU) is an educational organization that seeks to raise awareness of environmental issues among Quebec youth, give them tools for action, and encourage them to act in their communities. ENvironnement JEUnesse is also a network that emphasizes the development of critical thinking and lets engaged youth have their say, allowing them to voice their concerns, their points of view and their ideas for solutions regarding current environmental problems. Its citizen engagement activity and its educational projects cover several issues, including waste management, transport, energy and climate, responsible consumption, water, and incorporating sustainable development principles into…
Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement (GUEPE)
The mission taken on by the Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement is simple. It is to offer the public, and young people in particular, educational and professional services in the natural sciences and the environment. With an emphasis on outdoor activity, GUEPE’s committed team is empowering and raising awareness among individuals and groups. It gives them the tools to make choices that are respectful of the environment. Since 2019, the Foundation of Greater Montréal has supported the organization’s flagship project, "Apprendre, c’est dans notre nature (Learning is in our nature)". It is aimed at primary school students.…
Fonds Les Scientifines
Les Scientifines is a not-for-profit organization launched in 1987 by a four women from the School of Social Work at Université de Montréal. They created it as an action-research project, working within the Ministry of Education's “Étalez votre science” program. Their approach was based on sparking young girls’ interest in the sciences and forging a better future for themselves. Now counting more than 30 years’ experience, Les Scientifines promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM disciplines) among girls aged 8 to 17 from disadvantaged backgrounds. The goal is to help them develop cross-disciplinary skills, with a view of staying…