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.
Girls Action Foundation
Created in 1995 by three University of Ottawa students, Girls Action Foundation is a national organization that aims to help girls, young women and gender minorities across Canada achieve greater autonomy. It supports the creation of programs by and for girls and young women that will build their confidence, develop their leaderships skills and increase their self-esteem, while helping them maintain a healthy lifestyle. The populations served by Girls Action were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a September 2020 survey (article in French only), 46% of youth aged 18 to 24 in the Montréal region were…
Mères avec pouvoir
In the mid-1990s, a research group at the Centre jeunesse de Montréal – Institut universitaire turned its attention to the situation of young single-parent women with children aged five and under. The researchers found that job placement programs for these women were, in general, a failure. These young mothers, when coming out of socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, too often found themselves in living in precariousness or experiencing social exclusion. That took its toll on the women, their children, and their immediate families. Poverty, and exclusion from the job market, often translated into psychological distress, social isolation and loss of identity for…
The Black Youth Socio-Economic Development Summit
The Black Youth Socio-Economic Development Summit (SdesJ) is an innovative network of 46 community organizations. It has taken on a mission to play a part in Quebec’s development by focusing on the contributions of Black youth. It brings together, most notably, actors from the Haitian, African, Caribbean and anglophone communities. The 2020 pandemic proved to be an opportunity for the organization to develop new projects. The goal was to promote greater integration among the communities, as a step towards building a better future. Thus, three SdesJ initiatives came to life in the wake of COVID-19: An awareness campaign on good…
Centre de prévention du suicide de Lanaudière
Created in the year 2000, the Centre de prévention du suicide de Lanaudière (CPSL) is an independent regional community organization with a mission to assist persons or groups grappling with problems related to suicide. Through the years, the CPSL has developed essential competencies and soft skills. Staffed with a team of professionals specializing in prevention, it makes a difference on this complex and multifaceted problem. The CPSL benefitted from a $27,760 grant allocated by the Foundation of Greater Montréal, in the second phase of deployment of the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). With it, it was able to carry out…
RAP Jeunesse
Rue Action Prévention, better known as RAP Jeunesse, has been around for more than 20 years. Through community outreach and street work, it assists teenagers, young adults and adults. They mainly come from cultural communities and are socially excluded, or no longer use community, health and social services. RAP Jeunesse’s mission has evolved over time to adjust to the community’s needs. It initially involved street work with youth between 12 and 25 years of age. Now, Rue Action Prévention intervenes to help anyone 14 years and over, providing a range of services. It reaches out to youth via awareness-raising activities,…
Auberge Madeleine
Founded in 1983, Auberge Madeleine, located in the Plateau Mont-Royal district, has a mission to take in, house and support women 18 years of age and over who are on their own and homeless. Truly a place of refuge for women in difficulty, the Auberge has adopted a "low-barrier services" approach, welcoming all women who are experiencing homelessness, without the hurdle of admission criteria. The Auberge thus comes to the aid of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, the ones that face more discrimination than others, such as transgender or Indigenous women. The Auberge is open 24/7 and provides short…