Unprecedented result for Centraide of Greater Montreal

MONTREAL, Feb. 8, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Centraide of Greater Montreal's annual campaign has concluded with an exceptional result, with $62,639,750 raised to support hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in Montreal, in Laval and on the South Shore. This record-setting amount was announced at noon today at the virtual Solidaires event to acknowledge the essential contribution of donors and volunteers as well as the exceptional work of the 350 community agencies supported by Centraide.

"The tremendous results of this year's campaign highlight the community's generosity and the importance they place on Centraide to maintain our social safety net," said Centraide's 2021 campaign co-chairs Maria Della Posta, President, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and Darryl White, CEO, BMO Financial Group. "With greater demands during the pandemic, nearly 100,000 donors showed solidarity with those in need. We thank the community for showing their local love."

"Thanks to the record amount raised, we can again this year increase our financial support to agencies in our community. Our campaign result is a testament to our donors' compassion for what has been a critical period for community agencies. It has been shown that people experiencing poverty and social exclusion have been hit hardest by the pandemic, which in turn has triggered record demand for services this year. The role that agencies and community workers play in our society is more essential than ever. Every day, Centraide witnesses the invaluable impact that community agencies have on the people they help, both in their daily lives and in crisis situations. A tremendous thank-you to our two co-chairs and to everyone who responded to this vast call for generosity. The strength of Centraide's network is that everyone can work together to respond to rapidly changing needs," said Claude Pinard, President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal.

The money raised from the annual campaign will let community agencies provide services in all neighbourhoods and cities of Greater Montreal and offer personalized support. Centraide's allocations to agencies help take care of the essentials (food, housing, etc.), support youth success, break social isolation, and build inclusive and caring communities.

Engaged volunteers

The Solidaires event also honoured the unconditional support of the volunteers who made the Centraide workplace campaigns a success. To overcome the challenges of remote work, company leaders, employees, and unions redoubled their efforts and showed ingenuity to collect donations and raise awareness among their peers through things like virtual events and challenges, auctions, caring activities, and matching donations.

The exceptional contribution of one outstanding volunteer who has contributed to Centraide's impact was recognized with this year's Michèle Thibodeau-DeGuire Award, which went to Isabelle Marcoux, Chair of the Board of Transcontinental Inc. and Honorary Chair of Centraide's Major Donors' Circle. For more details, click here.

About Centraide of Greater Montreal

Centraide of Greater Montreal is active in the territories of Laval, Montreal and the South Shore. It regularly supports a network of 350 agencies and collective projects every year. Centraide is supported by private, public and parapublic corporations and institutions as well as large trade unions. The money it raises is invested locally to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion. For more information: centraide-mtl.org.

SOURCE Centraide of Greater Montreal

Annick Gagnon, Public Relations Advisor, Centraide of Greater Montreal, 514-288-1261, [email protected]