A word from the chair of the board and the executive director

Acquiring the means to succeed in the face of challenges

In March of 2020, a major disruption transformed our lives and those of billions of people around the world. Who would have thought that we would still be trying to find our bearings and hoping for a return to normalcy two years later?

In a crisis this big, all are not equal. Sadly, we can’t help but observe the widening gap between the vulnerable and the privileged. 

This past fiscal year was a defining one for the Foundation—a rebranding, the appointment of a new executive director, the launch of the silent phase of the Foundation’s first-ever major campaign, a more dynamic board of directors than ever, and much more.

As with most community organizations, we’ve seen some of our revenue-generating activities curtailed or even cancelled, while the risk of youth in low-rent housing dropping out of school increased.

A community more united than ever

In this uncertain context, the Foundation faced many challenges that forced it to reinvent itself in many ways.

We were able to benefit from the support of our main partner, the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM), and the exceptional generosity of donors and businesses which continued to support us even when the pandemic hit its peak. 

A new page in the Foundation’s history is being written. We know that we will always be able to count on the network of community organizations working in low-rent housing and on all of our partners. We commend their extraordinary work with the youth who live there. Our goal is to continue working closely with them.

Optimism for the future

Although the pandemic persists and we do not yet know how it will affect vulnerable populations on the long term, we remain optimistic about the future.

A great wind of positive change is blowing through the Foundation. We will continue to support projects—which are more relevant than ever—to encourage young people in low-rent housing to persevere in their studies and develop their full potential.

Together, we will succeed in our bet on the future.

Brigitte Samson, Chair of the Board                                                     

Nathalie Thifault, Executive Director