Major Campaign - Connected to their future

A WORD FROM OUR CO-CHAIRS

Our Co-Chairs’ resolute commitment

« Helping children to succeed in school is the best way to break the cycle of poverty. Staying in school and earning a first diploma is a lifeline for children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This is the best way to prevent the risks of poverty, ignorance, social exclusion and the distress that could affect them if they become marginalized by dropping out. I hope that many of us will show our support for our young Montrealers by supporting Fondation La Clé. »

Pierre Pomerleau, President, Pomerleau

« By getting involved in Fondation La Clé’s inaugural major campaign, I wish to help break down barriers such as the lack of access to computers and the internet, to reduce the inequalities between children coming from more affluent versus less affluent backgrounds. Every child has the potential required to overcome their academic and social challenges, as long as they are heard, supported and have the right tools. »

Wayne Heuff, Executive Vice President and General Director, Claridge

« Education is the key to solving the majority of problems we experience in our society. Depriving children of a good education and the necessary tools for their development acts as a major handicap, both for them personally and for all of us, collectively, affecting the future of our society. Collaborating with Fondation La Clé therefore seems natural and truly motivating. The object being to give as many tools as possible to children from disadvantaged backgrounds and contribute favourably to their future as well as to tomorrow’s society. »

Maxime Boissonneault, Co-President, Moov AI

CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE MEMBERS

We feel honoured to count on our dedicated and committed volunteers who believe in our Foundation’s mission as much as we do.

Co-Chairs

Maxime Boissonneault
Co-CEO,
Moov AI

Wayne Heuff
Executive Vice-President
and Managing Director,
Claridge

Pierre Pomerleau
President,
Pomerleau

Ambassadors

Members

Jean-Philippe Beauvais
Vice-president operations,
Plaisirs Gastronomiques

Jean-Marc Bélanger
Vice President Operations,
Multiresidential Division,
Cogir

Marianne Duguay
Vice President,
Asset Management,
Fonds de solidarité FTQ

Stephen Gauthier, CFA
CIO-President,
senior portfolio manager,
CEOS Family Office

Caroline Girard
Vice President,
Operations Management,
Devimco Real Estate Management

Alexandre Lefebvre
CEO,
BMR Group

Herbert Nunes
Administrator,
Fondation La Clé

Denis Robitaille
President and Founder,
Rachel Julien

Marc-André Roy
President,
Sotramont

Brigitte Samson
Sales and Market Development,
Énergir

Julie Snyder
Founder and CEO,
Productions J

François Tremblay
Vice-President, Construction,
Pomerleau

Jacques Vincent
Retired President,
Prével

Jean-Philippe Beauvais
Vice-president operations,
Plaisirs Gastronomiques

Jean-Marc Bélanger
Vice President Operations,
Multiresidential Division,
Cogir

Marianne Duguay
Vice President,
Asset Management,
Fonds de solidarité FTQ

Stephen Gauthier, CFA
CIO-President,
senior portfolio manager,
CEOS Family Office

Caroline Girard
Vice President,
Operations Management,
Devimco Real Estate Management

Alexandre Lefebvre
CEO,
BMR Group

Herbert Nunes
Administrator,
Fondation La Clé

Denis Robitaille
President and Founder,
Rachel Julien

Marc-André Roy
President,
Sotramont

Brigitte Samson
Sales and Market Development,
Énergir

Julie Snyder
Founder and CEO,
Productions J

François Tremblay
Vice-President, Construction,
Pomerleau

Jacques Vincent
Retired President,
Prével

PROJECTS

1— Connected to their digital reality … to reduce the digital divide $750,000

Major urban centres like Montreal are not immune to internet inequality. It is not the lack of a high-speed network that creates the divide, it is poverty.

Today, not having decent internet access exacerbates social exclusion and is one of the reasons why children fall behind in school and eventually drop out. To tackle this problem, Fondation La Clé will invest $750,000 over the course of five years in a major project aimed at reducing the inequalities caused by the digital divide and funding the installation of a high-speed internet network for families with school-age children.

GROWING UP IN HOUSING MANAGED BY THE OFFICE MUNICIPAL D'HABITATION DE MONTRÉAL

2— Connected to the community … to support organizations that work with our youth: $750,000

Every year, Fondation La Clé supports projects and programs to encourage school perseverance offered by organizations that work with young people in OMHM communities. Tutoring, after-school cultural and sports activities, support and mentoring, psychosocial help and family activities of all sorts, are some of the projects supported by the Foundation.

Since its inception, the Foundation has funded nearly twenty projects, representing an investment of some $800,000. Over 2,200 kids, or nearly 25% of young people living in OMHM housing have benefited from this investment. Moreover, 96% of these students say that they have improved or stabilized their grades by participating in the activities and homework help provided.

The Foundation currently supports 7 organizations and has committed to donate an amount of $45,000 to each organization over a three-year period. Thanks to these investments, some 130 young people receive help with homework. The Foundation’s support has so far been concentrated in the following neighbourhoods: Little Burgundy, Rosemont, Montreal-North, Lachine and Ville-Émard / Côte-Saint-Paul.

With its major campaign, the Foundation hopes to optimize its investment strategy with organizations in a collective approach to mobilize resources thus creating a lasting change for these youth.

FUNDING OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

3— Connected to their success … to help young people continue their studies: $400,000

To encourage the academic development of young people, the Foundation has been funding Persévéra scholarships since 2014 through a partnership with Éducaide. Some $126,000 in scholarships has been awarded to more than 130 young people from Secondary 3 to 5. Among those who received one of these scholarships, 94% obtained their high school diploma compared to the Montreal average of 82.8%. These scholarships make it possible to support young people individually in their academic journey.

High school scholarships
Dropout rates begin to rise significantly in the third year of high school. Conscious of this fact, the Foundation supports students by granting scholarships worth $ 500 that are awarded annually to students from Secondary 3 to Secondary 5, for a total of $1,500 per student.

Through this scholarship program, the Foundation has sponsored students in 7 Montreal schools. To date, more than 130 students from Secondary 3 to 5, or 21 young people on average per year, have received a scholarship.

The Foundation hopes to increase the number of new scholarship beneficiaries from 21 to 25 annually, or by 20%.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT TESTIMONIALS

New post-secondary scholarship program
Nearly 75% of residents living in OMHM housing dropped out of school before completing the Secondary V level. Yet college and university graduates tend to have better employment prospects. To break the cycle of poverty, this trend must be reversed. The Foundation thus wishes to set up a new scholarship program to encourage the pursuit of post-secondary studies for the students it supports.

The fundraising campaign, will allow the Foundation to award scholarships worth $750 per year to 70 college students and scholarships worth $1,000 per year to 50 university students.

4— Connected to their passions … to help them forge their own identities and develop their social skills: $75,000

Participation in extracurricular activities can be advantageous for young people. Benefits may include good academic performance, improved psychological functioning, and developing healthy relationships with their peers. These activities have a positive effect because they offer youngsters the opportunity to explore their identity, develop their initiative, learn to control their emotions and acquire social skills.

Unfortunately, many of the families supported by the Foundation do not always have the means to enroll their young ones in after-school leisure activities.

Yet these activities have recognized benefits for both mental health and motivation in school. This is why the Foundation wishes to increase funding for activities related to sports, culture and other initiatives.

Expedition Atop a North-African Summit