|
 |
|
version française » | |
|
Putting smiles back on children’s faces | |
 |
 |
 |
|
Childhood, illness and poverty, shouldn’t go together. At least, not in an ideal world, but in reality, too many children are struggling with an illness, a handicap or unfavourable financial conditions. And these children are found in large numbers in Montreal, where the incidence of child poverty is higher than in any other Canadian city. Luckily, there are people who believe that things can change, and there are organizations that do everything they can to improve the conditions in which disadvantaged children live. Among them, is the Montreal Real Estate Foundation for Kids, to whom are associated BOMA QUÉBEC, IDU QUÉBEC and their members – including yourself. Officially launched in 2003, the Foundation’s number one goal has been seeing to the real property needs of organizations dedicated to youths. One example, among many, of the Foundation’s work: in July of 2007, the Foundation made a donation of $445,000 to the Fondation Marie-Vincent in order to finance the building of a center of expertise dedicated to the young victims of sexual assaults and their families. It would be the first center of this type in the French-speaking world. As important as this donation may be, it is not the only one of its kind. Thanks to you, we are able to help the most disadvantaged. |
|
|
Donations and recycling campaigns | |
|
|
|
|
Between the beginning of the year 2004 and the end of the year 2007, the Foundation has made cumulative donations in the amount of $636 700 to about ten organizations dedicated to youths, such as SunYouth, la Maison des enfants of the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood and the Fondation Charles-Bruneau. If the Foundation was able to make these donations, it is thanks to the contributions of its members, volunteers and partners such as SITQ and Oxford. “If we can lend a hand to the organizations that support youths in difficulty, it’s because real-estate owners choose to show support to the community by participating in an eco-friendly program or by making a donation” states Renée Vézina, president of the Foundation’s board of directors. By giving to the Foundation, you help us accomplish our mission, as do the building owners and managers and the tenants who, by participating in the Foundation’s recycling campaign, provide essential support to the organizations dedicated to youths. “Every building owner or manager can participate in the paper recycling campaign. All the information is on our Web site (www.sextans.com/fimj). Even tenants can do something by insisting, for example, that their proprietor join the campaign”, explains Mrs. Vézina. Consider yourself invited ! |
|
|
Recent actions | |
|
|
|
|
Recycling paper and by the same token, helping youths in difficulty, produces real results that can often be seen in the broad smiles on those tiny faces that deserve to be happy. Youths who, sometimes, are in wheelchairs, such as those at l’École Victor-Doré, whom Renée Vézina met during the inauguration of a brand new school yard. A meeting that profoundly touched Mrs. Vézina. “Even if I had prepared myself, I did not expect to be greeted as I was by these children”, she said simply. The children of l’École Victor-Doré are, for the most part, afflicted with severe mobility problems; their ages range from 4 through 12. When the school’s directors contacted the Foundation, the little kids already had their school yard, but the big kids (8-12 years old) didn’t. “They went to the school director to let him know of their wish, and he in turn came to our Foundation and to the Fondation des Canadiens pour l’enfance.” The Foundation made a 25 000$ donation to finance the construction of a second school yard adapted, this time, to the older kids’ needs. It was inaugurated on October 17, 2008. “The children gave me a basket full of scrolled-up papers tied with ribbons. When I got to the office and unrolled the papers one by one, I saw that they were notes of thanks. Dozens of notes of thanks”, tells Mrs. Vézina with still-present emotion in her voice. The Foundation’s action is directed where the needs are the most pressing and are not always immovable in nature. Hence, for the second consecutive year, the Foundation is supporting the Projet Sous-zéro, initiated by the Montreal designer Marie Saint-Pierre. The Projet Sous-zéro aims to provide winter clothes to children that stem from disadvantaged environments in Montreal Island. In 2007, the Foundation had donated $5 000 to the project; this year, it is making a $10 000 donation. “Last year, one of the young boys that we gave winter clothes to, was so happy that he didn’t want to take off the new snowsuit he’d just gotten, not even in class!” recalls Renée Vézina. Poverty and illness sometimes transform the most basic needs into urgent needs and this, the organization the Garde-Manger pour tous knows all too well. The Garde-Manger pour tous works in the Montreal neighbourhoods where poverty is rife and helps those who suffer from food insecurity. “The Garde-Manger pour tous had an urgent need for new freezers. We gave them a $33 000 donation to buy them”, explains Renée Vézina, who underlines Larry Smith’s involvement in this project. Other important donations made by the Montreal Real Estate Foundation for Kids in 2008: a $30 000 donation to the organization headed by Father Emmet Johns, better known by his nickname of “père Pops”. The organization that he founded, Dans la rue, has a trailer make rounds in Montreal streets every night. Young people who are hungry or are in need can find, at the trailer, food, care and refuge. Dans la rue also offers training and reintegration programs to youths. In the scope of these programs, Dans la rue had an urgent need for a minivan, the $30 000 donation will finance this purchase. |
|
|
Since the beginning of the year 2008, the Foundation has donated a total of $135 000 to organizations dedicated to youths, and “90% of this amount comes from the paper recycling campaign in Montreal’s buildings”, underlines Renée Vézina. It is still time, of course, to subscribe to the paper recycling campaign, a unique campaign that pursues a dual goal: relieving trash bins… and putting a smile on the faces of Montreal children who, much too often, go through rough times. Our thanks to BOMA, to UDI as well as to you, dear members and partners of the Fondation, and our best wishes of the season. www.sextans.com/fimj |
|
|
News | |
|
|
|
|
December 5, 2008 L’organisme LE GARDE-MANGER POUR TOUS reçoit l’aide de la Fondation immobilière de Montréal pour les jeunes (FIMJ) afin d’améliorer ses cuisines Read more » November 28, 2008 L’organisme Dans la rue reçoit l’aide de la Fondation Immobilière de Montréal pour les jeunes (FIMJ) afin d’acheter une fourgonnette qui répondra à divers besoins importants Read more » November 27, 2008 Le Centre communautaire Hochelaga (CCH) reçoit l’aide de la Fondation Immobilière de Montréal pour les jeunes afin de donner des centaines d’habits de neige neufs distribués dans 19 écoles défavorisées de Montréal Read more » |
|
