The McGill community is again rallying to support Montrealers in need with the launch of the University’s 2022 Centraide campaign on October 26.
Centraide of Greater Montreal supports a network of 350 agencies and joint projects every year, serving Laval, Montreal and the South Shore. It implements strategies and undertakes activities designed to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion in order to improve living conditions for vulnerable people. The agencies supported by Centraide assist over 800,000 people each year.
“McGill is proud to renew its commitment as a partner of Centraide,” wrote Interim Principal Christopher Manfredi in a message to the McGill community. “Once again this year, McGillians will channel their sense of community engagement to make a difference for those in need.”
Vulnerable members of the community face growing challenges
Centraide receives funding from businesses and organizations as well as from the general public. Each year, McGill joins other Montreal organizations in running a campaign in support of Centraide. This year, McGill’s Centraide campaign will run until December 22 with a total fundraising goal of $425,000.
Although some of the impact of the COVID-19 has been attenuated by vaccines and anti-viral medications, the Montreal community is facing new challenges that are having a disproportionate impact on the most disadvantaged.
“Inequalities are widening, and the vulnerable are hit harder. As you can imagine, Centraide’s mission to fight poverty and social exclusion has never been more important,” said McGill-Centraide Campaign Co-Chairs Anja Geitmann, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Yves Beauchamp, Vice-Principal, Administration and Finance in a joint message to the McGill community.
With the sharp increase in the cost of living across Canada, Centraide and the community agencies it supports are seeing a dramatic increase in need for services in the areas of food security, housing, mental health and homelessness.
“Even under normal circumstances it is challenging for low-income families to find and retain affordable homes, but in this economic climate, with rising inflation, many minimum-wage workers are finding it harder than ever to gain access to low-cost housing,” explains Geitmann.
“In addition to providing financial aid, Centraide also assists low-income households through programs like the Association coopérative d’économie familiale de la Rive-Sud which offers individual consultations to those looking to improve their budget management skills.”
Get involved!
Christine Chehadé from the University’s Centraide committee says there are all kinds of ways McGillians can support the campaign, from making donations to helping raise awareness of the work Centraide does.
“Our goal is to inform people about Centraide’s mission, which is not only to fight poverty but also to support youth success, break social isolation, build caring communities and take care of essentials,” Chehadé says.
Here are some of the ways members of the McGill community can support the campaign:
- Make a donation either through the Centraide website or by regular payroll deduction.
- If you already support Centraide, talk to your colleagues about the organization and what it means for you to be a supporter.
- Participate in a McGill-Centraide activity.
- Keep an eye on what’snew@mcgill for upcoming Centraide events, or, if you are organizing one, let us know and we will help spread the word.