From left: Laurent Ferreira, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank, and Paul Desmarais III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sagard.
Centraide begins its 2022 campaign and launches ad, “Without the burden of poverty and exclusion,
we can all rise up.”
Montreal, May 4, 2022 – Two incredible volunteers are joining Centraide of Greater Montreal as co-chairs of its 2022 campaign. Paul Desmarais III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sagard, and Laurent Ferreira, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank, will lead hundreds of volunteers involved in Centraide’s fundraising efforts. Centraide is also launching a new ad campaign to raise public awareness about how poverty and social exclusion weigh heavily on families and individuals in need.
Engaging the business community
The campaign co-chairs will call on businesses and organizations to support nearly 350 community agencies that fight poverty and social exclusion. They will team up with a group of committed volunteers in the 2022 campaign cabinet.
“I am proud to join forces with Laurent and this year’s cabinet members, who have generously agreed to help drive the campaign. Centraide does essential work in activating generosity in Greater Montreal. They understand the community’s challenges and support organizations who treat both their symptoms and their root causes,”” said Paul Desmarais III.
“Our goal is to have a successful campaign to help community agencies with great needs. Supporting Centraide means contributing to a cause that affects us all and taking meaningful action to have a real impact on vulnerable people in our community,” said Laurent Ferreira.
“We are fortunate to have such influential volunteers from the business community who can mobilize their professional networks to support Centraide and its network of agencies. Soaring inflation, the rising cost of living, and a lack of affordable housing all weigh heavily on vulnerable people. These factors put great pressure on children, families, seniors and marginalized people. What’s more, community agencies severely lack the resources to meet these needs,” said Claude Pinard, President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal.
An ad campaign about the burden of poverty
Centraide’s new ad campaign that launched this week aims to raise public awareness about the importance of alleviating the devastating hardships of poverty and social exclusion for vulnerable people. The new concept, developed by creative agency Rethink and produced in collaboration with the production company Les Enfants, features five situations experienced daily by individuals and families in need: housing issues, mental health problems, homelessness, youth bullying, food insecurity, and senior isolation. Without the burden of poverty and social exclusion, people can rise up, thrive, and fully participate in society.
Although the scenes portrayed may be difficult to see, they reflect the reality faced by thousands of people in Greater Montreal every day. The ad aims to not only raise awareness but also provide a glimmer of hope for anyone going through difficult situations.
“We are working together to make sure everyone can reach their full potential. Poverty is complex, and people can experience multiple situations of hardship at once, such as food insecurity, mental health issues, and more. It is essential for us to convey this information to our 98,000 current donors and to the general public,” added Claude Pinard.
Click here to view the new ad campaign, “Without the burden of poverty and exclusion, we can all rise up.”.
About Centraide of Greater Montreal
Centraide of Greater Montreal is an agent of change, active in the territories of Laval, Montreal and the South Shore. It supports a network of 350 agencies and collective projects every year. Centraide receives support from businesses, organizations and the general public. The money it raises is invested on the basis of needs analyses in each neighbourhood and community within its territory. Centraide’s strategies and actions are aimed at fighting poverty and social exclusion to improve the living conditions of people in vulnerable situations. Each year, organizations supported by Centraide of Greater Montreal help more than 800,000 people.