On October 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal is proud to partner with the Centraide 2017 fundraising campaign.
Montréal has the largest number of poor neighborhoods in Canada. The Centraide Greater Montreal campaign has been raising money and investing locally to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion. This campaign is also an opportunity for Greater Montréal businesses to take part in these areas of action and get involved to improve living conditions among our most disadvantaged citizens.
One mission, four areas of action
Poverty carries tremendous economic and social costs for society, because one person in four on the Island of Montréal lives in need. For example, early school leaving has consequences both on the individual and on the community: loss of gains for individuals, a 2.5% higher risk of unemployment, health effects, a shorter life expectancy and more.
This is why Centraide invests in four areas of action:
- Supporting youth success
- Breaking social isolation
- Taking care of the essentials
- Building caring communities
Through a network of over 350 community organizations and projects, Centraide promotes mutual assistance, community involvement, awareness raising and concrete action.
Donations to fight poverty
Past donations have enabled many initiatives and made a difference for Greater Montréal residents: in ten years, the dropout rate in Verdun fell by 20%; in Pointe-Saint-Charles, Centraide introduced community kitchens and gardens to provide the population (50% of which is low income) with the essentials.
On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the business community would like to remind you of the importance of staying united and engaged to build a stronger Montréal!