Some 200 people gathered at the Summerlea Golf Club on Thursday for the Maison de la Famille de Vaudreuil-Soulanges' first fundraising dinner. This first fundraising event marked the end of a major campaign to raise the funds needed to build the new home in Saint-Zotique. Thanks to the generosity of our guests and partners, a total of $77,563 was raised, all of which will be used to support families in the region.

Under the honorary chairmanship of Claude DeBellefeuille, Member of Parliament for Salaberry-Suroît, the evening was attended by a number of elected officials, including Suzanne Roy, Minister for Families, Marie-Claude Nichols and Marilyne Picard, MNAs for Vaudreuil and Soulanges, and Peter Schiefke, Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

Several elected municipal officials also took part in the celebrations, including the mayors of Saint-Zotique, Pincourt, Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Sainte-Marthe, Rivière-Beaudette and Vaudreuil-Dorion, and the mayors of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Très-Saint-Rédempteur and Coteau-du-Lac.

Hosted by Dominic Larivée of SDL Animation, the evening opened with the melodies of the Sainte-Madeleine school choir, marking the start of a festive evening of community solidarity with the family organization.

A silent auction featuring numerous items up for grabs, including a trip to the Magdalen Islands, a guided tour of Ottawa's Parliament with Vaudreuil-Soulanges MP Peter Schiefke, bottles of privately imported wine, golf tees and an autographed Montreal Canadiens jersey, to name but a few.

A major commitment from Desjardins

This success is accompanied by a major commitment on the part of Desjardins Movement. Indeed, the institution announced its participation in the Maison de la Famille Saint-Zotique construction project with an exceptional donation of $250,000 through its Grand Mouvement Fund. This historic contribution marks an important milestone for the rest of the adventure, being the first project of this scale to benefit from Desjardins support in the region.

"We firmly believe that the Maison de la Famille de Vaudreuil-Soulanges meets the needs of our community by offering quality, local services to local families. Given the region's changing demographics, we're delighted to support this project, which will enable the creation of new services dedicated to parents and their children," said François Paquin, Chairman of the Board of Caisse Desjardins de Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

"This organization plays a key role in children's development, while providing services that meet growing needs. That's why Desjardins Group is proud to give this project a boost with a financial contribution of $250,000 from the Grand Mouvement Fund".

France Pomminville, General Manager of the Maison de la Famille Vaudreuil-Soulanges, expresses her gratitude and enthusiasm for this valuable collaboration: "It's incredible news to have been selected by Le Fonds du Grand Mouvement for our construction project, which is first and foremost intended to develop services, employment and internship opportunities, as well as a warm living environment for Soulanges families. Desjardins is one of our many partners in this project. They have been there for our organization and the families we serve, and they are once again responding positively by getting involved in the community through our project".

A new horizon

The new Maison de la Famille will have a direct impact on 500 new families, offering a multitude of services and programs, including homework help, language stimulation workshops, a community drop-in daycare, perinatal programming and access supervision services. The organization hopes to create a home that is truly the community's home, a place where families can feel supported, connected and fulfilled.

The construction project will begin in the summer of 2024, with an official opening scheduled for 2025. Estimated at $1.2 million, the project will be orchestrated by the design-build firm Struxar, with the complicity of Claude Matte Architecte and the expertise and generosity of Habitations Sylvain

Ménard. In addition, the Ville de Saint-Zotique, a long-standing supporter of the organization, granted the land for the construction of the new premises under a 99-year lease, while paying a symbolic rent of $1.

The Maison de la Famille de Saint-Zotique's socio-financing campaign was supported by the honorary president, the Member of Parliament for Salaberry-Suroît, Mrs. Claude DeBellefeuille. A natural alliance, given her many years of experience in the community and as a social worker at the Centre de Santé et de Services sociaux.

"More than ever, the community has united to ensure the optimal development of the region's children, and this initiative continues! Indeed, every gesture counts, every donation makes a difference in offering families a better future, and it's still possible to contribute to the fundraising campaign online at the Maison de la Famille website," declared the MP and campaign spokesperson.