The pandemic has hit many organizations due to the ban on gatherings, so the number of children helped by the Maman Dion Foundation has decreased.
They will be 800 this year to receive gift cards to buy school materials and clothes from this organization, compared to 1,350 in 2021 and nearly 2,000 in 2020.
“As we were not able to do fundraising activities at certain times, this meant that we collected less money, told us in an interview the director general of the Fondation Maman Dion, Claudette Dion. Unfortunately, we were unable to help everyone and we were forced to call parents to tell them that we will not be able to support them this year.
She added that, despite everything, the foundation is going out of its way with its partners to find a solution to help families in need.
The organization offers a gift card in a clothing store (Aubainerie) as well as in an office school supply store (Hamster).
Although more people could benefit from the assistance if the gift cards were distributed separately, i.e. those for clothing on the one hand and those for school supplies on the other, the Maman Dion Foundation really wants to offer both. at the same time.
“We want children to be able to fulfill themselves by having all the tools in their school bag and, also, to promote their self-esteem with new clothes. We prioritize urgent cases. Children do not deserve to be held hostage because of the difficulties of their parents,” said Claudette Dion.
These are retired teachers who analyze the requests to ensure that the families most in need are helped. Each child receives gift cards in their name. It should be noted that the group helps students from all over the province. Besides Montreal, demand in the Montérégie and Chaudière-Appalaches regions is the highest.
It was the late Thérèse Tanguay-Dion who set up the Maman Dion Foundation in 2005. Since its creation, the organization has supported 27,000 children.
Two benefit concerts for the benefit of the Foundation will be presented in Laval (August 27) and Quebec City (September 1).
