When Pierre Charbonneau looks back on his career, philanthropy is a discreet but constant connecting thread. He didn’t learn it at school or from books. It was in the workplace—first in Ottawa, then in Montreal at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton—that the culture of giving entered his world. Centraide’s annual campaigns were a big part of it.
As a human resources professional, Pierre had always wanted to help people navigate major life changes. But it was a deeply affecting personal experience that made him think about the impact he wanted to leave behind. In 2023, Denis Vincent, his partner of almost 50 years, passed away. The loss was profound. Pierre was very involved in Centraide. He was a member of the Centraide Board and the Centraide Foundation’s Board. He has seen Centraide’s professionalism, rigour and impact from the inside.
A gift from the heart to keep the memory alive
“I had to redraft my will. And as I was doing it, I found it sad that everything would end there. I wanted a continuation. Denis and I did everything together. I didn’t want the gift to come from just Pierre Charbonneau. I wanted it to be from Pierre Charbonneau and Denis Vincent.” The need to leave a joint legacy, to keep their shared commitment alive even after death, led Pierre to include a planned gift to Centraide of Greater Montreal in his will. His choice was not random.
“Centraide is a pillar of our community, a vital force for good in Greater Montreal. They know exactly where the needs are and make informed choices to meet them. I myself wouldn’t be able to give to all the agencies that need support. But Centraide can. They make sure the money goes where it counts.”
Pierre sees planned giving as a concrete way to give back to the community. And, on a more personal level, as a way to keep memory alive.
“Denis and I didn’t have children. In our generation, that wasn’t common for same-sex couples. But I didn’t want to think that this was the end. Making a gift that will live on over time is a way to extend something of ourselves into the future.”
Pierre Charbonneau’s gift reminds us that a will can be much more than a legal document. It can be an act of love. An act of recognition. An act of hope. And above all, a way to continue building a more just world, one gift at a time.
“We’re more fortunate than we think.”
Pierre doesn’t see his gift as an act of generosity but as a recognition of his own good fortune, and a way to share it.
“No matter how much we make, we’re often luckier than many people around us. And if we don’t contribute a little, who will? The government can’t do everything. It’s up to us too.”
🎥 If this approach resonates with you, click here to watch a video on how to make a planned gift through your will, like Pierre.
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