Every fall, thousands of employees in Greater Montreal take action to raise money for Centraide. More than just simple fundraising initiatives, these campaigns turn office towers and factory floors into hubs of generosity. As employees get involved, share, and give, everyone gets a concrete idea of how their contribution supports people in vulnerable situations. We sat down with four campaign directors to discover what the “Centraide effect” looks like at these organizations.
A movement that puts people first
Centraide campaigns are above all a tapestry of human stories about co-workers who get involved for their peers, ambassadors who take the time to explain Centraide’s mission, and conversations that spark empathy.
“Our campaign is only successful because of the people who put their energy into it,” said Catherine Rabret-Laporte, Campaign Director at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (La Caisse). “By getting involved, our ambassadors and co-chairs know they are impacting people’s lives in different ways, which creates a strong sense of collective pride.”
Benoit Deguire, Co-Chair of the Centraide campaign at Bombardier, discovered a whole team of committed ambassadors when he took on his role: “The team’s enthusiasm is contagious, so we really wanted to make them visible at the company’s different sites. They wear red polo shirts and can answer questions about Centraide. This personal contact is what makes the difference. Employees even ask, ‘How do I get a red polo shirt?’ It’s simple: just get involved!”
For Yves Durivage, a retired staff member who headed up the Centraide campaign at Canada Life from 2020 to 2024, the campaign season is about much more than collecting money: “The experience changes your perspective. Three years ago, we launched our Leadership campaign with a virtual meeting at 9:00 a.m. and sent out a solicitation email before the event. Around 500 to 700 people were on the call. We told them they could start donating right away, and we announced the results over the course of the meeting. Half an hour later, we had raised $800,000! I couldn’t believe it! It was exhilarating. We saw how every one of our small donations adds up to something really big.”
Photo: Yves Durivage from Canada Life (left), with fellow Leader Donors, during a visit to Square Cabot in 2022.
Payroll giving: A simple way to build long-term impact
Automatic payroll deductions are the cornerstone of workplace campaigns, as this type of giving is a low-key, effortless way to make an extraordinary impact. With every pay, thousands of employees lay down a stable and powerful chain of generosity.
Payroll giving is a low-key, effortless way to make an extraordinary impact.
“This year, our campaign targeted Centraide’s new giving level called Everyday Heroes. These are people who give $1 a day, or the equivalent of a coffee a week,” explained Benoit Deguire. “When you multiply $365 by dozens of donors, an agency can do so many things for the vulnerable. We have seen a huge number of people increase their donation from $208 ($8 per pay) to $365 ($1 per day).”
Activities that unite and inspire
Special events such as bake sales, team challenges, and 50/50 draws are a great boost to payroll giving. They also put a friendly face on these initiatives and help co-workers feel connected all while putting the “fun” in fundraising. “We invited our employees to dress up for Halloween,” said Chiara Covone, a member of the campaign team at Abbott. “We rented a photo booth, sold the photos, and gave the proceeds to Centraide. During our bake sale, the social committee even had a barista go around the office with free coffee. This created such a great atmosphere that made everyone feel part of something.”
The campaign launch and closeout are also key events that let companies bring their targets and results to life. “This year, we decided to do a separate launch at each of our five sites,” said Benoit Deguire. “We moved from site to site, with the first launch at 6:30 a.m. and the last at 11:15 a.m. This was definitely harder for us, but we were able to connect with so many more people. The impact was clear, as one of our sites exceeded their participation rate for the entire previous year after just one week.”
Photo: Benoit Deguire during the launch of the 2025 Centraide campaign at one of Bombardier’s five sites. ©Studio Cookie
Needs that are both seen and felt
Centraide campaigns are often a light-bulb moment when people truly grasp how close to home needs are. Through awareness events, agency tours, and days of caring, teams can fully understand the impact of their commitment. These experiences show the true needs of families, seniors, and workers who may live in the same neighbourhood, on the same street, or even right next door.
Centraide campaigns are often a light-bulb moment when people truly grasp how close to home needs are.
“Our volunteer activities have been major highlights of our campaign,” explained Catherine Rabret-Laporte. “When you get out into the field, you see how poverty is all around us and how it affects different people: students, single-parent families, seniors, newcomers… and even workers. These experiences educate us about the cause and inspire us to get fully involved in the Centraide movement.” This year, in a show of solidarity for their community, over 300 employees at La Caisse took part in volunteer activities at MultiCaf in small groups.
Photo: La Caisse employees, including Catherine Rabret-Laporte (centre), during a volunteer activity at MultiCaf, a food security agency in Côte-des-Neiges.
“We walked around Square Cabot with a Centraide representative,” said Yves Durivage. “When we got to the old Forum, where I had attended dozens of shows as a teen, I was struck by how much everything had changed. In front of these condo towers was a whole neighbourhood of vulnerable people with essential agencies that support them. Knowing that—just across the street—young moms could find shelter and support moved me a great deal.” Understanding what Centraide does makes people want to get involved and give back.
“We have good lives: jobs, cars, houses, and the ability to eat out. Yet right around the corner are people who don’t even know what they’ll eat tonight,” said Chiara Covone. “What really moves me is seeing how our money is put to use in real life. We visited the Mountain Sights Community Centre in Côte-des-Neiges and saw their gardens, kitchens, youth activities, and more.”
Photo: Members of Abbott’s campaign team, including Chiara Covone (second from right), during a visit to the Mountain Sights Community Centre. They were joined by Gracia Desforges (first from left), an intake officer at the agency, and Catherine Francken (second from left), Resource Development Officer at Centraide of Greater Montreal.
Centraide’s philanthropic expertise
Centraide is often referred to as a “philanthropic portfolio manager.” In fact, many donors find it reassuring to know that every donation is invested where it can do the most good in the Greater Montreal community.
“I know that Centraide has the expertise to invest funds in the right place,” said Yves Durivage. “When I want to invest money, I give it to a manager to maximize my returns. Centraide does the same thing: it knows where needs are greatest and which agencies are already making a real difference. I’m not interested in just giving a bit here and there.”
A corporate culture built on commitment
For many organizations, the Centraide campaign is a highly anticipated season on the corporate calendar when they recognize they are part of a community and when they take action to support vulnerable people. Getting involved for a common cause also adds new meaning to everyone’s daily work routines. Employees feel connected by something beyond their usual duties.
“At La Caisse, generosity isn’t just a word,” said Catherine Rabret-Laporte. “It’s a value that resonates deeply with our staff and shows up in concrete acts every year.”
“What really stands out at Bombardier is our pride in supporting our communities,” said Benoit Deguire. “This campaign puts our values into action and shows how proud our organization is to get involved for the people around us.”
“At Abbott, we really try to create a culture of giving,” said Chiara Covone. “And not just during the campaign: this is a mindset that we want to cultivate among all employees, regardless of their site or division.”
What the “Centraide effect” really means
Centraide workplace campaigns go beyond simple fundraising. They engage teams and foster sharing while highlighting the real impact of collective generosity. Staff get involved, take action, and realize that they can achieve great things when they work together. This is the true measure of a campaign’s impact: when it brings people together, gives meaning to commitment, supports vulnerable people, and strengthens the community.
1 out of 5 people receives our help.
5 out of 5 people benefit from it.
Let’s all lend a hand
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