{"id":106251,"date":"2026-09-16T14:05:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T18:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/?p=106251"},"modified":"2026-09-16T14:05:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T18:05:22","slug":"my-life-has-done-a-360-degree-turn-ikrams-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/blog\/my-life-has-done-a-360-degree-turn-ikrams-story\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMy life has done a 360-degree turn\u201d: Ikram\u2019s story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Ikram arrived in Montreal in 2017, she had no familiar touchstones. Originally from Sudan, she spoke neither French nor English. After a long and exhausting journey, she settled in Quebec with her husband and their four daughters.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI didn\u2019t know anybody here. I had no friends, no family, and I didn\u2019t speak the language. It was very hard,\u201d recalls Ikram, who left her country in the hope of offering a better future to her children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything was new, demanding and intimidating. Ikram did her best to feed her family and adjust to her new life. Then one day, a neighbour suggested she go to The D\u00e9p\u00f4t.\u00a0\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A gateway to essential services<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Located in the heart of Notre-Dame-de-Gr\u00e2ce (NDG), The D\u00e9p\u00f4t Community Food Centre is recognized by local residents as a true beacon in the community. Its mission is to provide access to nutritious and delicious food through programs that bring people together to grow, cook, share, and take action to end food insecurity.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In practical terms, The D\u00e9p\u00f4t offers a monthly food market where people facing financial hardship can access groceries in exchange for a modest contribution. The Resto D\u00e9p\u00f4t provides a welcoming space where neighbourhood residents can enjoy healthy meals at low cost twice a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agencies working in food security often serve as a gateway to a continuum of community services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOften people will come here first for the food aid. Then we take the time to understand their needs and break down the barriers,\u201d explains Rachel Schleifer, Advocacy and Engagement Project Coordinator. \u201cWe\u2019re there for them when they\u2019re ready.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Because food insecurity is often linked to other issues related to poverty<\/strong>, The D\u00e9p\u00f4t also provides support and referral services, helping people connect with a trusted network of community resources in NDG and across Montreal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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That is exactly what Ikram discovered when she first walked through The D\u00e9p\u00f4t\u2019s doors. \u201cWhen I came here, they translated everything for me because I didn\u2019t speak the language, and they guided me,\u201d she recalls. \u201cThey gave me all the information I needed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One step at a time, she was connected with resources to learn French and English. She passed the exam for her driver\u2019s licence, an important step toward greater independence and freedom in her daily life. Then Ikram enrolled in an accounting course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Discovering an extended family<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the practical assistance she received, it is above all the human connections that Ikram remembers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel that The D\u00e9p\u00f4t is my home. The people who work here, I see them as my family.\u201d\u00a0Ikram quickly became involved in the agency\u2019s activities and began volunteering.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI met Ikram during a community kitchen workshop,\u201d recalls Rachel Schleifer. \u201cWe cooked dishes from her country together. It was a wonderful way to share her culture and introduce Sudanese cuisine to people in the neighbourhood.\u201d\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe D\u00e9p\u00f4t truly integrated me into the community,\u201d says Ikram. \u201cI volunteered here for two years, and I definitely want to keep helping, especially in the kitchen.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to The D\u00e9p\u00f4t, Ikram regained her sense of agency. Today, her children speak three languages fluently. Her husband works in the community sector. And she is actively looking for a job in early childhood education.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel more confident, stronger. With The D\u00e9p\u00f4t, my life has done a 360-degree turn,\u201d she says.\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Watch the video<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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1 out of 5 people receives our help.
5 out of 5 people benefit from it.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s all lend a hand<\/font><\/b><\/span>\n <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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