As I reflect on the past year, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude to you, our amazing donor community.

As you read through this special Impact Report, I hope you see evidence of the many lives you have helped transform. People are making their way into healthier lives with bright futures, and it’s all thanks to you.

At Welcome Hall Mission, our goal is to assist people who are hungry, to help those who don’t have a permanent place to call home, and to equip young people who have experienced trauma to find a path forward. Rather than offering mere charity, we focus on developing real long-term solutions. 

Thanks to support from our donors and partners, we can now realistically envision a city where everyone will have access to affordable permanent shelter, be able to enjoy healthy food, and experience the support of a loving community. 

Thank you so much for your dedicated support and making all of this good work possible!

With appreciation,

At Welcome Hall Mission it’s not just about making sure people have healthy meals—it’s about sharing joy, dignity, and pleasure through food.

Over the past year, all of our donors have made a BIG difference by helping our community put food on their tables and we want to say an even bigger THANK YOU!

Community meals represent much more than just a hot plate of food. They connect people to life-changing programs and services. Last year, donors provided an incredible 270,774 meals served from Welcome Hall Mission kitchens!

Marché Bon Accueil:

The Marché Bon Accueil has grown into a massive food security entry point in Montreal.

The Marché is different from other food banks because it creates a dignified shopping experience. It feels like a regular grocery store, where people can choose from fresh fruit, vegetables, frozen meat, dairy, and more.

Donors like you made an incredible difference last year through the Marché Bon Accueil

• 30,011 visits to Marché Bon Accueil grocery stores
• 3,000 families served every week
• 1 million kilograms of food distributed
• 3,000 grocery deliveries made to elderly or disabled clients
• 40.55% of Marché clients were children
• 2 locations open 5 days a week
• 71.4% of clients were new arrivals to Canada
• 1,584,583 kg of food was recuperated (a value of approximately $9,143,045)

Program Bienvenue
Finding permanent, supportive housing really is the best way to end homelessness. And in early April 2021, Welcome Hall Mission set the ambitious goal of rapidly rehousing up to 100 individuals experiencing homelessness. Thus, Programme Bienvenue was born, generously funded by the CIUSSS Centre-Sud and donors like you.

By partnering with other like-minded organizations, 85 leases have been signed, placing 94 people into permanent housing—that’s 9 couples and 76 individuals!

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you in 2021…

• We provided 143,231 nights of shelter at our various locations
• We sheltered 3,696 new people
• Visits included 4,979 men, 858 women and 39 transgender people
• A total of 5,876 unique individuals
• 332 people were referred to permanent housing
• 161 people benefitted from the ‘Residences Bon Accueil’ transitional housing and rehabilitation program

Health Care Initiatives
For urban Montrealers who are experiencing poverty or homelessness, accessing quality healthcare can present many challenges. That’s why it’s important to provide health services in locations and settings that are comfortable and accessible. When a person’s health is taken care of, it has far-reaching effects on their well-being and ability to function in society.

• Jim Lund Dental Clinic
  For Montrealers struggling with poverty or homelessness, seeing a dentist can be nearly impossible. This year, the Jim Lund Dental Clinic, a partnership with McGill University, will be expanding its capacity. Its team of professionals will be able to provide twice as many individuals and families with free top-quality dental care.

• PRISM
  Mental illness is a complex health condition that requires ongoing expertise and support—something that most shelters are not equipped to handle on their own. The PRISM program was specifically designed to bridge the gap between hospitals and shelters. In the past year, 23 people have transitioned into housing, and many more were helped in other ways!
  

• Breast Health Initiative
  In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Welcome Hall Mission held its first-ever Breast Cancer Information Session called “The Breast Health Initiative.” With 25 people in attendance, not only did we meet capacity, but almost 20 women went on to schedule mammograms and follow-up appointments at the Cedars Cancer Center.

The Coeur à Soeur program began 12 years ago. Over the past decade, our team of dedicated professionals have helped many young mothers and pregnant women take back control of their lives.

Recently, we received a heartfelt letter from Céline, one of the very first women we ever served. Her words of gratitude show how far-reaching the impacts of Coeur à Soeur really are:

Hello Nancy and Kerline,

I have been thinking about you both a lot in the last few months. I wanted to give you an update since Coeur à Soeur and hear what’s been going on with you.

Avril will be 9 years old in December. I can’t get over it. We just moved to Brossard to a great apartment. She started at a new school and she loves it.

For my part, I have completely changed careers. I went for a diploma in damage insurance. Since the pandemic, I have been working from home and I absolutely love it. Everything is perfect in my job. I have been working there for 2 years and I am already in the top 10 of the best employees.

I wanted to say a big thank you. If you only understood how much I needed the help you gave me when I was pregnant. You have helped me become the mother I am today, and I’m extremely grateful to you.

I do not know if Coeur à Soeur still exists. If so, it will be so nice to see each other again, hehe!

I look forward to hearing from you,

—Céline