The Generations Foundation 2021 Holiday Food and Toy Drive kicked off on Tuesday and will continue throughout the holiday season.
The goal is to bring a new toy to thousands of children in the Montreal area who may not otherwise receive a gift.
The couple behind the Generations Foundation said that even after 22 years, their work always leaves them with a smile.
“You can see the joy, the happiness,” said executive director and co-founder Adrian Bercovici of watching the kids open their presents.
As part of the annual event, the Generations Foundation is also accepting donations of non-perishable food items to help families in need.
The organization is dedicated to helping make sure children are properly nourished. It provides breakfast and lunch to dozens of elementary and high schools across Montreal.
St. Gabriel’s Elementary in Pointe-Saint-Charles was the first school to benefit from the program.
“This is like our our baby, our first born,” said Natalie Bercovici, co-founder of the Generations Foundation. “We’ve been doing it for years, 21 years now, and we’re happy to do it.“
“The amazing thing is some of the little kids that we started with at the beginning, you look at them now when you meet them, and they’re in university or graduated or the odd one had a baby already,” Adrian said.
The health crisis ongoing COVID-19 forced the Generations Foundation to put most of its fundraising events on hold but things are starting to look up.
“We lost many of our main events. We lost about $200,000 in fundraising but this year. But we finally got our golf tournament back, Adrian said.
Montreal toymaker Mega Bloks, a long-time supporter of the Holiday Food and Toy Drive, is donating hundreds of toys for the Generations Foundation to distribute.
For vice-president Bisma Ansari, it was especially important for the company to continue their partnership, even if it means the traditional party planned each year cannot take place again due to the pandemic.
“It’s such and important cause,” she said, “There are so many kids in Montreal so we’re happy to be a part of it.”
Mega Bloks is responsible for distributing the gifts and the reaction it elicits in the children makes it all worthwhile.
“Magic and wonder,” Ansari said. “That’s why we do what we do.”
Find out where to make a donation
Here’s a list of drop-off locations:
Generations Foundation (call ahead 514-933-8585)
4210 Notre-Dame St. W.
Montreal
HSBC Montreal Main
2001 McGill College Ave., Ste. 160
Montreal
HSBC Forum
2313 Ste-Catherine St. W., Ste. 121
Montreal
HSBC René-Lévesque
88 René-Lévesque Blvd. W.
Montreal
HSBC Laval
3055 Saint Martin Blvd. W., Bureau T-150
Laval
HSBC Saint-Leonard
5095 Jean-Talon St. E.
Saint-Léonard
HSBC Marché Centrale
8999 L’Acadie Blvd.
Montreal
HSBC Brossard
9155 Taschereau Blvd.
Brossard
HSBC Boucherville
Carrefour de la Rive-Sud
1500-582 Chemin de Touraine
Boucherville
Other ways to help
Are you wish to make a donation to the Generations Foundation you can do so by clicking here.
If you are interested in learning more about how to help the organization, you can click here.
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