Fondation Carrefour pour Elle is a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to combating domestic violence by financially supporting the Carrefour pour Elle shelter and its related services in Longueuil, Québec. Established in 1986 in response to insufficient government subsidies, the foundation’s mandate is to contribute to both the maintenance and the development of services offered to women and their children fleeing violence.
Role of the foundation in the funding ecosystem
The foundation acts as the main philanthropic arm for Carrefour pour Elle. It raises and channels private donations from individuals, companies and other foundations, then redistributes these funds to the shelter. Over nearly four decades, it has transferred more than $4.4 million to the housing facility, providing stable financial backing that complements public funding.
Donations are used to support a range of concrete services: intervention and animation activities for children who are or have been housed at the shelter, awareness and training services, youth prevention programs delivered in secondary schools, partial payment of post-shelter apartment rents, major renovations of the house, and the purchase of equipment for women and children.
Funding areas and supported activities
While the foundation does not operate open, competitive grant programs to the broader public, it plays a focused funding role for the Carrefour pour Elle ecosystem. Its financial support enables:
- Ongoing operation and improvement of emergency housing services.
- Specialized psychosocial support and educational activities for children.
- Community outreach, training and awareness activities on domestic violence.
- Prevention and education initiatives in schools targeting youth.
- Capital projects such as renovations and new housing initiatives, including second-stage housing projects.
Donors, events and transparency
The foundation maintains lists of major donors and publishes annual activity reports, which present the amounts raised, key projects financed and the impact on women and children served. It organizes several fundraising activities, such as benefit cocktails and third-party events, and encourages monthly giving, in memoriam donations and planned giving (including bequests and life insurance gifts). These tools allow supporters to contribute strategically to the long-term financial health of the shelter.
Through this targeted financial support, Fondation Carrefour pour Elle reinforces the capacity of Carrefour pour Elle to offer safe accommodation, prevention and accompaniment services, and helps sustain a robust response to domestic violence in the Montérégie region.