Role of the Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Foundation of the Health and Social Services Centre of the MRC of Coaticook is a non-profit organization established in 1987 to support the local health and social services network. Working closely with the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS and the CSSS serving the Coaticook region, it mobilizes donations from individuals, businesses and partners and reinvests them in projects that improve care quality and the well-being of patients, users and seniors.
The foundation’s financial support is mainly directed toward purchasing medical and care equipment, upgrading spaces, and supporting innovative health initiatives in the territory of the MRC de Coaticook. Examples highlighted on the site include hydraulic baths and chairs, a portable BladderScan device, community gardens at a Maison des aînés, and a sensory room in a local school, along with various equipment for palliative care and home-care services.
General funding approach
The foundation operates as a discretionary funder rather than through formal calls for proposals. Each year it raises approximately $60,000 to $100,000, of which more than 90% is invested in equipment purchases and concrete projects, with roughly 10% covering administrative costs. Priorities are identified in collaboration with the regional health institutions to ensure that financed purchases and projects respond to the most pressing needs of users and staff.
Funding may cover items such as diagnostic and monitoring equipment, comfort and dignity enhancements for palliative patients, tools for cardiovascular rehabilitation, infrastructure for meal preparation, and material to improve home-care services. These investments complement public health budgets and help increase access, safety and quality of care in the region.
Supported audiences and impact
The foundation’s actions benefit a wide range of people: hospital patients, residents of long-term care and seniors’ facilities, people receiving home-care services, and students and families reached through selected community health projects. By channeling local generosity into targeted investments, the foundation plays a key role in strengthening the health system within the MRC de Coaticook and in enhancing the quality of life of its population.