Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Gisèle Faubert Foundation

The Gisèle Faubert Foundation is a registered Canadian charity founded in 1999 in the Montérégie-Ouest region of Quebec. Created by Gisèle Faubert after winning a large lottery prize, the foundation channels philanthropic resources to improve quality of life for people at the end of life and for children living with illness or special needs.

The foundation plays a dual role. Its current major focus is to finance the construction and future operation of the Maison de soins palliatifs Gisèle-Faubert, a palliative care home designed to serve residents of 65 municipalities in Montérégie-Ouest. The project, valued at around 9 million dollars, is largely financed through donations, fundraising campaigns, corporate and municipal partners, and major donors.

In addition, the foundation’s children’s mission provides direct financial support to eligible families of sick children or those with various disorders. Since its creation, the organization reports having distributed more than one million dollars to such families, helping cover specialized equipment, therapies, adapted activities, and other essential costs not fully supported by public systems.

On the pediatric side, donations can contribute to items such as ergonomic chairs for children with cerebral palsy, adapted bicycle equipment for children with physical disabilities, boots and aids following bone marrow transplants, and professional services like psychotherapy, speech therapy, or orthodontics for children on the autism spectrum. The foundation therefore acts as a flexible financial aid provider, responding to concrete needs of families facing heavy medical and social burdens.

For the palliative care home, philanthropic funds are used to finance construction, building fit-out, equipment purchases and part of operating costs that are not covered by the public health system. The Maison Gisèle-Faubert aims to offer eight rooms and serve approximately 185 to 200 families per year, including the possibility of pediatric palliative care, with all services (accommodation, care, parking) provided free of charge to patients and their loved ones.

While the site does not detail specific application forms for families, it clearly states that financial support is granted to “eligible families”, implying internal criteria and review by the organization. The foundation is governed by an independent board of directors made up of professionals from fields such as law, finance, entrepreneurship and health care management. This board oversees strategic directions, the palliative care home project and the allocation of philanthropic resources.

Initially focused solely on children’s needs, the foundation expanded its mission in 2016 after the death of Gisèle Faubert, who herself received end-of-life care in a palliative care home outside her local area. Recognizing the lack of beds in Montérégie-Ouest, the board decided to add a second mission: to build and operate a local palliative care home. This led to a major funding campaign, land acquisition, engineering studies and the awarding of a construction contract, with an opening target around the end of 2026.

During the active construction phase, the foundation has temporarily suspended new commitments under the children’s mission in order to concentrate resources on the palliative care home. It nevertheless states its intention to resume financial support to families once the house is operational and the regional shortage of end-of-life beds is addressed.

The foundation maintains a broad network of donors, ambassadors, volunteers, corporate sponsors and municipal partners. It runs annual fundraising activities and encourages individuals and organizations to create their own benefit events. Members, ambassadors and donor-members can join the foundation community, receive news, and participate in the annual general meeting, contributing to governance and long-term sustainability of its financial assistance and care projects.