Les amis de Jeanne Mance Foundation is a Catholic charitable foundation based in Montréal. Created to ensure the sustainable development and quality of the Service d’accompagnement spirituel des personnes malades et/ou âgées à domicile (SASMAD) of the Diocese of Montréal, it channels donations from individuals and other benefactors into concrete financial support for this home spiritual accompaniment service.
Role of the foundation in the funding ecosystem
The foundation’s primary role is to provide ongoing financial backing to SASMAD so that its free, confidential services can reach sick, isolated and elderly people in their homes. Funds raised are used to cover core elements of the service, including basic and continuous training for volunteers, support and supervision by experienced coordinators, assessment visits to beneficiaries, the pairing process between beneficiaries and volunteers, continuous evaluation of the service, and communication and outreach activities.
Rather than running open call grant programs, the foundation acts as a dedicated funding body for SASMAD, ensuring that this diocesan ministry has the resources needed to operate and expand its network of more than 400 volunteers who serve people in Montréal in over a dozen languages.
Supported audiences and impact
Through its financial support to SASMAD, the foundation indirectly serves adults who are ill, elderly, isolated or losing autonomy within the Montréal region, regardless of their faith tradition. Beneficiaries receive regular visits from trained volunteers, usually weekly, focused on active listening, spiritual support, companionship and helping them find meaning in illness, ageing and end-of-life situations.
The foundation’s funding also benefits volunteers, who receive structured formation in spiritual accompaniment and active listening, as well as ongoing coaching from coordinators. This investment in training and quality control helps ensure that visits remain safe, ethical and spiritually supportive.
Governance and history
Letters patent for Les amis de Jeanne Mance were obtained in November 1999, and the foundation was formally set up in 2001. It is governed by a duly established board of directors and operates under the legal framework applicable to Roman Catholic bishops in Québec. The foundation shares premises with SASMAD at the diocesan offices in Montréal, reflecting its close link to this service.
The initiative is rooted in the vision of Sister Madeleine Saint-Michel, a Religious Hospitaller of Saint Joseph and nurse who founded SASMAD and the foundation. Inspired by Jeanne Mance’s legacy at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital, she sought to ensure that spiritual care would remain central in holistic care for the sick and elderly. Today, the foundation continues this legacy by mobilizing donors and providing the financial means for SASMAD’s mission.