Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Monseigneur Léonce Bouchard Foundation

The Monseigneur Léonce Bouchard Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation rooted in Chicoutimi, in the Saguenay region of Quebec. Created on 6 April 1993 to give a stable structure to the initiatives of Mgr Léonce Bouchard, its overarching mission is to fight poverty and improve the living conditions of people in vulnerable situations. Rather than only operating direct services, the foundation acts as an umbrella and financial backer for several independent community organizations and for larger social projects in the region.

The foundation supports four key field organizations: the Soupe populaire de Chicoutimi, the Maison d’accueil pour sans-abris, the clothing thrift store Les Fringues, and the Atelier de récupération Saint‑Joseph. Each of these organizations has its own governance and day-to-day operations, but they are sustained and coordinated by the foundation, which mobilizes donations, partnerships and investments to keep these essential services running year-round.

The foundation focuses on several complementary areas of social action. Core themes include food security, emergency and transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness, access to low-cost clothing and furniture for low-income households, and social and professional reintegration. Through Les Fringues and the Atelier Saint‑Joseph, it also supports circular economy and environmental objectives by promoting the reuse of clothing, furniture and household goods.

Beyond ongoing operational support for its associated organizations, the foundation also participates in structuring projects. A recent example is a planned $25‑million social real-estate complex in downtown Chicoutimi, intended to bring together several social economy enterprises and create more than 50 units of affordable housing. The foundation is described as a key backer of this project and anticipates investing around $1.5 million, illustrating its capacity to intervene as a capital funder for major community infrastructure.

The foundation’s support model is discretionary rather than programmatic. It does not publicize open call-for-proposals grants, but instead channels financial resources, donations in kind and logistical support to a defined group of partner organizations and to selected community initiatives in Saguenay. It is explicitly described as having been created to support community projects in the region and to ensure the continuity of services that address poverty, homelessness, food insecurity and social isolation.

Through these interventions, the foundation helps serve tens of thousands of people every year: individuals who rely on low-cost hot meals, people experiencing homelessness needing shelter and accompaniment, families accessing affordable clothing and furniture, and persons referred for social or professional reintegration. Its work is reinforced by strong ties with municipal and financial institutions, as shown by visible partnerships with the Ville de Saguenay and Desjardins.

The foundation is the legacy of Mgr Léonce Bouchard, who had been dedicated to helping the most disadvantaged since the mid‑20th century. Recognizing the need for a permanent structure to maintain and grow these services, local stakeholders created the foundation in 1993. Governance is ensured by a board of directors that includes a president, vice-president, treasurer, administrators and representatives from each of the supported organizations, ensuring that funding decisions remain closely aligned with field realities.