A message from the President and CEO

Since its beginning, Renaissance has been at the forefront of the social economy in Québec through its programs, activities, and the values that guide it.

A promising future awaits us, especially given the year we have just lived! Not only did we reach the goals we set for 2019–2020, we surpassed them! We are proud to say that this growth is represented in all three aspects of our mission.

Over the past 25 years, more than 5,000 people have been helped by our social mission. This year, our Employment Resource Centres and Job Training Programs helped 1,726 people integrate into the workforce.

Our environmental mission is becoming more accepted and recognized by the community. It even surpassed its previous record by diverting close to 39 million pounds of goods from landfill sites. Our network of donation collection points has spread even further with two new donation centres opening in Brossard on the South Shore of Montreal.

For its part, our economic mission registered results that also surpassed our expectations, despite the exceptional year-end circumstances. The arrival of two new boutiques in Saint-Lambert and Outremont contributed to establish our position as leader in the second-hand market in the Greater Montreal Area. We also responded to the success of the Pie-IX and Masson stores by enlarging their surface areas, so that they could better serve their clientele.

Finally, it goes without saying that the end of the year was profoundly disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. This was one of the greatest obstacles we have ever had to surmount in the history of Renaissance. It forced us to begin the new fiscal year with a two-month suspension of our economic activities. Despite the storm, and thanks to the dynamism of our team, Renaissance is doing well. We have a solid base, which will allow us to be present during the anticipated recession that could see many people without jobs, and we will be there to help them reintegrate into the workforce.

The year ahead will be full of challenges and changes. For the first time, we will expand beyond the Greater Montreal Area and partner with the city of Sherbrooke. Renaissance’s new rebranded organizational image is an improved reflection of its history and exceptional place in the community. Our success will draw from the talent, the resilience and the adaptability of each one of us.

We take this opportunity to thank all our staff members who are so devoted to their work; our ever-present volunteers; our generous donors for adopting us; our collaborators and members of our Board of Directors for their involvement; and, finally, our clients for their ongoing confidence in us.