At a press conference held on Wednesday, February 5, Moisson Sud-Ouest announced a second major contribution of $125,000 from Desjardins, as part of the “Pour arriver à nos faims” campaign. The first instalment of this financial aid, which amounted to the same sum, enabled the Suroît food bank to finance the construction of a new refrigerated section, thus increasing its storage and distribution capacity for perishable foodstuffs. 

Interviewed at the event, Alexandre Faubert, President of Moisson Sud-Ouest's Board of Directors, said he was “very happy to learn that Desjardins has renewed its commitment for a sixth consecutive year, and that this collaboration will continue for a long time to come.” This is the second amount of $125,000 donated by Desjardins to Moisson Sud-Ouest. 

In total, four Desjardins caisses have made financial contributions to Moisson Sud-Ouest: those of Valleyfield, Beauharnois, Saint-Laurent and Vaudreuil-Dorion.

A concrete gesture for the community

For Gino Napoleoni, General Manager of the Caisse de Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and ambassador for the other participating caisses, this partnership represents a tangible commitment to businesses, individuals and the community as a whole. "We want to make a concrete gesture of hope and solidarity. Desjardins is much more than a financial institution: it's a committed player in the community.”

Essential financial support

Moisson Sud-Ouest plays a key role in the region, and successive contributions from Desjardins have enabled the organization to develop new facilities to better meet growing needs.

The new building can now store $455,400 worth of food, spread over 132 pallets. This represents a total volume of 39,400 kg of foodstuffs, or the equivalent of 91,080 meals, marking an increase of 62,100 meals over the previous capacity.

According to Gino Napoleoni, Desjardins and Moisson Sud-Ouest share the same deep conviction: “No one should have to choose between rent and food.” He adds that Desjardins' support is intended to help Moisson Sud-Ouest better meet the needs of people in food insecurity. "

An essential social safety net

Moisson Sud-Ouest General Manager Stéphane Spisac points out that the profile of food bank beneficiaries has changed considerably in recent years. "Society needs to realize that food banks are essential services."

An observation shared by Salaberry-de-Valleyfield mayor Miguel Lemieux, who has also observed a transformation in the clientele. "We're seeing more and more people with jobs who still need food assistance."

For Miguel Lemieux, this is a welcome investment, as the demand for foodstuffs continues to grow every year. Claude Comeau, Mayor of Pincourt, agrees, stressing the importance of continued support for food banks.