A message from the Executive Director

This year, CCS is celebrating its 75^th anniversary. This celebration could not have been possible without the support of English-speaking Catholic parishes for the first 42 years, through the Federation of Catholic Charities. We have had three major re-organizations to the services since our inauguration:

-         Catholic Welfare Bureau (1932-1967):  Our priority then was to provide financial assistance to families in need and care for the children who needed adoption services or placement in foster homes.

-         Catholic Family and Children’s Services (1967-1974): After the government took over the responsibility of financial assistance, we changed our name to represent our main focus of service.

-        Catholic Community Services (1974-Present):  The provincial government created a comprehensive system to provide health and social services that included responsibility for family and children’s services.  We changed our name once again this time, placing priority on community services.

The government invests billions of dollars into health and social services. CCS compliments those initiatives through the services we offer.  We are constantly challenged with limited financial resources while making a difference in the community. These are but a few of the examples of services we developed, maintained, changed, and adjusted over the years:

• Thirty years ago, we developed a bilingual senior centre in Lachine called Teapot.  
• Twenty-five years ago, we created Almage, after the consolidation of three church groups, to respond to the needs of Anglophone seniors in the East End of Montreal.  In 2002, CCS purchased a permanent building to house the Almage Centre that they could now call their own.  
• The Good Shepherd Community Centre is celebrating its 40^th anniversary. Today, we have a new low-cost 24-unit apartment complex for seniors and a community centre built in 1992.  
• Camp Positive, which offer AIDS patients a one week respite opportunity, began 15 years ago. This camp experience was the first in Canada and is still unique in Quebec.  
• In 2006, Camp Kinkora celebrated its 80^th  anniversary. 

We were also instrumental in creating, initiating or developing these specific community services that eventually became autonomous entities or helped existing organizations maintain their independence:  

• Project Chance: CCS contributed to help build a 24-unit low-cost housing complex.
• Youth in Motion: Serving Pointe St. Charles youth 
• Garde Manger: A Little Burgundy food-distribution centre 
• Le Carrousel: More than 200 children now benefit from this home day-care service 
• L’Abri en ville: CCS initially supported administratively this resource for mental-health clients 
• COMACO:  We took leadership in creating this provincial coalition of agencies that provide home support services for seniors.

Today, we reach more than 6,000 individuals.  Centraide, our main financial benefactor, and different departments of the provincial and federal governments, enable CCS to maintain our services.  We also receive grants and donations from the community, private donors and various foundations.  Hundreds of volunteers, the leadership of our board members, as well as the dedication and commitment of our staff enable CCS to continue offering services to the community.  To all, I can only say a hearty "thank you."

Zenny Bryniawsky
Executive Director
CCS-Catholic Community Services