Managing Director's Report

The isolated seniors who stare at their apartment walls, alone and lonely; trying desperately to cope with the loss of their spouse of more than 40 years.

The hungry and homeless, not sure if they will eat today or where they will sleep.  They can only hope that, if they do not find a place to sleep, that the evening air will not be too cold.

Children living in poverty who would otherwise never get a chance to go to camp despite the fact that their single parent holds down two jobs to provide for the children.

Our friends infected with HIV/AIDS, who feel ostracized by society and only wish to feel accepted and part of a community as they battle an extremely difficult disease.

We often take the smallest things for granted such as companionship, sleeping in a bed with clean sheets, having breakfast, enrolling our child in an activity or feeling part of community.  But many people don't benefit from these so-called "little things."

Fortunately, because of the incredibly important work of the volunteers and staff from CCS for over 75 years, we have been able to offer not only support but also pragmatic solutions for the underprivileged of our community.

We are able to provide seniors with opportunities to create and maintain companionships, interact with others and as important, help them lead fulfilled, happy and productive lives as well as ensuring that they are not left isolated thus helping slow down the progression of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia.

We are able to tell a single parent that their kids will in fact go to camp this summer because our partners and we are able to subsidize costs for underprivileged kids.

We are able to send those infected with HIV/AIDS to a one-week camp in order to experience hope, a sense of community and a week of respite.

We are able to offer a hot meat and a warm bed for those who are unable to claim that they too have an address.

Despite our great efforts, we need to reach out and help even more underprivileged Montrealers.

This is my first year as Managing Director of CCS and I am very happy to be part of such a wonderful organization.  Oftentimes, leaders make the mistake of coming into an organization thinking they have all the answers.  But I ask you, how can they know the answers when they have not taken the time to ask the questions?  In the past three months, I have met with all the staff, board members and many of the volunteers.  One thing that I do know with certitude is that we need to be more self-sustainable as an organization and develop an entrepreneurial spirit.  I believe that 2009 will be a year in which we will all band together and build on the amazing 77-year history of CCS.

On a final note, I would like to thank the volunteers and staff for their outstanding dedication and the incredible work they have done this past year because without them the isolated senior, the tired HIV/AIDS patient, the single parent with no money to send their kids to camp or the homeless person looking for a warm bed on a cold winter or rainy summer night may not have found the support, help or reason to feel "hope."

Bruno J. Mital

Managing Director, CCS