Two family foundations fuel programs for creative arts therapies
Adults with neurodiversity and developmental challenges, as well as youth in foster care and other groups in need of accessible service, will get added support thanks to a combined gift of $1.5 million from the Fondation Sandra et Alain Bouchard and the Fondation Famille Mongeau to the Campaign for Concordia.
The former — founded by Sandra Chartrand, BA 85 (pictured), and Alain Bouchard, co-founder and chairman of Alimentation Couche-Tard — gave $1 million to advance the Concordia Arts in Health Centre (CAiHC) and the Centre for the Arts in Human Development (CAHD).
Sandra Chartrand, BA 85
A donation of $500,000 from the Fondation Famille Mongeau, led by Guylaine Leduc and Claude Mongeau, former chief executive officer of Canadian National Railway, will also support the CAiHC. The gifts from both foundations will empower a range of programs within the Department of Creative Arts Therapies at the Faculty of Fine Arts.
“Outreach programs in service of our community have always been part of Concordia’s culture,” says Concordia President Graham Carr. “We’re beyond grateful that two new donors are providing such generous support to help the university to expand our groundbreaking creative arts therapies programs to the benefit of our students and members of the community in and around Montreal.”
Sandra Chartrand says that her alma mater’s priorities line up with her foundation’s mission.
“Concordia has a tradition of offering teaching and learning rooted in practice. We were encouraged by how this approach is being used by the Department of Creative Arts Therapies at its state-of-the-art facilities on Sir George Williams Campus, and through its partner centres at the university,” she says.
“Providing support for adults with special needs is a major objective of our foundation — we are excited to see how this comes together through art, drama and music therapy programs pioneered at Concordia.”
The Fondation Famille Mongeau supports a number of Montreal organizations, such as Centraide of Greater Montreal, Chez Doris shelter for women and Sun Youth.
“The principal driver of our philanthropy is the needs of the Montreal community,” says Mongeau. “When we learned more about Concordia’s leadership in creative arts therapies education, particularly at the graduate level, and its related work helping young people, we knew we wanted to contribute.”
The donor support will enable the CAiHC to hire staff and provide more services to the community. The gift from the Fondation Sandra et Alain Bouchard will also fund a francophone cohort of participants at the CAHD, which uses the creative arts to enhance the well-being of people who face a range of physical and cognitive challenges.
