OBJ – Brigil founder Gilles Desjardins and family donate $1M to Centraide Outaouais

The president and founder of Gatineau-based real estate company Brigil has donated $1 million to Centraide Outaouais.

Gilles Desjardins and his family announced the donation at a press conference in Gatineau on Tuesday. Brigil is one of the most active development companies in the region, with several key projects underway.

Desjardins and his sons Jessy and Kevin are co-chairs of the 80th campaign for Centraide Outaouais, the Outaouais branch of the United Way. Their donation supports the organization’s goal of raising $4.5 million for its campaign, which will help 88 organizations in the region that fight poverty and social exclusion. 

Desjardins said in a press release that he has supported more than 400 causes in his 40 years in business and that the need to give back is more important than ever today. 

“Being co-chair of this 80th Centraide Outaouais campaign with my sons, the year of Brigil’s 40th anniversary, is a deeply symbolic gesture. It’s our way, as a family, to give back to this community that we love so much,” Desjardins said. 

Jessy Desjardins, vice-president of development and design at Brigil, said he was “deeply moved” by the work done by the community agencies that Centraide Outaouais supports.

“Centraide is taking concrete action throughout the Outaouais and I am proud to contribute to this mission that changes lives every day,” Jessy said. 

Kevin Desjardins, Brigil’s living environment designer, said community organizations like Centraide Outaouais are “true social entrepreneurs.”

“They weave a network of mutual aid that is essential to building a more just and united society. Participating in the Maison de l’amitié’s sharing store touched me deeply. Seeing former young people come back to give back is proof that the human impact of these organizations stands the test of time,” Kevin said. 

Cédric Tessier, the executive director of Centraide Outaouais, said in the release that the donation comes at a “critical time,” helping to support organizations that assist the most vulnerable. The donation will help guarantee the sustainability of Centraide Outaouais, said the organization’s director of philanthropic development, Noëlla Beausoleil.

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