History of Helping
Located on historical Rue de la Commune, this men’s residence and outreach centre is the main organization servicing the homeless community in the Montreal region. It helps provide stable housing as well as independence, social inclusion and a quality of life. The kitchen, residences and religious services are all run by the Saint-Vincent de Paul Society, the priests of Saint-Sulpice and the Soeurs Grises of Montreal.

Four Residences
Completely rebuilt after a gas explosion that destroyed most of the building in 1998, Accueil Bonneau is a beautiful three-story stone structure located in the heart of Old Montreal. Associated with the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal for residences Paul-Grégoire and Eugénie-Bernier, it counts two more houses, the Maison Claire-Ménard and the Maison Joseph-Vincent. All four residences welcome 166 people provided with social assistance.

On a New Path
Accueil Bonneau offers a number of products and services for those in need. The centre received 14 214 people in 2004. Each year, along with nearly 56 000 items of clothing such as winter jackets and boots, the center gives away more than 300 000 meals (offered 365 days a year) and provides about 1 000 haircuts. The staff assists people with a wide range of services such as budget planning, psychosocial guidance, orientation and references.

Sustained Support
To adequately assist the Montreal homeless community, Accueil Bonneau counts on 225 volunteers who logged over 100 000 hours of their time in 2008. Of a $1.6 million budget, eight per cent comes from the government while the rest relies on private donations from individuals, foundations and businesses.