Fundraising
In addition to receiving donations from individuals and businesses and grants from private foundations and government, Équiterre raises funds by organizing benefit events and as the beneficiary of generous initiatives by citizens and organizations.
Équiterre Benefit Events
• On June 10, the annual benefit supper was held at L’Utopie restaurant in Québec City, under Honorary Chair Pauline D’Amboise, Secretary General of Desjardins Group. Sixty guests savoured a specially created meal using local, organic and fair-trade ingredients.
• On October 16, World Food Day, a benefit cocktail was held at the Parquet of the Caisse de dépôt et placement headquarters with partner SITQ. Under Honorary Chair Yves-André Gadon, SITQ’s Managing Director, Canada, the event brought together more than 150 distinguished guests from the financial, industrial, union and community sectors, who enjoyed a local, organic, fair-trade meal.
Citizen and Organization Initiatives
• La Bande Magnétik performed four A Kappella concerts during the year at the Lion d’Or club in Montréal. The sold-out shows featuring unaccompanied vocal performances delighted audiences. Twenty-five renowned guest artists joined the group for the performances.
• Forty-two people attended the Eco Yoga Mala event in Jeanne-Mance Park, Montréal, on September 21. Led by yoga professionals, including Dawn Mauricio, who initiated the project, they took on the challenge of performing 108 “sun salutations” in two and a half hours.
• Mountaineers Sébastien Carelli and Oury Dal Bianco climbed Mount Denali in Alaska. Vertical Marathon, their personal project and a formidable challenge, calls for them to climb the highest mountain on each continent, with all donations going to Équiterre.
Équiterre would also like to thank the following individuals and organizations:
• Unitarian Church of Montréal, for the Jazz & Justice concerts
• UQAM public relations students for their Cycle fashion event
• Impulsion Danse Productions for the Dansez pour Équiterre contest
• Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal for the Hubert Reeves conference
• John Abbott College students for Fashion Grows
Share of Earnings
Two organizations donated part of their earnings to Équiterre:
• Oöm Ethikwear, a socially responsible clothing line
• Caba Zone, a maker of reusable bags