Our history
Discover the history of the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal from 1937 to today!
For the 85th anniversary of the VBM, team members and volunteers worked hard to retrace the history of the organization. It was an important task to trace all the archival documents to then organize them, put them into images and bring them to life on giant panels! Special thanks to Zeynep Gunel, volunteer graphic designer who created the timeline. This exhibition declined on five panels, can be visited in the offices of the center. Come see us!
Today, the team is proud to present the digital adaptation of the exhibition which was made possible thanks to Florent Rouanet, volunteer editor, who managed to animate the timeline to perfection. And now, let yourself be enchanted by the rich history of the very first volunteer center in Canada (Please note that the videos are in French only for the moment).
Imagine, 85 years of history...
Did you know that the VBM is the very first center to have been created in Canada?
Discover the very beginnings of volunteering in wartime as well as the indispensable presence of women in a period when mutual aid and support were essential elements.
Volunteering is no longer primarily a “women’s issue”. The Center is creating more and more initiatives, including the creation of the first Meals on Wheels in Montreal. The Center also participates in the creation of the first Volunteer Week in Quebec.
During this period, the VBM participated in the creation of Volunteer Canada as well as other volunteer action centers in Montreal. It is a major player in the development of voluntary action. It also begins to incorporate a training program specifically for volunteer managers, unheard of at this time in history.
The year 2000 and new technologies! The Center adapts and is one of the first to create its website to diversify the recruitment of volunteers while many still use traditional means of communication such as radio or television advertising. It was also during this period that the center created large-scale events, such as Bénévotemps as well as the 75th anniversary.
Over the past four years, the VBM has held three galas to promote volunteerism and has launched a project which combined volunteering and francization. It was also a great moment since it merged with the former organization "Bénévoles d’affaires", so that it became a service offered by the VBM, namely, skills-based volunteering.
So the rest of the story is yet to come! We wish a long life to the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal!
Key moments in the history of the Volunteer Bureau Of Montreal
To summarize
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1937
Foundation
Founded by the Junior League of Montreal with the goal of facilitating women’s access to various volunteering activities.
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1939-1945
Women’s voluntary services
Close ties are forged with the Women’s Voluntary Service, a major British association actively engaged in aiding the war effort.
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1940
War Effort
As early as 1940, under the name "Women’s Voluntary Services", the organization plays an important role in aiding the war effort.
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1947
Letters Patent
Letters Patent are obtained under the name "Women’s Voluntary Services".
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1957
MONTREAL VOLUNTEER BUREAU
In 1957, the name "Montreal’s Voluntary Services" is adopted. Among other reasons this recognizes that volunteering is not exclusively a women’s activity.
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1966
MEALS ON WHEELS
In 1966, the"Montreal’s Voluntary Services" participated in the implementation of Montreal’s first Meals on Wheels program. Today, its Volunteer Food Services Central Office provides support services to a regional network of some sixty Meals-on-Wheels and Community Meal Services.
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1967
WEST ISLAND
Opening of the West Island Branch.
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De 1969 à 2013
CHRISTMAS INDEX
From 1969 to 2013, the"Montreal’s Voluntary Services" was responsible for coordinating the Fichier de Noël (Christmas Index), a Montréal tradition dating back to 1919.
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1970
BILINGUAL ORGANIZATION
Initially anglophone, the "Montreal’s Voluntary Services", officially becomes bilingual and is jointly funded by La Plume Rouge (Red Feather) and the Fédération des œuvres de charité canadiennes-françaises (FOCCF).
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1972
MEMBER OF THE FCABQ
The "Montreal’s Voluntary Services" becomes one of the founding members of the Fédération des centres d’action bénévole du Québec (FCABQ).
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1973
MONTREAL EAST
Opening of the Montreal East branch.
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1974
CENTRAIDE
La Plume Rouge (Red Feather), FOCCF and other agencies merge to form Centraide ,which becomes the "Montreal’s Voluntary Services" main funding organization.
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1979
VILLE SAINT-LAURENT
Opening of the Ville Saint-Laurent branch.
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1980
FIRST PROFESSIONAL MEALS-ON-WHEELS
The first professionally managed meals-on-wheels program (of course always with volunteer help!), starts up. The New Hope Senior Citizen’s Centre (NDG) and the Carrefour des retraités (Montreal-North) join our group.
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1980-1984
AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATIONS
The three subsidiaries become autonomous agencies subsidized by Centraide.
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1992
VBM
The name " Volunteer Bureau of Montreal" is adopted.
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1992
CENTRAL OFFICE OF VOLUNTEER FOOD SERVICES
The Volunteer Food Services of the Central Office becomes a member of the Regroupement des popotes roulantes du Québec, which was created that same year.
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1997
60 YEARS
In 1997, the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal celebrates 60 years of promoting volunteerism.
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2005
KEY MOMENT IN VOLUNTEER FOOD SERVICES
Over half of the affiliated meals-on-wheels programs are now professionally run.
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2007
TWO MAJOR AWARDS
In 2007, celebrating its 70th anniversary, the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal wins the Quebec Volunteerism Awards and the Agnes C. Higgins Award from Centraide of Greater Montreal.
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2012
75 YEARS
The Volunteer Bureau of Montreal celebrates its 75th anniversary.
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2016
50 YEARS OF MEALS-ON- WHEELS
Meals-on-Wheels celebrates its 50th anniversary.
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2018
AWARDS GALA
On the occasion of its 80th anniversary, the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal launches the 1st Montreal Volunteer Awards Gala.
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2019
MERGER OF BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS
The Bénévoles d’affaires organization, which since 2006 has been offering a volunteer matching program for volunteers from the business community, merges with Volunteer Bureau of Montreal services.
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2020
SKILLS VOLUNTEERING
Bénévoles d’affaires becomes Bénévolat de compétences.
