What is The Family Store?

♦ The family Store began in 1994 with the Chai Center in Montreal helping families by
providing food essentials.

♦ Fast-forward to August 2008 and the financial downturn. Thousands of hard-working families lost their jobs
or have had their income reduced and fallen into hard times. Middle-class families have suddenly
become low-income earners.

♦ Our donors came aboard and the Family Store idea was conceived.

♦ In December 2008 a pilot project of 128 families were able to purchase a limited amount of
basic food at one third of the retail price. The project was a success.  

♦ We continued to develop the program so that it began operating once a month as of February 2009.
Since then we have grown to assist 330 families with another 100 families on a waiting list.

♦ At a meeting at the end of August 2009 we resolved to expand the program to assist
the 500 families on a weekly basis by the end of 2010.

♦ Only achievable by the support of our volunteers.