Oliver RoyThe 5 Best Charities in Montreal to Support with Your Time and Money
I used to walk past the same neighbourhood donation bin every morning, always meaning to drop off some clothes. When I finally did, I found out the bin belonged to a defunct organisation.
It’s important to know where your contribution actually goes, but with many foundations out there, it isn’t easy to pick out trustworthy ones.
If you want to ensure your time or money goes to the right place, we’re here to help. We did the research and gathered the best charities in Montreal, so we can help improve local homelessness and hunger statistics.
Here are the local groups making a verified impact, and who they suit best.
How much does supporting a charity cost in Montreal?
The cost of supporting a charity in Montreal can run between $30 and $50 for a family grocery basket.
| Contribution Type | Typical Price |
| Sponsoring a family grocery basket | $30 to $50 |
| Corporate group cooking session | $500 to $1,000 |
How We Reviewed
1. Moisson Montréal
Website: https://www.moissonmontreal.org/
Address: 6880, Ch. de la Côte-de-Liesse
Contact: 514-344-4494 | [email protected]
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:00 AM – 3:45 PM | Friday, 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Moisson Montréal stretches funds incredibly well, directing 92% of all financial gifts into their food bank. Every dollar donated helps redistribute over $15 worth of groceries, providing serious efficiency.
As Canada’s largest food distribution network, they operate as a logistics backbone rather than a drop-in centre. Their fleet of refrigerated trucks collects bulk donations, which are then diverted to 300 accredited agencies.
This process wipes out purchasing costs for shelters, letting grassroots teams spend their budgets on social services.
The catch is that they don’t provide direct emergency food to individuals. Residents in need must access their supplies through one of their partner charities.
Moisson Montréal is an amazing and very well organized place
Moisson Montréal is an amazing and very well organized place.
I visited today and was impressed by how professionally everything is managed and how the team works together with great teamwork and positive energy to support the community.
The warehouse is large, clean, and extremely organized, and both staff and volunteers work hard with a smile. A truly inspiring experience that leaves you feeling grateful for the important service they provide.
- Abdullah Alrujoubi | Google Review
Great things being done by great people
Great things being done by Great people 🤗
If you get the opportunity, I seriously suggest you spend a day, or more, volunteering here!
They need the help, and you will have a great time doing it! …
- THE 5 LEALS FROM LAVAL | Google Review
2. Le Dépôt Centre communautaire d’alimentation
Website: https://depotmtl.org/
Address: 6450 Somerled Avenue
Contact: 514-483-4680 | [email protected]
Hours:
- General Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Food Bank Hours (By Appointment Only): Tuesday, 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Wednesday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Thursday-Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Marché Dépôt feels just like visiting a standard neighbourhood grocery shop. Rather than handing out pre-packed boxes filled with items people might not eat, the charity lets participants select their own culturally diverse ingredients.
With a thoughtful and dignified setup like this, families leave with food they’ll actually enjoy eating.
Their high-impact buying power makes them an attractive option for locals looking to donate money. They leverage wholesale networks so every dollar donated purchases $3 worth of fresh produce.
Corporate teams can also book a structured three-hour volunteer shift focused on preparing meals for youth programmes.
The drawback is their strict geographical boundary. Emergency grocery support is limited to households living within seven specific NDG (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce) postal codes, leaving residents outside that zone to look elsewhere.
Meals and food basket contain only healthy foods
The Depot Community Food Centre on Somerled Avenue in NDG promotes healthy eating, as their meals and food basket contain only healthy foods. The Depot is very well organized and staffed; some of the poorly run food charities in Montreal should send their people here to observe and take notes (looking at you, Marché Bon Accueil – Welcome Hall Mission). Whoever funds The Depot should know that their money is being incredibly well spent.
- Scott Avery | Google Review
3. Ronald McDonald House
Website: https://maisonronaldmcdonaldmontreal.ca/
Address: 5800 Chem. Hudson
Contact: 514-731-2871
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Saturday-Sunday, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Ronald McDonald House in Montreal provides a haven for families dealing with a child’s severe illness.
Inside, the facility features 50 private guest suites designed to keep families together near the hospital during lengthy medical treatments. They focus on lifting the daily practical burdens from parents.
Families enjoy 24/7 access to communal kitchens and personal refrigerated storage, alongside a daily continental breakfast. For added convenience, free laundry facilities with complimentary detergent are located on every floor.
Meanwhile, expecting mothers travelling for specialised care can bring a companion, easing the burden of navigating a medical crisis alone.
The downside is a strict 55 km distance threshold for admission. Even if a local family faces a gruelling daily hospital commute, they can’t stay at the house and must manage their own lodging.
Fantastic cause
I volunteered here, fantastic cause. I strongly recommend volunteering here to help families of sick children. The staff here works hard to make sure it’s affordable for people who have to come from out of town.
- Joe Cortese (Joe) | Google Review
A non-profit organization that offers rooms for families with sick children
A non-profit organization that offers rooms for families with sick children for $10 a night. Yes, you have to do your own cleaning and dishes. It’s not a hotel! But to all those who give it less than 5 stars, let the families who truly need it benefit.
In our case, we stayed for 5 weeks. The staff is mostly very friendly. There are often dinners/suppers organized by volunteers, and there are almost always prepared meals in the fridge. We have personal storage space in the fridge, freezer, and at room temperature.
- Louis-philippe Aubin | Google Review (Translated from French)
4. Jeunesse au Soleil – Sun Youth
Website: https://sunyouth.org/
Address: 7501, Blvd St-Laurent
Contact: 514-842-6822 | [email protected]
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sun Youth holds a formal municipal agreement to assist victims of fires or floods with emergency food, clothing, and transit passes. This rapid intervention stabilises displaced families before temporary crises turn into homelessness.
They operate Montreal’s oldest continuous food bank, supported by an urban agriculture initiative.
Youth from their day camps help tend and harvest produce from gardens near the Université de Montréal to stock community food baskets.
But their subsidised medication programme has strict exclusions, leaving out some of the most financially fragile residents. They disqualify anyone on social assistance or seniors receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
Truly an amazing organization
Truly an amazing organization 🥰 My experience with the staff and drivers was above and beyond my expectations. I want to thank everyone from the staff and drivers and a huge thank you to those who donate to them. 😊💕 🙏 …
- suzie Q | Google Review
Absolutely fantastic, I have found some angels here
Absolutely fantastic, I have found some angels here. I went through a fire the 7 March 2026, I woke up at 3am with a fire raging in my room, I even tried to stop it with my bare hands, just to hurt myself! I felt homeless, I felt I had lost everything, but some angels came to rescue me, Red Cross, the OMHM with Mrs Mame Coumba, then at the end arrived Jeunesse au Soleil, with Mr Claude Andre Beder and they all have helped me a lot
- David Golia | Google Review
Website: https://sharethewarmth.ca/
Address: 625 Rue Fortune
Contact: 514-933-5599 | [email protected]
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Share the Warmth runs a dedicated pedestrian shuttle that escorts elementary students straight from local schools to their facility. This removes a major transit hurdle and ensures kids arrive safely for homework assistance and enrichment activities.
The youth programming partners with local educators to assist children who struggle with core subjects like maths or French.
Balanced nutrition is built into their daily extracurricular schedule, ensuring children receive healthy snacks alongside academic tutoring. The organisation delivers meals to 20 schools to combat classroom hunger.
But accessing these excellent youth programmes can be difficult due to strict registration caps. Space in their cooking workshops is limited, and eligible children who miss the cut are placed on a waiting list rather than getting immediate help.
An amazing place for a hot meal
An amazing place for a hot meal, dance lessons, thrifting and student tutoring.
There is a great food bank and they are always open to volunteers.
I donate about ten bags of toys and clothes a year and they are always thankful because the revenue from the thrift shop helps to fund the organization.
Thanks for helping the community in these hard times!
- Pierre Lavergne | Google Review
A great contribution to the point st.charles community
A great contribution to the point st.charles community. The foodbank is open on Mondays and Thursdays 1:30-4, there is an affordable cafe open nearly everyday to get good eats, and a small but well organized thrift shop to get well priced items inside- with sales every month or so. To top it all off the staff are friendly and full of local volunteers 🙂 these are only a handful of the services offered. If you’re thinking of going, just do it, this is a great place to reach out and meet members of the community.
- M Ayotte | Google Review
