Desjardins family makes landmark $1 Million gift to Centraide Outaouais

Tashi Farmilo

In a powerful display of community commitment, Gilles Desjardins and his family have made a record-breaking $1 million donation to Centraide Outaouais, the largest individual gift in the organization’s 80-year history. Announced at a press conference in Gatineau, the contribution arrives at a moment of growing need and stands as a milestone in the region’s philanthropic tradition.

The Desjardins family—Gilles, along with his sons Jessy and Kevin—serve as co-chairs of this year’s Centraide campaign, a role they embraced in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of their family business, Brigil. The convergence of these milestones made the moment both practical and profoundly personal. “Giving back is part of my story—one I inherited from my father and now continue with my sons,” said Gilles Desjardins, founder and president of Brigil. “This is our way, as a family, of saying thank you to a community we love deeply.”

The contribution will establish a trust fund to ensure the long-term sustainability of Centraide’s work across the Outaouais. The organization supports 88 local agencies that tackle poverty and social exclusion, offering essential services to vulnerable populations from Hull to the Pontiac.

Centraide’s 2025 campaign aims to raise $4.5 million. The Desjardins donation gives the effort a major boost, both financially and symbolically, reinforcing the vital role of private residents in community development. “This unprecedented donation arrives at a turning point,” said Cédric Tessier, executive director of Centraide Outaouais. “It strengthens our ability to deliver real support where it's most needed and demonstrates an extraordinary level of commitment to social solidarity.”

For the Desjardins sons, the experience of co-leading the campaign has been transformative. Jessy, Brigil’s vice-president of development and design, emphasized the breadth of Centraide’s reach: “I’ve been deeply moved by the work happening on the ground. It’s impossible not to be impressed by how far Centraide extends across the region.” Kevin Desjardins, a community life designer at the company, described witnessing firsthand the long-term impact of grassroots organizations, recalling a visit to a local food-sharing initiative where former beneficiaries now volunteer. “That kind of human return—seeing people come full circle—is incredibly powerful,” he said.

As community organizations face growing demand and limited resources, the Desjardins family's leadership underscores the critical role of philanthropy in maintaining a social safety net. Centraide Outaouais board chair Sébastien Fugère praised the family’s involvement, calling it a defining moment for the campaign and a reflection of “a shared vision for a fairer, more united society.”

For Noëlla Beausoleil, the organization’s director of philanthropic development, the donation goes beyond numbers. “This campaign has been filled with genuine emotion and moments that will stay with us forever,” she said. “The Desjardins family has set a benchmark in what it means to give with both heart and purpose.”

“We are not just giving money—we’re investing in the future of our community,” said Gilles Desjardins. “And there’s no better return on investment than that.”