Kingsey Falls, Québec (News release) - The Cascades units in Kingsey Falls, Victoriaville and Drummondville showed remarkable generosity this year by donating a record-breaking $705,800 to Centraide. This donation exceeded last year's amount by $77,200, surpassing the $700,000 mark for the first time.

"Cascades employees in the region have a long history of being generous, but these results are beyond our expectations! This year's campaign is all the more important, because after two years of pandemic, the face of vulnerability has changed. People who donated in the past are now asking for help, so it's even more critical to continue giving as much as we can to maintain the community's balance," said Valérye Bourassa, Regional Manager of Centraide Centre-du-Québec.

Alain Lemaire, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cascades, served as Chair of the Centraide Centre-du-Québec campaign again this year: "Since Cascades was founded, it's always been important for us to give back to the community. I'm pleased to note that Cascaders are more aware than ever before of how important this is."

For several years, Cascades has matched the amount donated by its employees, and for the second year in a row, the company is multiplying by 1.5 all donations made by those who are giving for the first time. This initiative aims to boost awareness about the cause, and increase the amount raised.

"As one of the largest employers in Centre-du-Québec, Cascades must do its part and participate in the Centraide campaign. We were lucky during the pandemic to be able to continue working, but many people weren't so fortunate. Not only is there still a need, but it's even bigger than before," said Mario Plourde, President and CEO of Cascades.

Management would also like to acknowledge the commitment of its employees in each of its participating business units. A network of ambassadors gets involved every year to develop original awareness initiatives throughout the campaign.

Centraide Centre-du-Québec's mission is to improve the conditions and quality of life of those living in the region and to build inclusive communities to fight poverty and exclusion.