In December, 2012, the Fontaines gave several $50,000 cash gifts to charities in the Winnipeg area. Two weeks ago they did it again, but this time they proved they could be twice as generous by presenting six local charities with $100,0000 checks.
Siloam Mission communications director, Elizabeth Creed, was taken totally by surprise by couple's seasonal goodwill gesture. "This donation will make sure a lot of people are warm and have something to eat," she said. "First and foremost, we'll use it to keep the frontline services running, and make sure we serve three meals a day."
Speaking about Rossbrook House drop-in center's unexpected donation, co-executive director, Phil Chiappetta, said, "They just dropped by, and Kirby wrote a check on the pool table. It really eases the pressure and lets us know that we can do everything we wanted for next year."
Winnipeg Harvest director, Kate Brenner, perhaps described their benefactors best though, when she said they had the true spirit of Christmas giving. Winnipeg Harvest provides food to families that struggle to feed themselves. Every $1 donated enables their vehicles to pick up and deliver $20 worth of groceries; so the Fontaine's gift has the potential to do a lot of good.
