About us
A FOREVER FAMILY
Thanks to our more than 2,007 volunteers, generous donors and expert team, Little Brothers brings kindness, dignity, respect and joy to more than 1,448 elderly people in Quebec. Affectionately referred to as our Elder Friends, these once isolated seniors, aged 75 and up, can count on Little Brothers until the end of their lives.
Every day, our programs help create a family for older women and men who find themselves alone in life. We foster relationships between volunteers and Elder Friends by way of various celebrations throughout the year, our long-term pairing program, vacation getaways and our end-of-life commitment.
Little Brothers’ care and attention complements other social services available to seniors. But what truly sets us apart is our unconditional, personalized pledge to stay by our Elder Friends’ side until their very last breath.
When Elder Friends join Little Brothers’s extended family, they know THEY WILL NEVER BE LONELY AGAIN.
THE LOGO SAYS IT ALL
Our logo depicts two links in the long chain of Little Brothers’ intergenerational love, which brings lonely elders, volunteers, donors and our wonderful team of employees together.
The larger link represents the Elder Friend.
The smaller link, the volunteer.
Arm in arm, together.
The space inside and around the two links symbolizes everything that cannot be seen: support, companionship, community and togetherness.
Indigo blue is a soft, strong and soothing colour. It radiates the peace that comes with stability over time. It’s the sky above, the air we breathe.
Lime green is a symbol of life, creating a comforting, relaxing atmosphere. It energizes and creates a cheerful, bright feeling.
The open links express freedom of action and openness to others – openness to welcome other links into our Extended Family for Lonely Elders.
FLOWERS BEFORE BREAD
“Bread nourishes the body. It contains the nutrients a person needs to stay alive. Having enough to eat, access to basic care and a decent place to live is essential to survival.
But flowers nourish the heart. Sharing love and compassion, feeling important to someone else, continuing to dream, getting away for a vacation, experiencing a sense of fulfillment – these are vital to feeling truly alive until the very end.”
— Armand Marquiset, founder of Les petits frères des Pauvres (Little Brothers of the Poor)
RESTORING THE APPETITE FOR LIFE
“We show our love by giving more than the basic necessities. Little Brothers is absolutely uncompromising on this.”
—This was Les petits frères des Pauvres’ (Little Brothers of the Poor) vision, as declared by founder Armand Marquiset in 1946, a little after World War II.
Appetite can be awakened through several senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, as well as a sixth sense that detects the spark of humanity in others.
Here at Little Brothers, we have the recipe to create this warm atmosphere and revive the appetite for life.
A mixture of several ingredients goes into ending seniors’ isolation, one person at a time. This naturally includes gathering together around a good meal, but it also extends to the other heartwarming things, big and small, that our volunteers do and give to ease the pain of loneliness.
“These flowers bring nothing but the most important thing of all: love.”
INTERGENERATIONAL ON EVERY LEVEL
If you stop to think about it, a 60-year-old and an 80-year-old are from two entirely different generations. Their respective experiences are something they could both enjoy sharing.
Everything we do is focused on bringing generations together: Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and, of course, our Elder Friends.
This diversity makes it possible to share valuable intergenerational life experiences – something that has been part of humanity since the dawn of time.
Become part of our extended family by volunteering, or supporting us with a donation.