Bienvenue l’hiver!
The Bienvenue l’hiver (Winter Welcome) Program is our winter coat, boot and accessory distribution program for newly arrived refugee claimant families in Montreal.
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The Bienvenue l’hiver Program
Thanks to donations of gently used winter clothing received from Montrealers, we distribute winter coats, boots and accessories to refugee claimant families who have arrived in recent months.
This program is aimed at families with children, people with disabilities, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups.
Not your situation? Visit the Welcome Guide to find other organizations that can help!
How the Bienvenue l’hiver Program works
When: Winter clothing distribution takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Welcome Collective from mid October to mid-March.
Distribution is by appointment only. To make an appointment, you must meet all the following criteria:
Have arrived in Canada after May 1, 2024
Be in a precarious situation (asylum seeker, PRRA, non-status) and without income
Have little or no winter clothing
Be in one or more of the following situations:
Have at least one minor child (present in Canada) or be pregnant
Have a disability
Have another particular vulnerability (on assessment)
How to request an appointment
Social workers or people new to Canada can request an appointment by filling out our service request form. You will receive a reply within 3 working days.
Please note that even if you meet the criteria, we may not be able to serve you due to limited capacity. We invite you to consult our Welcome Guide to find out about other organizations that distribute winter clothing.
FAQ: The Bienvenue l’hiver Program
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Program criteria:
Have arrived in Canada after May 1st 2024
Be a refugee claimant (or other precarious status) and have no income
Do not already have coats or boots
Be in one of the following situations:
have at least one minor child or a pregnancy
have a disability or other major vulnerability [by evaluation]
Not your situation? Unfortunately, we won’t be able to provide you with winter clothes, but we have compiled a list of all the places in Montreal where you can find low-cost or free clothing here: The Welcome Guide.
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We depend on donations of winter clothing, and we never receive enough donations to help everyone. This means we have to choose to give winter clothing to some people and not to others.
As we receive more children's items and families are often in a very precarious financial situation, we give priority to families with children and others with additional barriers to support, such as disability or pregnancy.
We work hard to help as many people as possible, and keep an up-to-date resource guide of other organizations that distribute winter clothing for those we can't serve. Thank you for your understanding!
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Each person can receive a winter coat, a pair of winter boots, a toque, a scarf and a pair of mittens or gloves.
All items have been donated by Montreal residents and businesses. All items are in good condition, and most are lightly used.
We don't always have all sizes of all items, so we may not be able to provide all items to every person, but we'll do our best to find items for you.
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Each family will have a 45 minute appointment to try on items in a private area with the help of volunteers. The volunteers will also provide helpful tips about layering and staying warm in Canadian winters!
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Le Collectif Bienvenue has listed all the organizations in Montreal where you can find free or low-cost clothing. You can find them here in our Welcome Guide.
