This Sunday marks a significant milestone for Montreal's charitable community as Chez Doris hosts its 10th annual Holiday Fair, celebrating a decade of supporting vulnerable women through creativity and community engagement.
A Celebration of Women's Creativity
The community-driven event showcases the artistic talents of women supported by Chez Doris, featuring an array of handmade items including jewelry, mittens, candles, and new additions like artisanal soaps, bath salts, body scrubs, and pieces of Indigenous jewelry. For the first time, women in the organization's pre-employability culinary program will be serving soup to guests, adding a warm, personal touch to the festive atmosphere.
Exploring Heritage and Future Plans
The fair provides a rare opportunity for the public to visit the Fulford Residence at 1221 Guy Street, a heritage building owned by Chez Doris. This historic location, which served as home to generations of older, often vulnerable women for 131 years before closing in 2021 due to declining occupancy and COVID-19 losses, will undergo renovations to become a day and health centre with 20 transitional housing units by 2028. Visitors can tour the building ahead of these planned changes.
Festive Activities and Fundraising Initiatives
Beyond shopping for unique gifts, attendees can participate in several special activities. A holiday "tree of generosity" will display symbolic ornaments representing tangible needs identified by Chez Doris, where a $50 donation can provide a grocery gift card to a woman in need. A prize draw offers chances to win hockey tickets to the Bell Centre, original artwork, wine glasses, and a Holt Renfrew gift card.
The musical highlight features Quebec singer-songwriter Sébastien Dhavernas and performers from diverse backgrounds presenting a multilingual version of "Winter Wonderland" between noon and 2 p.m. This special performance, part of the In Chorus for Hope initiative, features Italian, Spanish, Creole, Innu, Arabic, and Vietnamese alongside English and French, with the downloadable song serving as a fundraiser for Chez Doris.
The Chez Doris Holiday Fair runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Sunday at the Fulford Residence below Ste-Catherine Street, offering Montrealers a meaningful way to support women in need while finding special holiday gifts and experiencing one of the city's heritage buildings.
