media experts raises $121,287 for local non-profit On Our Own
Last night at Jardin Royalmount, Montreal’s newest outdoor venue, Joey Elias and a lineup of the city’s finest comedians put on an incredible show that not only made the audience roar with laughter, it also set a new fundraising record for Media Experts’ annual comedy benefit show. This year’s tenth edition of Media Experts presents An evening of hilarity for the benefit of On Our Own (O3) raised $120,387–beating last year’s amount raised by over $15,000.
On Our Own is a Montreal-based organization which provides support, education and affordable housing to young parents and their children in need. 100% of the money raised at last night’s event will benefit O3’s various programs and go towards helping families in our community achieve a better quality of life and develop the life skills they need to live independently.
The talented lineup of entertainers joining Joey onstage, all of whom were donating their time for the cause, included host Lawrence Corber, Heidi Foss, JC Lafontaine, and Wassim El-Mounzer. Nearly 300 attendees enjoyed an evening of well-deserved laughs and a balmy Montreal summer evening in a beautiful outdoor venue where all health and safety measures in place were respected.
“The incredible success of our 10th edition is proof that no obstacle is too big when it comes to helping others,” says Mark Sherman, Founder of Media Experts and event organizer. “We are deeply touched by the generosity of our talent, media partners and donors and want them to know that they are not just supporting a cause, they are literally changing the course of the lives of real families in our community for the better. The impact of their generous gifts will not only be felt today, but for generations to come. Together we are changing the world one person at a time”
Fueled by sponsorships from the Canadian media community, private donations and Montreal comedy fans of all stripes, this year’s donations bring the grand total raised to date over the past 10 years to $ 838,344– funds that allows O3 to continue making a difference for those in need.
“We are so appreciative of everyone who donated to O3 this year. These funds raised represent over half of our operating budget and allow us to offer support services, which are even more essential after such a difficult year.” says Ushana Houston, Director of O3, “Respite, education support, mental health support–all these services will help our families stay on track, and your donations fuel these services. It is my privilege to serve these families, and an even greater privilege to let them know how many people in our community are rooting for their success.”
The tradition is set to continue for an eleventh edition next year. Media Experts is optimistic that the show will not only go on, but be bigger and better with each passing year.
About On Our Own (O3)
Since 2005, On Our Own has worked within the community to provide quality housing to young, low income, underserved families. In tandem, this empowers parents to take on present and future challenges successfully, be they financial, personal or with respect to their parenting skills.
O3 assists families in planning for their future by offering them work, training, and educational opportunities, workshops to develop life skills and programs to support and strengthen the bond between parent and child. O3’s goals include providing parents with the necessary tools to increase family stability, decrease isolation, exclusion and homelessness, and grant access to preventative services to break the cycle of poverty. O3 helps young parents take charge of their life – one child, and one family, at a time. Learn more at o3onourown.com.
About Media Experts
Founded in 1981, Media Experts is a leading Canadian media agency that delivers messaging for major Canadian brands across all media channels. We are data-driven and powered by discovery. Our approach revolves around designing effective, hard-working media strategies that drive brand engagement and deliver outstanding business results. With three offices across the country and 180 employees, we are a truly Canadian media agency, and proud to be part of the IPG Mediabrands network.