“You are a great team. I wish you all the best of luck and thank you so much for the happiness you bring back to my family.”
WIAF: An organization that acts on your behalf
Since 1966, the West Island Assistance Fund (WIAF) of Montréal has been responding to the needs of individuals and families in our community who are faced with social and financial difficulties. We provide them with food and, when the need arises, we give out clothing and household items. We have coordinated the distribution of Christmas baskets for the West Island territory since 2005.
Our usefulness to the community:
WIAF distributes more than $1,000,000 worth of goods and services annually. Help with food supply is our main activity and we consider it essential to offer our clients additional activities and services that will help their specific needs, to take charge of their own condition and to have the opportunity to purchase affordable products and merchandise.
Vision
Working towards the elimination of the causes of food insecurity and malnutrition in the West Island by focusing on the quality of our services and promoting the autonomy of our members.
Culture
Equity
Provide food, clothing and furniture to our community, as well as services supporting autonomy
01
Compassion
Support and encourage the development of initiatives that meet the essential needs of the community
02
Trust
Support and encourage cooperation between those that work towards the wellbeing of the community
03
Respect
Offer services that promote the autonomy of our members
04
Meet the team
We’re a team made up of volunteers and hard workers passionate about fighting food insecurity within the West Island community.
I also enjoy reading books in my spare time.
I work in the WIAF office. We register new-comers as clients and I greet existing clients and set them up to receive their food baskets. In my free time, I like to go thrift shopping and digging for vintage finds. I must say it’s so great having our very own thrift store in the building!
In my free time I love hiking, thrifting, traveling, doing various art projects and discovering new artists at concerts and music festivals.
I also love to read, I enjoy travelling and I love networking with new individuals.
Board members
He is an active participant in community organizations and affordable housing throughout Montreal.
He has been active in the non-profit sector for over a decade. Moussa sits on several boards of directors as a volunteer.
He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (M.A.P) from the National School of Administration (ÉNAP-Montreal) and joined the West Island Assistance Fund on January 25, 2021.
Moussa is married and has 5 children.
Being useful to the community and giving a smile are important elements for him.
He enjoys soccer, reading and traveling.
We love spending time as a family and our young daughter, Penelope. Our dog Alvin and horse Tango keep us very busy! On the weekends, you can find us in the kitchen traveling the world. In fact, it is not uncommon to find food from different parts of the world, which allows us to explore different cultures while cooking as a family!
As a lifelong resident of the West Island, and as someone who works with diverse marginalized populations in the community, I have seen first-hand how many socio-economic struggles, including homelessness, food insecurity, and financial insecurity are often hidden and ignored in the West Island. In order to combat food insecurity in the West Island, we must first raise awareness of its existence within our community, as well as its causes and its impacts. Food Insecurity disproportionately affects marginalized communities, and part of combating food insecurity also overlaps with the fight against systemic inequalities, and cannot be solved without approaching the many underlying factors that exist, even here in the West Island.