We are very pleased to welcome Debra Hinds to the Board of Directors of FDOI.
Debra, a Beaconsfield resident, brings more than two decades of senior experience in finance and treasury leadership. Over the course of her career, she has held key roles at organizations such as Bombardier, McGill University, Vivendi Universal / Seagram, and RBC, with responsibility for global cash management, banking relationships, financial systems, and governance‑level oversight.
Her arrival comes at an important moment in FDOI’s evolution.
For 60 years, FDOI has been there to support West Islanders facing hardship. While the West Island is often perceived as prosperous, the reality is that thousands of residents struggle every day to meet their most basic needs. Families are choosing between rent and groceries. Seniors face isolation. Newcomers lack safety nets. The demand for support continues to grow.
In response, FDOI is expanding.
Following our $1 million investment in a new building in the heart of Pierrefonds‑Roxboro, we are undertaking a major expansion that will quadruple our space and bring multiple services together under one roof. This expansion will allow us to strengthen and grow what we already do — providing access to food, hygiene essentials, clothing, and social support — while also creating space for new programs, partnerships, and community collaboration.
This is what we mean when we say we are meeting the essential needs of our community.
We are:
- Growing to feed more families
- Growing to make essentials more accessible
- Growing to ensure no one feels alone
- Growing to make community support sustainable
Debra joins the Board at a critical crossroads in this journey. Her depth of experience, clarity of judgment, and governance‑focused approach will be invaluable as FDOI builds the infrastructure needed to meet rising needs with transparency, accountability, and long‑term sustainability.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are grateful that Debra has chosen to contribute her time and expertise to FDOI, and we look forward to working together as we move into our next 60 years.
