Who We Are
First and foremost, we are Quebecers, your friends, your neighbors. We are also your colleagues, community organizations, and institutions.
We are committed to the vitality of an English-speaking community within Québec.
Our Board of Directors
The Fondation Notre Home Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and its committees, such as the Grants Selection Committee, whose members represent diverse elements of the community.
- Michael Shortt – President
- Adam Nathaniel Sternthal – Vice-president
- Russell Copeman -Treasurer
- Sylvia Martin-Laforge – Secretary
- Irene Tschernomor – Director
- Ted Greenfield – Director
- Peter Starr – Director
- David Hodges – Director
Where we come from
In 2009, the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) released a report called Creating Spaces for Young Quebecers: Strategic Orientations for English-speaking Youth, which articulated the challenges and priorities of English-speaking Quebecers aged 16 to 29.
That report had four key messages:
- Young English-speaking Quebecers seek to remain in Québec and contribute to Québec’s society and economy;
- they aspire to achieve full proficiency in French;
- they seek to strengthen links with Francophone youth;
- they prioritize a collaborative and inclusive, youth-led approach to achieving these and other goals.
The QCGN responded by asking Montreal hip-hop artist David Hodges to write a bilingual anthem celebrating inclusive unity among Québec’s English and French-speaking youth. The song Notre Home helped bridge gaps among various cultural and linguistic groups in Québec.
The buzz generated by the song and YouTube video prompted a Notre Home Tour during which David performed at more than 50 schools across the province. The performances sparked discussions with more than 10,000 elementary and high-school students on bullying, isolation, identity and a sense of belonging.
Today, the Notre Home spirit lives on through the Fondation Notre Home Foundation, whose purpose is to build, support and renew the vitality of the English-speaking community of Québec.