Farnham Volunteer Action Centre

What Farnham Volunteer Action Centre does

The Centre d'action bénévole de Farnham Inc. (CAB de Farnham) is a registered Quebec charitable non-profit founded in 1972 that operates as the central volunteer-action and social-services hub for approximately 16,133 residents across four municipalities in the Montérégie region (Farnham, Ange-Gardien, Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville, Sainte-Sabine). The organization delivers a multi-service community safety net including medical accompaniment-transport (1,200+ requests/year), food assistance (600+ dépannages alimentaires plus 18,000 portions produced from 9 tonnes of declassified food at the Bistro des nations), companionship visits, Télé-Bonjour safety check-in calls, tax preparation for seniors and low-income individuals (650 returns annually), and back-to-school supply support via Opération septembre. It operates two social economy enterprises — Friperie Le Chiffonnier (a thrift store diverting 70+ tonnes of goods from landfill) and the Bistro des nations (a multicultural food-recovery café) — whose profits are reinvested into community services.

The organization runs on a hybrid model combining 11 paid staff with 131 active volunteers delivering approximately 12,500 hours of service annually, the labour equivalent of ~6 full-time positions at zero direct cost. It is a member of the Fédération des centres d'action bénévole du Québec (FCABQ) and maintains formal funding and operational partnerships with Centraide Richelieu-Yamaska, CIUSSS de l'Estrie–CHUS, the Ville de Farnham, MRC de Brome-Missisquoi, CDC Brome-Missisquoi, and Desjardins, plus a network of local farms donating surplus produce. Its core technology stack is conventional non-profit infrastructure: a website, the jeebenevole.ca volunteer-recruitment platform, two Facebook pages, and an email newsletter, with no proprietary software, API surface, or AI/ML components.

In 2024–2025 the organization undertook a transformative capital project, acquiring the former Farnham art centre from the Ville de Farnham for a symbolic $1 and renovating it into a 22,073 sq ft multi-tenant community centre (Phase 1 opened July 2025; Phase 2 planned 2026). The project, estimated at over $7.6M, is funded via a multi-year $9M capital campaign and is designed to co-locate Le Chiffonnier, the Bistro des nations, food assistance, and four additional community organizations (Maison des jeunes de Farnham, Maison de la famille de Farnham et région, CDC Brome-Missisquoi, and ÉDA). Leadership transitioned in May 2025 when General Director Jennyfer Jacques succeeded Jean Valiquette. As a registered charity, the organization does not publish traditional revenue figures; its income derives from government grants, Centraide subsidies, private donations, thrift-store sales, and capital-campaign contributions.

Name

Farnham Volunteer Action Centre

Legal name

Centre d'action bénévole de Farnham Inc.

Website

https://cabfarnham.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Farnham Volunteer Action Centre (Centre d'action bénévole de Farnham) is a Quebec non-profit charitable organization founded in 1972 that delivers volunteer-led social services — medical transport, food assistance, companionship visits, and tax prep — to ~16,133 residents across four Montérégie municipalities, funded by grants, donations, and two social economy enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and Social Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Volunteer transport services
• Food assistance programs
• Secondhand thrift store
• Senior companionship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Farnham

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The CAB raises funds through direct monetary donations (accepting cheques and credit card contributions via the Zeffy platform), annual Guignolée food drive, Christmas basket programs, and a multi-phase capital campaign for the new community centre project (targeting $9M across 2023–2027).
2. Thrift Shop (Friperie Le Chiffonnier) Revenue: Le Chiffonnier is a social economy enterprise (Entreprise d'Économie Sociale) selling donated clothing and household items. All profits are reinvested into the CAB's community services. The shop also sells hand-knitted items made by volunteers.
3. Government Grants and Subsidies: Core operating funding comes from government and quasi-governmental bodies including CIUSSS de l'Estrie–CHUS, Centraide Richelieu-Yamaska, and Emploi-Québec via the local employment centre in Cowansville, and RLS de la Pommeraie programmes.
4. Bistro des Nations Food Transformation and Redistribution: The Bistro des nations transforms approximately 9 tonnes of declassified food into roughly 18,000 portions distributed to community members and organizations, generating modest revenue while advancing food security and anti-waste goals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Farnham Volunteer Action Centre is a non-profit charitable organization that delivers free or low-cost community services through volunteer action, including medical transport accompaniment, food assistance, senior companionship and safety-check calls, tax preparation, school supply distribution, and annual Christmas baskets. It operates two wholly-owned social economy enterprises — Friperie Le Chiffonnier, a thrift store selling secondhand clothing and household goods, and Bistro des nations, a multicultural café that transforms ~9 tonnes of declassified food into ~18,000 portions annually — with all profits reinvested into community programs.

Product overview

The Farnham Volunteer Action Centre (CAB de Farnham) operates as a community organization rather than a technology company, offering a portfolio of social services organized around volunteer action. The core offering includes: medical transport and accompaniment services, food assistance (food bank, collective kitchens, anti-waste programs), and social support services (friendly visits, safety phones, Télé-Bonjour check-in calls). The organization operates two social enterprises — Friperie Le Chiffonnier (a thrift store selling secondhand clothing and goods for the whole family) and Bistro des nations (a multicultural café that transforms declassified food into meals) — both of which generate revenue reinvested into community services. Additional programs include tax preparation assistance, school supply distribution (Opération Septembre), Christmas basket programs, and a volunteer knitting initiative. The organization serves approximately 16,133 residents across four municipalities (Farnham, Ange-Gardien, Sainte-Brigide-d'Iberville, and Sainte-Sabine) through over 130 active volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friperie Le Chiffonnier: Thrift store operated by the organization since 2004, selling secondhand clothing, household items, and various articles. An Entreprise d'Économie Sociale (social economy business) with profits reinvested into community services.
• Bistro des nations

Products and services

• Friperie Le Chiffonnier (Thrift Store) Social economy thrift store selling second-hand clothing for the whole family and various used household items at low prices; items are sorted, washed, and reconditioned by volunteers supervised by a coordinator; profits are reinvested into CAB community services. Targeted at low-income residents and the general public in the Farnham area.
• Bistro des nations (Multicultural Community Kitchen / Café) Social enterprise multicultural café that recovers declassified/expired food and transforms it into ~18,000 portions annually distributed to community members and partner organizations; supports food security and anti-waste goals. Targeted at food-insecure residents and partner organizations in the Montérégie region.
• Accompagnement-Transport Bénévole (Volunteer Medical Transport) Volunteer driver-accompaniment service that picks up residents without vehicles at home and drives them to medical appointments (clinics, hospitals, dentists, physiotherapy); volunteers receive monetary compensation for vehicle use. Processes more than 1,200 requests per year. Targeted at car-less residents in the four-municipality service territory.
• Dépannage Alimentaire (Food Assistance) Food bank / food parcel service providing non-perishable food to people in need, available three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) at the food-assistance location. Delivered more than 600 interventions annually. Targeted at food-insecure individuals and families in the Farnham area.
• Télé-Bonjour (Daily Safety Check-In Calls) Daily phone-based check-in service for people living alone who have lost autonomy; volunteers call at the same time each day and, after three unanswered attempts, contact emergency contacts. Targeted at isolated and vulnerable seniors in the Farnham area.
• Téléphones Sécurisants (Reassurance Phone Calls) Regular phone-call service for people who are alone, recovering, or losing autonomy, providing community contact and active listening. Targeted at seniors and individuals experiencing loss of autonomy.
• Visites d'Amitié (Friendly Visits) In-person companionship visits at clients' homes for people who are alone, recovering, or losing autonomy, with active listening aimed at breaking isolation. Targeted at isolated seniors and vulnerable individuals.
• Support Technique Impôts (Tax Preparation Assistance) Income-tax preparation assistance provided by trained volunteers for seniors and low-income families, offered annually from late February to April 30. Produces approximately 650 income-tax returns per year with 5 volunteers. Targeted at seniors and low-income individuals without access to paid tax services.
• Paniers de Noël (Christmas Baskets) Annual Christmas food basket preparation and distribution programme for families in need, involving multiple volunteer roles (reception, office work, assembly, distribution); partnered with Caisse Desjardins de la Pommeraie for collective cooking events. Targeted at families in need during the holiday season.
• Opération Septembre (Back-to-School Supplies) Programme subsidized by Centraide Richelieu-Yamaska that helps low-income families finance school supplies for the back-to-school season. Targeted at low-income families with school-aged children.
• Tricot (Volunteer Knitting Programme) Volunteer knitting programme that recovers unused wool and produces handmade items (slippers, scarves, sweets, etc.) distributed either for free to those in need or sold at Le Chiffonnier with proceeds reinvested in CAB services. Targeted at knitters wanting to volunteer and at low-income residents.
• Cuisines Collectives (Collective Kitchens) Collective kitchen programme providing cooking skills and access to nutritious food for participating families. Targeted at families seeking to improve food security and nutrition.
• Guignolée (Annual Door-to-Door Food Drive) Annual door-to-door food drive held on November 30 to stock the local food bank; involves more than 40 volunteers and three fixed collection points at local businesses (Bistro des nations, IGA, Métro). Targeted at the general public as donors and at food-bank clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 131 active volunteers contributing ~12,500 hours/year — the equivalent of 6 full-time positions — delivered at no cost to the organization
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Maison des jeunes de FarnhamcoreOthers · 3 July 2025A youth community organization that is relocating to the new Farnham Community Centre at 135 Rue Saint-André Sud as part of Phase 2, co-locating with the CAB and other community groups.
• Maison de la famille de Farnham et régioncoreOthers · 3 July 2025A family resource centre that is relocating to the new Farnham Community Centre as part of Phase 2. The two organizations collaborate on the Soupe de l'Amitié (Friendship Soup) programme with 500+ annual participants.
• CIUSSS de l'Estrie – CHUScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The CIUSSS de l'Estrie–CHUS provides funding and programmatic support to the CAB as a key health and social services partner. A community organizer from the CIUSSS participates in the food security table, and the CAB's community worker programme aligns with CIUSSS elder care priorities.
• Table en sécurité alimentaire de Brome-MissisquoicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The CAB is a founding member of this food security coalition. Together with other CABs (Bedford, Cowansville, Sutton) and community organizations, the table coordinates an anti-food-waste programme that recovers surplus produce from local farmers and redistributes it through regional food banks. Over 13,000 lbs of fruits and vegetables have been redistributed since 2016.
• Jardins DiversiBio (Farnham), Ferme des 3 Samson (Farnham), Ferme Samson & Fils (Farnham)coreOthers · 1 January 2016Three local farms in Farnham that donate surplus produce to the anti-food-waste programme. In 2018, eight farms participated; by the 2023-2024 season, 3,600 kg of produce was recovered for the Farnham food bank from farm partners.
• Fédération des centres d'action bénévole du Québec (FCABQ)coreOthers · 5 May 1972The CAB is a long-standing member of the FCABQ, the provincial federation representing volunteer action centres across Quebec. Membership provides access to resources, training, best practices, and a collective identity for the volunteer centre network.
• Ville de FarnhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Farnham sold the former Farnham art centre (135 Rue Saint-André Sud) to the community sector for $1, facilitating the conversion into a multi-organism community centre. The city is a core municipal partner across multiple initiatives.
• Corporation de développement communautaire de Brome-Missisquoi (CDC B-M)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CDC B-M serves as a local development hub and is a co-organizer of the food security and anti-waste programme. The CAB's director general sits on the CDC's board of directors.
• Caisse Desjardins de la PommeraiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Desjardins credit union is a key corporate partner that has organized collective volunteer cooking days (preparing 400+ pork fillets for Christmas food baskets) and contributes to community fundraising campaigns.
• Bistro des nationscoreOthersA multicultural community café operated by the CAB that transforms approximately 9 tonnes of declassified food into ~18,000 portions annually, redistributing to community members and partner organizations. Relocated to the new community centre in 2025.
• MRC de Brome-MissisquoimajorOthersThe regional county municipality covers the territory in which the CAB operates. The MRC is listed as a municipal partner alongside the municipalities of Farnham, Ste-Sabine, Ste-Brigide-d'Iberville, and Ange-Gardien.
• IGA de Farnham and Métro (Farnham)minorOthersLocal grocery retailers serve as food collection points during the annual Guignolée food drive and have also partnered with the food security table to donate near-expiry produce.
• Carrefour Jeunesse EmploiminorOthersA youth employment centre listed as a community partner, collaborating on initiatives related to youth engagement and employability.
• Le Groupe scouts La ChaîneminorOthersA local scouting group that collaborates with the CAB on community events and volunteer activities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• CAB de Cowansville: A neighbouring volunteer action centre in the Brome-Missisquoi MRC, co-founding member of the Table en sécurité alimentaire. Offers the same portfolio of volunteer transport, food assistance, tax help, and social economy activities to a similar small-town Quebec population.
• CAB de Granby: Larger peer in the broader Haute-Yamaska region. Jennyfer Jacques (CAB Farnham's new DG) previously worked at CAB Granby as a receptionist. Delivers an essentially identical service mix (medical transport, food assistance, friendly visits, tax prep, thrift) at greater urban scale.
• Moisson Granby: Regional food bank serving the same Montérégie/Haute-Yamaska territory. Directly comparable as a food-security operator that recovers surplus food and redistributes to community organizations; overlaps with the Bistro des nations and Dépannage alimentaire programmes.

Broad incumbents

• Fédération des centres d'action bénévole du Québec (FCABQ): Provincial federation of Quebec's volunteer action centres, of which CAB de Farnham is a long-standing member. Comparable because it represents and supports the same network of community-based volunteer organizations, even though it operates as an umbrella rather than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cabfarnham

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Farnham Volunteer Action Centre