National Volunteer Week – How Stephane Bolduc’s passion for giving back has sparked change in his community

Inspired by his parents to spread kindness and give back to those in need, Stephane Bolduc, Manager of Service Delivery Reporting, has always felt a calling for community volunteering.

From the moment he stepped into Moisson Montreal, a local Montreal food bank, five years ago, Stephane knew that he needed to do what he could to support this important organization.

In honour of National Volunteer Week, we sat down with Stephane to learn more about his passion for volunteering and how his efforts have been recognized in a big way.

You’ve been an active volunteer in your community for many years. In particular, you’ve dedicated your time to volunteering at Moisson Montreal. Tell us about your experience volunteering here and the impact you’ve had.

I have been actively volunteering for just over 5 years, most of it at Moisson Montréal. I first joined a group of Rogers volunteers for a day of volunteering at Moisson Montréal and I immediately fell in love with their mission.

From the very first time I visited, I was in shock and in awe seeing first-hand the amount of food that would have gone to waste without the work they do. The task is simple: redistribute food to those that need it instead of sending it to waste in a landfill.

Giving hope to those that need and deserve it is the most gratifying thing you can do. I consider it my duty to give back, and every time I finish a day of volunteering, the feeling I get from knowing I have helped so many that deserve it just cannot be described with words – a true feeling of goodness.

Recently, you were recognized as a Champion Volunteer from Moisson Montreal for your contributions to their organization. What does this award mean to you?

Being recognized as a Champion Volunteer in 2021 was a complete surprise. I never did volunteer work for the prospect of being recognized for it. In fact, I didn’t even know about this annual event beforehand.

I did what I did because I wanted to do it, and I tried to do as much of it as I could. For me, volunteering is not a chore, it is a duty and a privilege. When I started organizing events for Rogers employees, the response I got from my peers was overwhelming. Their desire to donate their time to give back was inspiring. I have since arranged over two dozen events at this time. Even when COVID hit, I knew that more than ever Moisson Montréal would need volunteers. After making sure there were measures in place to protect the volunteers, I managed to rally a few of my colleagues to join me, much to the delight of Moisson Montréal who were in dire need of help with most of their volunteers no longer going.

Why are you passionate about giving back to your community?

My parents instilled in me the importance of giving back. My parents were hard workers. We didn’t have a luxurious lifestyle, but there was always food on the table. I have three older sisters and I know that sometimes money was tight in our house, but that wasn’t something we spoke about. If company came over, we welcomed them with open arms and our guests always had a place at the table. I have two daughters of my own now, and I want them to learn the values I was brought up with. I want them to be selfless, genuine and caring. I am so very proud of them, and I hope they are proud of me as well.

What is your message to those interested in giving back and volunteering but are unsure about taking action?

Just do it! Its simple. If you are not sure how, reach out to me and I will gladly assist and even join you. No matter how often I do volunteer work, I always want to do more. Doing good deeds is extremely addictive. But you have to start. Rogers is making it easy for us to do so, so please take advantage of all available resources and start giving back. Your life will be changed for the better and so will those you helped.