1. A Meaningful recognition
Since its founding, the Centre Pastel has been committed to supporting children and families in building a more vibrant, respectful, and grounded relationship with the world around them. In July 2025, this mission was officially recognised by the Canada Revenue Agency, which granted the Centre Pastel registered charity status. Its official mission is: the advancement of education.
Its registration number is: 712582352 RR 0001
This recognition marks a major milestone in the Center’s development, as it reinforces our deep commitment to early childhood education.
The Centre Pastel is a learning center that offers a variety of activities throughout the year: parent-child workshops, talks for families, educational stays in nature, childcare services for children aged 2 to 6, educational support for homeschooled children, and ongoing training for educators. All these initiatives share the common goal of supporting children in their overall development and offering families an intimate, nurturing, and meaningful environment.
Charitable status not only recognizes the social value of our activities, but also opens the door to funding and greater visibility, enabling us to pursue our mission with even greater strength and consistency.
2. What Is a Charitable organization?
A charity is a non-profit organisation recognised by the Canada Revenue Agency as pursuing a public interest mission. It operates in areas considered essential to the collective well-being, such as education, health, poverty reduction, and environmental protection.
This status opens the door to new sources of funding for the Center, as it allows it to receive tax-deductible donations, access certain grants, and strengthen the trust of its partners. It also imposes strict obligations of transparency and ethical management.
By becoming a charitable organization, the Centre Pastel is placing its educational and social activities in the context of serving the common good, beyond its immediate circle of beneficiaries.
3. Why Did We Apply for This Status?
The decision to apply for charitable status was driven by a deep desire to provide the Centre Pastel with a stable, ethical, and sustainable structure that aligns with its values. We want to affirm our long-term commitment to serving children, families, and society in accordance with the educational values we stand for.
It also places our work within a framework that prioritizes the collective interest. For us, it is a natural step in the evolution of a project that has always aimed to sow seeds that are greater than itself.
Charitable status allows us to better welcome the support of donors, partners, and other institutions who wish to contribute to a vibrant education rooted in art, nature, and human connection.
4. What Projects Will Be Funded Through Donations?
Several projects will be targeted by appeals for donations.
Firstly, on the social front, we want families of all income levels to be able to attend the parent-child workshops that the Center organizes on Saturdays throughout the year and the educational trips to the countryside that the Center organizes during the year. Therefore, some fundraising campaigns will aim to collect donations to enable free participation in these workshops and retreats, which focus on traditional crafts and manual arts such as weaving, wool felting, knitting, woodworking, and more.
Other campaigns will aim to create and fund conferences for families so that participation is free of charge. These talks will cover specific topics related to early childhood education and offer families practical tools for supporting their children in a rapidly changing world.
Lastly, the campaigns will also support the maintenance and development of the warm, living, welcoming and committed environment that the Centre cultivates for its daycare services (ages 2–6) and its educational support for homeschooled children (ages 6+).
5. What this means in practical terms for Families and Donors?
Charitable status allows Centre Pastel to provide its donors with official receipts entitling them to tax credits (a refund of a large portion of the donation), thereby facilitating financial support for our activities.
For families and the community, this also means greater sustainability for our organisation and the possibility of expanding our educational offerings by developing our services to better meet the real needs of children.
Every contribution becomes a direct investment in a socially engaged project that supports the harmonious development of young children.
Conclusion
Official recognition as a registered charity marks a new chapter in the Centre Pastel’s story. It affirms our deep commitment to childhood, family, and education. We invite everyone to discover, support, and share this beautiful journey, so that together we can build a future where children can grow to their full potential, fully supported by a vibrant education rooted in art, nature, and human connection.
Montreal – 18 septembre 2025 – Ludovic Le draoullec
