Snowsuit Campaign closes after reaching 210-child capacity

Groupe Action has closed applications for its annual Snowsuit Campaign after accepting 210 children this year, as the organization works to put the long-running program on more stable financial footing.

Applications closed September 18. There is no waiting list and no second application round this year.

For Judith Gour, Groupe Action's executive director, the numbers matter, but so does what the program represents.

“One of our biggest things that we want for families is to give every child a quality snowsuit that can keep them warm during the coldest days of winter in Canada,” Gour said in an interview with The Rustler.

The campaign, which began in Rockland in 2005 and later expanded across Prescott-Russell, distributed 416 snowsuits last year. In a more typical year, Gour said, the program serves about 300 to 350 children.

This year, Groupe Action is dealing with financial and supply challenges. Gour said in a September 22 follow-up that the deficit resulted from a combination of last year's larger distribution, donations that did not fully cover campaign expenses and rising snowsuit costs. The loss of the campaign's wholesale supplier added uncertainty over whether Groupe Action could obtain suitable snowsuits at prices it could afford.

Rather than make large purchases under those conditions, Groupe Action made 2026 a transition year, limiting capacity and relying on existing inventory while working toward a more sustainable model.

Gour said one part of the path forward could be closer collaboration among community organizations.

“I'm thinking, let's just all sit together as partners,” she said.

For families already accepted into this year's program, the next key date is October 24. Snowsuits will be distributed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hawkesbury Family Centre, 250 Main Street East, Suite 115; Valoris, 860 Caron Street in Rockland; and the Embrun Family Centre, 8 Valoris Street in Embrun.

The parent or legal guardian who submitted the application must attend with each child for whom a snowsuit has been reserved. Identification is required for the parent and children, and children must be present to try on their suits.

Although applications are closed, Groupe Action is continuing to fundraise. A breakfast is scheduled for October 14 from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Carole Restaurant, 292 Main Street East in Hawkesbury. A second breakfast is scheduled for October 16 from 7 a.m. to noon at Broadway Bar & Grill, 2756 Chamberland Street in Rockland.

Money raised now will support future campaigns rather than expand the 2026 list. Groupe Action says its goal is to make the campaign financially sustainable for years to come and gradually rebuild its capacity to help more children.