Our mission The Regroupement Un P'tit Coeur au Chaud is an entirely voluntary organization whose mission is to bring a little soothing comfort to children in the care of the Centres jeunesse (Youth Centers) of the province of Quebec.

What we do We offer soft, warm, fleece blankets to children in foster homes or institutional care. The blankets are made by hand by women of the area. They remain the property of the children and stay with them through the various placements they are submitted to. A comforting symbol, this security blanket becomes like an emotional anchor point in the often changing lives of these children. We also make 'duffle bags' (lovely big canvas bags used to move the children's personal belongings) which are a huge improvement over the plastic garbage bags commonly used for this purpose. In addition to the beneficial impact these actions have on the children, we believe that the positive ties that are woven between the community and the 'children in the system' can't help but profit the whole of the community.

3 words that summarize our philosophy:

• Confidentiality. For reasons of confidentiality, the blankets and bags are given to the Centres jeunesse social workers who look after their distribution;
• Quality. The blankets and bags are all made by hand. Even though commercially-made products are often cheaper, we believe that creating these items by hand (and with love!) gives them an added value that makes all the difference in the world;
• Free. The blankets and bags are made by our volunteers specifically for the children in the care of the Centres jeunesse and they are given to them at no charge. To maintain the special and free nature of these items, they are not used as sale items at fund-raising events or other types of activities.

Our greatest hope
Our fondest wish is that one day all the children in foster care in the province of Quebec, will be comforted by our soft and warm blankets.

A word about our founder
Caroline Gosselin is the creative mind behind the Regroupement Un P'tit Coeur au Chaud. In 2002, she and her husband Julien Cabanac adopted a little girl out of foster care in the Ottawa area. They are the happy parents of 5 children and live in Granby, Quebec. Holding a doctorate in physiology-endocrinology from the Faculty of Medecine of Laval University, Dr Gosselin is an author and consultant in the field of health/wellness. She serves as liaison officer for the Regroupement Un P'tit Coeur au Chaud.

visitors since november 20, 2006