Milestones

1937 : The Junior League of Montreal sets up its Central Volunteer Bureau, the future Volunteer Bureau of Montreal.

1939-45 : Close links are developed with Women's Voluntary Services, a British organization heavily involved in the war effort.

1947 : The Bureau obtains its original letters patent under the name Women's Voluntary Services.

1957 : The name "Volunteer Bureau" is adopted.

1966 : The Bureau helps set up the first Meals-on-Wheels group in Montreal.

1967 : Opening of the Bureau's West Island branch

1969 : The Bureau takes over management of the Christmas Index, a Montreal tradition since 1919.

1970 : The Bureau, having started out serving primarily the English-speaking population, becomes officially bilingual and is jointly funded, in equal amounts, by Red Feather and the FOCCF (the Fédération des œuvres de charité canadiennes-françaises).

1972 : The Bureau is one of the founding members of the Fédération des centres d'action bénévole du Québec (FCABQ), the Quebec federation of volunteer bureaus.

1973 : Opening of the East End branch.

1974 : Following the merger of Red Feather and the FOCCF with others to form Centraide, the Bureau becomes one of the original Centraide agencies.

1979 : Opening of the Ville Saint-Laurent branch.

1980-84 : The three branches become autonomous Centraide-funded organizations.

1992 : The Bureau changes its French name from "Service bénévole de Montréal" to "Centre d'action bénévole de Montréal".

2003 : The Bureau moves to its present location at 2015 Drummond Street.

... and in 2007 celebrates 70 years of promoting volunteerism!