MONTREAL -- The Media Guignolée organization reported Monday that it was able to raise a record amount of more than $4.05 million for its 20th edition held from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. The previous record of $3.6 million was set the year before in 2019.

This year, Quebecers were invited to make cash donations.

Organizers said the total amount of the most recent fundraiser was unexpected, given that the coronavirus pandemic curbed their traditional street collection.

Last month's largest amounts were raised in some of Quebec's most populous regions:

  • $760,592 in Montreal
  • $397,629 in the Eastern Townships and Bois-Francs
  • $330,008 in Montérégie
  • $304,245 in Quebec City
  • $228,140 in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
  • $159,813 in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Donations will be made to more than 100 organizations throughout Quebec.

Last spring, in response to the onset of the pandemic, an emergency food drive initiative raised $1.2 million.

The Media Guignolée said that since its inception in 2001, it has raised more than $49 million and gathered thousands of kilograms of food.

 - This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2021.