Steel Plus Network: A Community Dedicated to Children’s Well-Being

Steel Plus Network (SPN) is an association that connects fabricators and suppliers in the structural steel industry from across Canada. Its members are strong believers in the power of community.

In recent years, SPN President Colleen Doucette has been on the lookout for a way to contribute to a charitable cause that she cares deeply about. In 2018, she came up with a great idea, Kids of Steel. But to make this happen, she needed to present the idea to her Board of Managers and with their approval, the Kids of Steel Endowment Fund began in earnest in 2023. Through this initiative, SPN members can help raise funds for an organization that works to make a difference in children’s lives. In choosing an organization, Colleen was determined to find a solution that would resonate with all her partners and members across the country.

“This all comes from my wanting to reach out to kids and make sure they could start their day with a good breakfast, like I always did when I was growing up,” explained Colleen. She knew this fund could have a meaningful impact. But the question remained: how exactly?

“I was very impressed by the Club’s level of engagement. Not just with the public, but also through social and broadcast media, as well as their overall impact. It made sense to join forces with them,” she added.

That is how the partnership between Steel Plus Network and Breakfast Club of Canada began. The first year was a big hit. SPN members got behind the initiative and together raised over $65,000. Of this amount, over $65,000 was donated to the Club to support breakfast programs in Quebec. Then Colleen and two of her colleagues had the opportunity to visit a school breakfast program in Québec, where they chipped in one morning to help serve a special meal.

Jacques Labbé, VP Operations and co-owner/co-founder of the Camnor Group, was one of these colleagues. He very much enjoyed the experience: “It feels good, and it really warms your heart to see people giving of themselves and their time every day to serve up a nutritious breakfast to children who really need it.”

Colleen’s memories of the day are just as fond: “It was wonderful! They are all these beautiful little people with their own likes and ways of doing things. It was great to see that they had options to choose from and to watch so many of their faces light up.”

In the coming years, Colleen hopes to continue this partnership and get her members even more involved. Her goal is to raise $20,000 every year for the Kids of Steel Endowment Fund. All contributions made by Quebec partners will be donated to Breakfast Club of Canada.

We look forward to seeing what this promising partnership will lead to in the years to come. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to Colleen and the entire Steel Plus Network!