Since the Bénévolat d’Entraide aux Communicateurs (BEC) announced in July that it was opening in Montreal, seven people have already asked for help, says Daniel Rabinowicz, chair of the BEC steering committee, president of Taxi Montreal and the driving force behind the Quebec version of the National Advertising Benevolent Society. BEC, like NABS, offers ad industry members assistance in such areas as personal and career counselling and balancing work and life.

While NABS covers the spectrum of the ad world, from creatives to PR professionals, Rabinowicz says approximately 20% of the people who have been helped by the charity in its 20-year history have come from the media planning and buying community. He says it’s been obvious for a long time that there was a need for a similar organization in Quebec. ‘The industry is increasingly tough on its people.’

NABS’ biggest money-maker is its annual media auction in which media companies donate time and space, and advertisers and agencies bid a minimum of 50% of rate card value. Last year, the event raised $2.7 million in rate card value. This generated $800,000 for NABS.

This year BEC will be running an auction parallel to NABS’, with media companies being solicited through the fall, a catalogue in hard copy and online by Christmas and bidding in February/March.

Last year, $100,000 came from Quebec media companies, which, Rabinowicz says, is evidence that there’s a lot of room for growth. To this end, he is speaking tomorrow at the Quebec Media Directors Council/Infopresse conference, ‘Stratège medias,’ to encourage participation in the effort. He’s hoping that BEC’s auction can garner enough funds to help people for the next two years. (The organization is currently being subsidized by NABS national.)

‘The QMDC has been part of BEC from the beginning,’ says Rabinowicz, citing QMDC president John Tarantino (VP media director at Cossette Media), and VP Alain Desormiers (president of Touché Média-Marketing) as being among those supporting the initiative from the get-go. They are now members of the BEC steering committee.

As for other events, Rabinowicz says NABS has it covered; BEC won’t be adding any more golf days or galas. But he will be seeking partnerships with agencies and associations. Over the next two months, he will enter into discussions with associations like the Association des Agences de Publicité du Québec (AAPQ) and the Association du Marketing Relationnel (AMR) to determine how they can partner for awareness and financial involvement.

Companies interested in participating can contact BEC to receive more information at 1-800-661-6227, bec@nabs.org or http://www.bec-nabs.org.