History and mission

The Foundation was born thanks to two men whose devotion to the visually challenged is without bounds. They are Armand Houle and Armand Lafontaine -- Familiarly referred to as "Team Armand".

Having become blind in 1964, while in his forties, Armand Houle could feel the walls of blindness closing in on him. How is one expected to go on when everything seems to be slipping away? Career, family, anything resembling a social life... Gone. What is an independent person to do when suddenly forced to rely upon the help of others for even the most basic of tasks?

A four year battle against despair ensued until, finally, Armand Houle burst through the walls of his personal prison and decided to undertake a new life

"I want to live like everyone else, I want to live with everyone else, I want to live like before...
... and I want to help others do the same!"
With this surge of renewed vigor, Armand Houle was able to find the inner strength which enabled him to surmount the obstacles generated by blindness.

1977 marked the beginning of his collaboration with Armand Lafontaine. Together, these two men set up five organizations of varying vocations, which came to form the Quebec Foundation for the Blind. Himself not visually impaired, Armand Lafontaine was an essential collaborator in the development of the services intended to meet the many needs of the blind. Perspicacious, optimistic, enthusiastic, sharp as a tack and tenacious to the point of obstinacy, he had all of the qualities required to bring together all the elements necessary to succeed beyond all expectations. And it has not changed to this very day.

With all of the pieces in place -- The Quebec Foundation for the Blind was incorporated on August 26, 1991.