Diverse City: ‘One Magic Moment’ gives back to underserved Montreal children
Posted December 15, 2025 5:46 pm.
Last Updated December 15, 2025 7:29 pm.
For 118 children from underserved communities in Montreal, the holidays are indeed the most wonderful time of the year – in part thanks to “One Magic Moment.”
The holiday-time event is about giving back to the city’s underserved kids.
“The kids, I think they understand that it’s people doing it for them out of the goodness of their hearts,” said founder John Gumbley. “And I think that’s really the main goal of One Magic Moment is everybody should realize you can give no matter who you are and any situation as long as you’re willing to do it. It’s all about giving.
“I just want them to walk away happy with a smile on their face and bring positivity that they felt today here, into the world, into their environment, into their communities, and help that grow. It’s like a starting point, one magic moment, and then they just take it forward with them into the world. That’s it.”
Gumbley, who is the president of Jegantic Hospitality Group, grew up as an underprivileged child in Verdun. He says he was fortunate to have access to community centres and church outreach programs that helped his family through many tough times and was an integral part of shaping his future.
One Magic Moment brings Gumbley full circle, he says, as he adds holiday magic into the lives of those who need it the most. “I feel like I’m giving other kids opportunities to have a nice experience, a good time, and add some positivity into their lives,” he said.
Event director Jennifer Torres says it’s about helping kids who “just don’t have the resources” feel special.
“(It) makes them feel unique, and makes them feel seen, and that’s what we wanna keep doing every year,” Torres said. “We believe strongly, those of us that have been involved with One Magic Moment over the last couple of years, is that this will have staying power with the kids, and we think that these are gonna be the kids that help kids that came from similar neighbourhoods. So that’s what we’re hoping for.”
Taking it all in were kids like nine-year-old Elise Dass and 11-year-old Desean Degean.
“I feel really excited because it’s an opportunity to see other new things,” Elise told CityNews, who said her favourite part of the day was “everything, honestly.”
“There’s gonna be some free food, some candy canes. So it’s all great like that,” Desean added.
Christina Perri, the event’s decorator and sponsorship lead, says seeing “the smile on everybody’s faces” makes it all worth it.
“It’s my third year with them, and it’s just watching them light up, whether it be from the décor, whether it be from seeing the sweet station, whether it be from the animation, the whole experience,” Perri said. “What an afternoon like this does for kids that are going through rough times.”
“If you have the opportunity to pass it forward and pay it forward, because someone paid it forward to them, we’d want them to do the exact same thing,” added Torres.
