The end of the year is always a crucial period at the Sun Youth Organization: a lot of effort is invested by its faithful staff, volunteers, collaborators and donors to ensure that underprivileged families can enjoy the Holidays; it is also the time when the charity collects the largest part of its resources to pursue its activities throughout the next year.
December started very well with the 19th edition of the Grande guignolee des medias, which raised more than $3.6 million, to be shared between the food banks of the province. From that total, $433,306 was collected in Greater Montreal, plus an additional equivalent of 3,888 grocery bags in food donations. All this was made possible thanks to the help of the many volunteers who participated in the street collect on December 5th and mostly, to the outstanding generosity of Quebecers.
Between December 10 and 23, Sun Youth also held its annual Christmas basket distribution. This year again, the operation was a huge success: more than 4,600 families (approximately 10,000 people) received a Christmas basket, and about 5,000 children got toys. Many companies lent a hand for the preparation and distribution of the baskets: Sun Youth wishes to thank the employees from Computer Shares, Desjardins, TD Bank, IQVIA, Societe de Police de l’agglomeration de Longueuil, Fusion MD, National Bank of Canada, Sonder, Air Canada, State Street, Mad Science, Service de Police de la Ville de Montreal, the Montreal Parking Agents, Damotech, Snell, Service de securite incendie de Montreal, Post Media, Prometour, Pepsico, Solutions Stat, Sûrete du Quebec, Prometour, Pepsico and Solutions Stat for their exceptional help. Many politicians also paid a visit and helped, namely Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, Ministers Lionel Carmant and Steven Guilbault and Deputy Dominique Anglade.
From December 19to 22, Sun Youth also had its 39th annual Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament, an elite event which reunited the best Canadian basketball teams. $9,500 was raised through the tournament, which will be used to finance the organization’s basketball program. The on-site non-perishable food collection went to the Christmas Baskets. Congratulations to the Canada Topflight Academy (Ottawa) for winning the tournament, and to the Sun Youth Hornets, who excelled on the court!
Sun Youth is very proud of what it has accomplished during the Holiday period, and none of it would have been possible without the help of its precious staff, volunteers and donors: the organization extends its most sincere thanks to everyone who gave time or made material or money donations. Unfortunately, poverty doesn’t end on January 1st and Sun Youth always need new resources to fight it. It hopes it can count on your cooperation and generosity all through 2020 to pursue its mission of giving and caring. For more details on how you can help, visit their website.
Feature image: Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante and Sun Youth’s co-founder Sid Stevens
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