Mois des Câlins de Sainte‑Justine (Hug Month)
Since 2007, an outpouring of love for our kids and mums has swept over Quebec every February, as people across the province celebrate the Mois des Câlins de Sainte-Justine(Hug Month). During the Healing More Better campaign, the proceeds from the sale of Clarins “Rose Câlins” Lip Perfectors have been directed to the Integrated Centre for Child Neurodevelopment.
Year after year, our loyal partners at Rythme FM, the Jean Coutu Group and Clarins help ensure the ongoing success of the event. As do our supporters throughout the province who hurry into their local Jean Coutu to pick up their own Lip Perfector as soon as it hits the shelves.
Thank you, all of you, for embracing this initiative so enthusiastically. Your “hugs” are having a real and lasting impact on our young patients.
Cachou Tournament
For 30 years, Sainte-Justine’s Cachou Tournament has been one of the most popular charity events on the spring calendar. During the Healing More Better campaign, the tournament format was updated to introduce the very first event aimed at young professionals, Cachou Tournament for Young Leaders, on May 25, 2015, which attracted 150 golf enthusiasts.
Held at the picturesque Club Laval-sur-le-Lac, the classic tournament is attended by 200 people every year. But regardless of whether they are up-and-comers or established executives, our participants are bound by a common mission to help find better ways to heal more children.
Between our golfers, partners and donors, a total of $7.8 million was raised between 2013 and 2017. The past two years have been particularly wow-worthy, generating record-breaking proceeds of $1.3 million and $1.6 million.
Thank you to our honorary chairs, our organizing committee chairs and members, and all those who have helped us do more and do better for our kids and mothers!
Sainte-Justine’s Tree of Lights
Every year since 2008, the month of December has twinkled with thousands of beacons of hope, thanks to the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights.
Throughout the Healing More Better campaign, the Tree of Lights grew brighter and brighter, from 65,000 lights in 2013 to 150,000 in 2017, making the holidays even more magical for the children and families in our community.
Children like Léa, one of our young ambassadors, who remembers the past three holiday seasons at Sainte-Justine. “It’s no fun being in the hospital, especially over Christmas. But when people donate money, it helps the doctors find solutions for us and come up with all sorts of things to make us feel better. Wow! Thank you for doing all that for us kids!”
The illumination of the Tree of Lights becomes more dazzling and impressive every year. It is a compelling symbol of the extraordinary generosity shown by the donors of the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, the listeners of Rythme FM—our loyal partners from the outset—and the customers of Metro grocery stores, a company that has embraced this adventure since 2014.
And of course it demonstrates the support of allies like MEGA®, a member of the Mattel® family, Brault & Martineau, Québecor, Videotron and Trio Orange, whose numerous initiatives have made a great contribution to the success of the campaign over the past five years through a number of initiatives.
Between 2013 and 2017, approximately $3.5 million was raised to support Sainte-Justine’s priority projects and Social Services Department. In May 2017, the Fonds METRO d’aide aux familles was established to enable the Social Services Department do even more for families in dire financial straits so they can concentrate on helping their children get better.
On behalf of Léa and all of the children and families who find strength and courage in the Tree of Lights, we thank you!
Direct Giving and Monthly Donors
Once again this year, tens of thousands of you responded favourably to our direct mailing, e‑mail and telephone appeals by agreeing to be active supporters of Sainte-Justine. And nearly 3,000 of you gave through our monthly donor program.
The health of our kids and mums clearly matters a lot to you! Together, your gifts amounted to an impressive $16.5 million. You are the momentum behind the continued growth of Sainte-Justine and the initiatives that will shape our future.
François Rivest is one of our monthly donors. He signed up for the program in 1996 and has been a faithful donor ever since. “Life has been good to me. I have three children and two grandchildren, and our whole family, myself and my wife included, are in excellent health,” he tells us. “My wish is to give back to those who have not been as fortunate and help find solutions for families who need them.”
We are honoured to be able to count on these amazing people who make sure we have what it takes to keep doing more and keep doing it better. Thank you for being such a reliable source of support for the children, mothers and families of Sainte-Justine.
