$3,109,180 raised during the 16th annual campaign
Montreal, December 7, 2023 — The CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation wrapped up the 16th annual Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights campaign with a deep sense of gratitude for the support of the general public and long-time partners Rythme and METRO. At the final lighting-up ceremony at 6 p.m. this evening, 621,836 beacons of hope were twinkling on the Tree, thanks to the kindness of donors from across Quebec. These included students and schools belonging to the Fédération des établissements d’enseignement privés (FEEP), whose efforts during the 4th annual Sainte-Justine Youth Tree of Lights campaign illuminated the first 194,309 bulbs. The final results were announced live on air by the hosts of the Rythme radio program Y’est 4 h quelque part.
“The warm glow emanating from the Tree of Lights is the direct result of the unprecedented support that the community has shown for the children and teams of Sainte-Justine this year, and it just keeps pouring in!” said Delphine Brodeur, President and Chief Executive Officer, CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation. “People from across the province have responded more generously than ever and sparked hope in the hearts of our families. A big thank-you to all those who sponsored lights on the Tree, as well as our fantastic partners: you are the reason we will proudly be contributing a record $3,109,180 to support Sainte-Justine as it strives to build a healthier future for every child and family in Quebec.”
“Getting to walk through those big revolving doors once again only strengthened the connection the entire team at Rythme feels with Sainte-Justine,” said Jean-Sébastien Lemire, Vice-President, Music Station Strategy, Cogeco Media. “This 16th edition was very meaningful for us. It’s the first time in four years we’ve actually been there on site to celebrate the magic of this initiative with kids and their families. We are grateful to our wonderful listeners, so many of whom responded to this year’s appeal and came together as part of the incredible chain of caring that is the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights.”
“METRO is celebrating 10 years of involvement with the Sainte-Justine Tree of Lights campaign in 2023,” remarked Marie-Claude Bacon, METRO’s Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications. “That’s a whole decade of seeing staff and customers from Metro grocery stores in Quebec step up to support the high-quality care provided by Sainte-Justine and the hospital’s Social Services Department through the METRO Sainte-Justine Family Assistance Fund. Their donations lit up more than 460,000 bulbs and raised over $ 2.3 M for Sainte-Justine.”
Sincere thanks also go out to this year’s ambassador families. The story shared by Marie-Fée and her father, Fred Pellerin, resonated with people in communities throughout the province. They were joined by the families of Lou and Jules, Eli-Noah, Chloé, Émy, Mackenzie and Jackson. Their testimonials were rounded out by inspiring messages from staff members such as Dr. Fabien Touzot and Sandrine, a pediatric nurse clinician. Together, they all played a big part in making this 16th annual campaign a memorable one indeed.
Brilliant partners
The CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation extends its heartfelt thanks to Rythme, the official broadcaster of the Tree of Lights campaign from the get-go, and METRO, the main campaign partner for the past 10 years. The Foundation is also deeply appreciative for the contributions of its dedicated partners at MEGA, altona Diagnostics, La Famille du lait, Manulift, Québec Blue Cross, Cogeco Media and Videotron, which will go a long way in creating a healthier world for our children.
Spark even more hope until December 31
The Tree of Lights will continue to light up the night sky for the children and families of Sainte-Justine throughout the holiday season. You can bring them even more comfort and joy by adding your lights to the Tree at treeoflights.org.
Media relations:
Junior Bombardier
Roy & Turner Communications
514 844-9678
jbombardier@roy-turner.com
