MONTRÉAL, Jan. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 17th Guignolée Dr Julien Fundraiser ended this week with a total of $1,602,357 raised in support of the Fondation's three centres of expertise (the Centre Hochelaga, the Garage à musique and the Centre Côte-des-Neiges). This amount represents more than a third of the annual funds needed to offer quality social pediatrics care and professional services to children and their families living in vulnerable situations in their respective neighborhoods.
“I sincerely want to thank the entire community for its immense generosity and encouragement for so many years. I am deeply touched by this renewed support which stimulates and motivates us to continue our mission with children affected by difficult living conditions. And of course, on behalf of the three centres of expertise—the Centre Hochelaga, the Garage à musique and the Centre Côte-des-Neiges—and on behalf of the 2,700 children and their families, thank you to those who have supported us and continue to show that it’s possible to mobilize a village to create a loving, protective circle around our children, and to care for them and empower them for a brighter future, while respecting all of their fundamental rights,” said Dr. Gilles Julien, Social Pediatrician, Clinical Director and Founding President of his namesake foundation.
The Fondation team would also particularly like to thank once more the employees of the three centres and the Fondation, the children and families that shared their experiences, street artists and personalities, as well as the nearly 600 volunteers who helped with the 17th Guignolée Dr Julien Fundraiser, in the centres or under the rain at various collection spots throughout the city. Thank you to Ève Christian, co-founder and ambassador of the event, for her commitment; the team from Samedi et rien d’autre, who presented for the 14th year a special radio show hosted by Joël Le Bigot and broadcast on ICI Radio-Canada Première; the loyal and generous Fondation ambassador, Christian Bégin; Jean-Charles Lajoie for hosting the traditional children’s street hockey game for the 11th time; TELUS for its help with the call centre; and the Jean Coutu Group for its ongoing support. The Fondation would also like to thank 91.9 Sports for its contribution; Taxelco for the fleet of taxis available all day; and the numerous partners who provided our volunteers with food and drinks or even a warm place to dry off throughout the long day.
More than 20 community social pediatrics centres throughout the Province also held their own guignolée fundraisers on December 17, despite sometimes hostile weather conditions – torrential rain or ice – raising, thanks to everyone’s determination, a total of $947,000. Each centre will use these funds to offer direct care and professional social pediatrics services to children living in difficult conditions in their community, according to Dr Julien’s model.
About the Fondation Dr Julien
The mission of the Fondation Dr Julien is to mobilize the community, to support and increase the number of front-line workers, to influence and promote best practices and its unique community social pediatrics model. It works to ensure longevity so that the maximum number of vulnerable children can access care and services that respect their basic rights. It also trains, supports and certifies a network of community social pediatrics centres (CSPCs) and professionals in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. Today, 40 CSPCs provide care to and empower some 9,000 children and their families in Quebec.
Community social pediatrics overview
The community social pediatrics model is unusual in that it combines medicine, law and social sciences. The central role occupied by each child and their family network allows them to really participate in the decisions and action plans that affect them. Community social pediatrics is practised in constant interaction with the child’s environments, with a special focus on the child’s strengths as well as those of their family and community. The approach therefore relies on the commitment of everyone involved to the child’s wellbeing and development with respect to their fundamental rights.
To learn more: http://fondationdrjulien.org/en/community-social-pediatrics/services-for-children/a-unique-approach/
Demandes d’entrevues ou d’informations :
| France Guay | Élise Bérard |
| Fondation Dr Julien | Fondation Dr Julien |
| (514) 513-6423 | (514) 588-3794 |
| fguay@pediatriesociale.org | eberard@pediatriesociale.org |