Cercle de Sainte-Justine adopts a new name and pledges to raise $16 million for the Grow Beyond campaign

MONTREAL, March 25, 2024 /CNW/ - To mark 25 years of dedication to the cause of children's health, the Cercle de Sainte-Justine has changed its name to L'élan pour Sainte-Justine and revealed an ambitious new goal: to raise $16 million by 2028 for the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation's Grow Beyond campaign.

The rebranding of this committee of young philanthropists, along with its latest fundraising target, were unveiled last Friday at Above and Beyond: A Special Evening for Sainte-Justine. Nearly 1000 members of the business community gathered at the Cartier Theatre for the event, which both celebrated L'élan's achievements over the past 25 years and offered a glimpse at what it has planned for the future. The festive soiree raised $410,000 for the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, a promising first step toward L'élan's objective.

Since 1999, L'élan pour Sainte-Justine, a group of professionals from all walks of life, has been mobilizing the business community in support of Sainte-Justine by organizing events that have become fixtures on Quebec's philanthropic calendar. Over the past 25 years, the group has helped raise more than $18 million for priority projects at CHU Sainte-Justine. Its new fundraising target is therefore bold, but also wholly representative of its members' fierce dedication.

Marked by sheer enthusiasm, teamwork, openness, and a modern sensibility, L'élan pour Sainte-Justine offers a fresh vision and renewed ambitions to transform pediatric care in the years to come. In particular, it hopes to engage a broader and more diverse spectrum of businesspeople of all ages.

"Right from day one 25 years ago, the Cercle established itself as a pioneering philanthropic force in Quebec," says L'élan representative Sébastien Grenache, who sits on the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation's board of directors and the Grow Beyond campaign cabinet. "When the Grow Beyond campaign was launched, it felt like the right time to embrace a new leadership team, reflect on our vision, and rethink our brand image to keep the Foundation moving forward. That's how we came up with the idea for L'élan pour Sainte-Justine. By making this extraordinary pledge to raise $16 million, we can give CHU Sainte-Justine the boost of support it needs to pursue visionary projects?projects that will allow every child to receive the very best in pediatric care."

L'élan's financial commitment will go toward the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation's Grow Beyond campaign, which aims to raise $500 million by 2028 to fundamentally transform children's lives. Launched in June 2023, Grow Beyond is the largest fundraising campaign by a single hospital in Quebec history.

"L'élan pour Sainte-Justine will be one of the cornerstones of the Grow Beyond campaign's success," says Delphine Brodeur, President and CEO of the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation. "The generous people who take part in its events are all helping us fulfill our greatest promise: to transform the lives of thousands of children, for life. That mission will be L'élan's focus over the next few years."

SOURCE CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation