21st food drive of the Dr Julien Foundation | The milestone of one million donations exceeded

(Montreal) The generosity of Quebecers is still there despite a difficult economic context, to the great joy of the volunteers of the 21^e food drive of the Fondation D^r Julien who have already exceeded the million dollar mark raised in donations, Saturday evening, for children in very vulnerable situations.

In Montreal, more than 1.37 million was raised at the end of the first day of this fundraising campaign on Saturday for the benefit of its three affiliated community social pediatrics centers.

This amount does not even take into account the work of volunteers on the ground for the food drive in the 45 other social pediatrics centers spread across the province.

“We are extremely touched to see that, despite the current difficult context, Quebecers have demonstrated unwavering support for our mission. […] This proof of solidarity and attachment forms a glimmer of hope for nearly 12,000 children whom we treat and support on a daily basis,” declared Doctor Gilles Julien, social pediatrician and founder of the Fondation D.^r Julian.

It is always possible to be generous since the 21^e food drive of the Fondation D^r Julien continues until January 15.

The network of social pediatrics centers of the Fondation du D^r Julien counts on the support of 600 professionals who work with 12,000 children each year, in the most vulnerable communities in Quebec.

“By 2027, the Fondation D^r Julien plans to offer direct care and services to nearly 15,000 children through a network of 50 community social pediatrics centers,” we read in a press release released on Sunday morning.

In Quebec, the child poverty rate exceeds 15%, according to 2017 Statistics Canada data reported by Fondation D^r Julian.

The money collected by each of the network’s centers helps finance the care provided to children in its own community. This care includes medical, legal, psychosocial, psychoeducational and educational follow-up as well as specialized services, such as speech therapy or neuropsychology. Various sporting and cultural activities are also offered to children for therapeutic and constructive purposes.