MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation is proud to have helped children across Quebec get involved in physical activity through donations of over $2.5 million for the 2015-16 season. In addition to the $1.4 million which made the construction of its seventh BLEU BLANC BOUGE outdoor rink possible this winter at Émile Park in Laval, the Foundation granted $1.1 million in donations to more than 60 charitable organizations working with disadvantaged youth across Quebec.

Dedicated to offering children in need the same benefits as other kids their age by providing them the opportunity to experience healthy lifestyles through regular participation in sports and recreational activities, the Foundation supports different organizations each year whose programs show a strong will to have a significant impact on the living habits of disadvantaged children. While half of the organizations that received a grant from the Foundation this year are located in Montreal, the other half represents 11 of the 16 administrative regions of Quebec. Globally, these programs supported by the Foundation will enable more than 31,000 children to adopt physical activity as a tool for a healthy lifestyle.

These community investments are made possible thanks to the generosity of the Foundation’s partners and donors as well as Montreal Canadiens fans, who generously supported various fundraising initiatives during the 2015-16 season. The Foundation particularly wishes to recognize the continuous and generous support of Desjardins Securities, who announced last April a major gift of $508,000, bringing its total company and employee contributions to the Foundation to more than $4.5 million over the last 14 years.

The Foundation also wishes to acknowledge the significant support of its other first-rate partners, Canadian Tire and the Jumpstart Foundation, Rio Tinto, and Ford Canada, and is grateful to each of them for their faithful commitment to the cause of the children we help.