15 years of collaboration between Beneva and the Aléo Foundation: over $1.5M in bursaries and services
Longueuil, May 7, 2024 – For the fifteenth consecutive year, Beneva has joined forces with the Aléo Foundation to award $100,000 in bursaries and support services to 23 young student-athletes. Since the beginning of the partnership between the two organizations, over 200 aspiring young people have been awarded 350 bursaries, representing $1.5 million in funding and support services donated by Beneva to the Foundation.
The annual bursary event took place at the Beneva offices in Longueuil, where the recipients were welcomed by Beneva’s president and chief executive officer, Jean-François Chalifoux, and the Aléo Foundation’s executive director, Patricia Demers. Seven of the athletes were first-time Beneva bursary recipients, joining a group of athletes who have been supported by Beneva since 2010, including speed skater Kim Boutin, swimmer Katherine Savard, and diver Nathan Zsombor-Murray to name a few.
In addition to awarding the annual bursaries, Beneva has become a leading partner of the Aléo Foundation, notably by presenting a fundraising event in Quebec City; À table pour les athlètes, as well as by partnering with the organization for the upcoming Beneva Montréal Marathon, wherein the Aléo Foundation will be an official charity in the Run with Heart component of the event.
In their own words:
“It has been a privilege for us to collaborate with the Aléo Foundation since 2010. In addition to recognizing these young people and encouraging them to pursue their dreams, we also have the pleasure of watching them grow and develop to their full potential. Over the past 15 years, we have seen first-hand how these student athletes become inspirations for all of society. We’re proud to be able to contribute to that.”
– Jean-François Chalifoux, President and Chief Executive Officer, Beneva
“Balancing academics with sports is a real challenge for student-athletes. However, when made easier thanks to the support of major partners like Beneva, big dreams can become reality. At the Aléo Foundation, we firmly believe that achieving this balance is essential, both in terms of sports and academics. Sharing these values with Beneva allows us to make that difference for many bursary recipients.”
- Martin Lavigne, President, Aléo Foundation
Recipients of the 2024 Beneva Bursary Program
| Name | Sport | Age | Amount | City | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Baudrand | Climbing | 21 | $4,000 | Québec (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge) | Université Bishop's |
| Tristan Bell | Snowboarding | 21 | $4,000 | Gatineau (Aylmer) | Collège Select Aviation |
| Anne-Laurie Bettez | Snowboarding | 19 | $4,000 | Terrebonne | Collège Montmorency |
| Jeanne Boilard | Artistic Swimming | 19 | $4,000 | Québec (La Cité-Limoilou) | Cégep à distance |
| Justin Boudreau | Cross-Country Skiing | 18 | $2,000 | Boucherville | Collège de Maisonneuve |
| Alexandre Bourque | Cross-Country Skiing | 20 | $4,000 | Saint-Basile-le-Grand | Cégep du Vieux Montréal |
| Isabelle Caza | Biathlon | 19 | $2,000 | Chelsea | Cégep de l'Outaouais |
| Victoriane Charron | Artistic Gymnastics | 16 | $4,000 | Mont-Saint-Hilaire | École secondaire De Mortagne |
| Samuel Darveau | Patinage de vitesse (courte piste) | 20 | $4,000 | Sainte-Julie | Cégep Édouard-Montpetit |
| Laurie Denommée | Artistic Gymnastics | 23 | $4,000 | Laval | Université de Montréal |
| Émilie Greenfield | Long Track Speed Skating | 19 | $4,000 | Québec (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge) | Cégep à distance |
| Félix Hamel | Road Cycling | 20 | $2,000 | Sainte-Julie | Cégep Édouard-Montpetit |
| Florence Hamel | Canoe Sprint | 17 | $4,000 | Kirkland | Collège Sainte-Anne |
| Simone Huang | Badminton | 17 | $4,000 | Laval | Collège Bois-de-Boulogne |
| Amélie-Laura Jasmin | Diving | 20 | $4,000 | Montréal (Saint-Laurent) | Collège André-Grasset |
| Hugo Leperlier | Squash | 16 | $2,000 | Québec (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge) | École secondaire De Rochebelle |
| Edward Ly | Table Tennis | 21 | $4,000 | Montréal (Lachine) | Cégep André-Laurendeau |
| Hubert Marcotte | Long Track Speed Skating | 23 | $4,000 | Québec (Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge) | Université Laval |
| Grégoire Mercier-Noël | Volleyball | 21 | $4,000 | Boucherville | Université de Sherbrooke |
| Émile Nadeau | Freestyle Skiing (Aerials) | 20 | $4,000 | Prévost | Cégep Limoilou |
| Neda Rahimkhani | Tennis | 16 | $2,000 | Gatineau (Aylmer) | Académie les Estacades |
| Jacob Townsend | Sailing | 19 | $2,000 | Hudson | Cégep John Abbott |
| Nathan Zsombor-Murray | Diving | 20 | $4,000 | Pointe-Claire | Cégep Vanier |
About Beneva
Created by the coming together of La Capitale and SSQ Insurance, Beneva is the largest insurance mutual in Canada with more than 3.5 million members and customers. Beneva employs over 5,500 dedicated employees: people looking out for people. Its human approach is rooted in mutualist values that are shared by its employees. With $25.2 billion in assets, Beneva positions itself as a major player in the insurance and financial services industry. Its head office is located in Quebec City.
About the Aléo Foundation
Created in 1985, the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (FAEQ) has awarded more than $20 million in bursaries to nearly 4,000 exceptional student-athletes from all over Québec. In order to better reflect the organization’s mission of elevating athletes beyond sport, the FAEQ changed its name and brand image in 2022, becoming the Aléo Foundation. In addition to continuing to provide bursaries and guidance services to the leaders of tomorrow, it maintains its personalized approach, where the overall development and well-being of its bursary recipients are at the heart of its activities.
For more information, visit fondationaleo.ca (Cet hyperlien s'ouvrira dans un nouvel onglet). or the Aléo Foundation’s social media pages:
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For more information:
Annie Dubé
Director, Marketing and Communications
Fondation Aléo
438 884-6626
[email protected]
Media Relations
Beneva
1 866 332-3806
[email protected]