Simple Plan's Foundation Announces $225K In 2018 Donations
Justifiably lauded for their charitable endeavours, the Montreal rock band has named over 30 charitable organizations that are receiving funds raised in 2018. SPF has given out over $2.5M since it formed in 2005.
By FYI Staff
Last month, just a few days before Christmas, the Simple Plan Foundation announced its donations for 2018, for a total of $225,000. More than 30 charitable organizations, all devoted to helping young people in need, received financial support from the Foundation, bringing its total donations to $2.5 million since the hit-making Montreal rock band started the SPF.
The list of recipients shows that the Simple Plan Foundation continues to support a large number of organizations working to help sick children battling with physical and mental illnesses, as well as young people dealing with difficult issues like addictions, poverty, homophobia and the consequences of war. Some that have benefited from the Foundation’s support include the St-Justine Children Hospital, Montreal’s Children Hospital, Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, The Lighthouse Children and Families, as well as Dr. Julien’s Music Garage, the Portage Foundation and War Child Canada. The SPF also added some new recipients this year like the Dr. Clown Foundation and the New Pathways Foundation, a charity devoted to helping First Nations youth in Canada.
Simple Plan finished its 2018 world tour in its home province of Quebec with a special benefit concert at the Gagné-Bergeron Pro-Am charity hockey game at the Videotron Center in Quebec City, along with many NHL superstars like Patrice Bergeron and Marc-André Fleury.
Based on its long history of supporting charities, the group received The Allan Waters Humanitarian Award at The Juno Awards in 2012 and the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award, presented at Canadian Music Week, in 2013.
At the time, Gary Slaight, President and CEO of Slaight Communications noted that “These five guys from Montreal are truly inspiring with their dedication to giving back to youth struggling with adulthood and youth living with illness. The creation of the Simple Plan Foundation very early in their career is a reflection of the connection they have with their audience and the world their fans live in.”
In a 2016 interview with FYI, guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre explained that “We have a lot of fans who relate to our music and they’ve told us that our music, or music in general, has helped get them through tough times. That has been intense and eye-opening. We wanted to take it a step further. Then [drummer/lyricist] Chuck Comeau’s dad was saying ‘you’ve done amazing things with the band but what will your legacy be?’ Why not have something that almost becomes bigger than the band. That’s why we started the Foundation.”
Comeau added that “whenever we headline a show anywhere in the world, a dollar a ticket goes to the Foundation. When you tour for a year, that adds up.”
A full list of the 2018 donations recipients is also available at simpleplanfoundation.com
