Photo Credit : Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Sid Stevens sketch and profile by Lou Seligson in the Montreal Star, 1973.
Photo Credit : Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives
1941 -
Sid Stevens
The co-founder of Sun Youth, Sid Stevens, is a social and community developer who has devoted his life to uplifting economically struggling individuals and communities throughout Montreal.
Stevens grew up in an Ashkenazi Jewish family, surrounded by a supportive community, yet, like many new immigrants, he struggled to escape poverty. His insider’s understanding of the difficulties faced by many vulnerable families inspired him to find practical solutions to issues affecting people in his community; he went on to use his own challenges as fuel to combat social inequalities for future generations.
In 1954, when Stevens was still a teenager, he and his friend Earl De La Perralle created a recreation group for neighbourhood youth, which became the prototype for Montreal’s community service organization, Sun Youth. Today, Sun Youth provides a wide range of services to over 300,000 individuals in Montreal. The thriving organization, which Stevens is Executive Vice President of, runs programs including food and clothing banks, youth summer camps, emergency services, crime prevention services and recreational facilities.
In addition to his work with Sun Youth, Stevens was elected to Montreal City Council in 1978, and quickly earned the admiration of the broader Montreal community with his compassion, leadership and public service initiatives.
Stevens has received many accolades for his dedication to the community. In 1986, he was given the Dawson College Award for his outstanding contribution to public life. In 1989, the Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship awarded him a citizen’s commendation. In 1992, he was honoured by the Quebec Psychiatric Association for his social commitment and recognized by the Conseil du citoyen de Montréal for his generosity to the community and his contribution to the well-being of his fellow citizens and humanity in general. He was a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year in 1995. In 2002, McGill University awarded him an honorary doctor of laws. And in 2009, the Jewish Eldercare Centre Auxiliary honoured him for his outstanding contribution to the community.
