Laval, September 16, 2026<\/b> For a third edition, the Le BUT Foundation and the Al\u00e9o Foundation are teaming up to support the next generation of Quebec hockey and para hockey athletes. Gathered at the Sports Rousseau store in Laval, 13 young student-athletes identified as \"Espoir\" experienced a moment entirely their own: a scholarship presentation designed to recognize their potential and provide them with additional resources to continue their journey.<\/p>\n
The 13 recipients each received a grant of 1,500 $. In addition to this financial support, they have joined the Al\u00e9o family and, with that, gained lifetime access to the support services provided by the Foundation.<\/p>\n
Through this program, the two foundations share a common goal: to ensure that financial or material barriers do not hold back the potential of young people who want to progress in the sport they love. Together, they support hockey and parahockey players who demonstrate strong potential and for whom a helping hand can make a real difference in the pursuit of their journey.<\/p>\n
From scholar to donor: Pierre Gendron pays it forward<\/b><\/p>\n
Pierre Gendron's commitment to the next generation also takes on a very personal dimension. A former Al\u00e9o Foundation bursary recipient in the 1990s, he has chosen once again this year to personally offer two additional bursaries to student-athletes playing university hockey, as part of the Al\u00e9o Foundation's Pay It Forward program.<\/p>\n
A full-circle gesture: after having himself benefited from decisive support in his journey, he now wishes to help create that momentum for a new generation.<\/p>\n
In their own words:<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00abWhen I meet these young people, I see a part of my own journey. I, too, needed people to encourage me, give me a hand, and, above all, believe in what I could achieve. The Al\u00e9o Foundation was one of those entities for me. Today, with the Le BUT Foundation, we are taking action in several ways to make hockey more accessible, whether by covering certain costs, providing new equipment, or giving used equipment a second life. Our partnership with Al\u00e9o allows us to go even further by also supporting the development of these young people. If our help can remove an obstacle for them and give them a little more confidence to keep going, then we will have accomplished something important.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2013 Pierre Gendron<\/b>, founder and president of the Le BUT Foundation<\/p>\n
\u00abThis partnership is particularly valuable for the Al\u00e9o Foundation because it brings together several dimensions of our mission: recognizing potential, reducing barriers, and supporting young people long after the presentation of a scholarship. And when this commitment comes from a former scholarship recipient like Pierre, the circle is made even more complete. He received support at an important moment in his journey and now chooses to pass it on in turn. That is exactly the spirit of the Circular philanthropy<\/i> so dear to the Al\u00e9o Foundation: a growing community that stays connected and, over time, finds in turn its own way of propelling those who follow.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2013 Patricia Demers<\/b>, Managing Director of the Al\u00e9o Foundation<\/p>\n
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2026 Recipients of the Le BUT Foundation Program<\/strong><\/p>\n