MONTRÉAL, September 23, 2026 — Last week, family, friends, former colleagues, volunteers, donors, board members, elected officials and community leaders gathered at Sun Youth’s community centre to celebrate the life of Sid Stevens, co-founder of the organization, and honour the lasting impact he made on Montréal.
Hosted by Eramelinda Boquer, the evening was filled with stories, laughter and heartfelt memories that reflected Sid’s extraordinary generosity, deep love for his city and lifelong commitment to helping youth and families in need.
A Life Built Around Giving Back
Sid Stevens was just 13 years old when he and his friend Earl De La Perralle began organizing sports and recreational activities for children in their neighbourhood.
What started as a small initiative would eventually grow into Sun Youth, an organization that today supports approximately 30,000 Montrealers each year through food assistance, financial support, emergency services, youth programs, and more.
For Sid, helping others was never simply a cause. It was a way of life.
Stories That Keep Sid’s Spirit Alive
Throughout the evening, guests heard from people whose lives had been touched by Sid and his remarkable dedication to the community.
Fady Dagher, Director of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), spoke about the strong relationship between Sid, Sun Youth and the Montréal community.
Benoit Langevin, Montréal City Councillor, and Jacques Chagnon, former President of the National Assembly of Québec and longtime supporter of Sun Youth, also shared their memories and paid tribute to Sid’s contribution to the city.
The evening also brought together several elected officials who came to honour Sid and celebrate his legacy, including Josué Corvil, City Councillor for Saint-Michel; Martine Musau Muele, City Councillor for Villeray; Leslie Roberts, City Councillor for Peter-McGill; and Elisabeth Prass, Member of the National Assembly for D’Arcy-McGee.
Family members offered another deeply personal perspective. Corey Bloom, Sid’s second cousin, and Ted Stavidsky, his younger brother, spoke about the important place Sun Youth held in Sid’s life.
Corey recalled that she and Sid grew up in a family that “had nothing,” and that Sid carried that experience with him throughout his life. He wanted to make sure other children had opportunities that he and his family had not always had.
A Love for Montréal
Sid’s connection to Montréal ran deep, particularly to the Main, a neighbourhood he loved and where he enjoyed sharing the city’s food, culture, and traditions with others.
That spirit was reflected in the evening itself. Guests gathered over some of Montréal’s most iconic foods, including Schwartz’s smoked meat and St-Viateur bagels, along with other favourites from the Main.
Sun Youth extends its sincere thanks to Schwartz’s and St-Viateur Bagel for helping make the evening so special.
Another emotional highlight came with the presentation of a tribute video created by Sun Youth’s communications team. Featuring photographs and footage from different chapters of Sid’s life, the video also brought back some of the expressions and sayings that made him unmistakably Sid.
