Paul Newman’s legacy lives on

Nicolas Carpentier

On September 26, 2008, actor Paul Newman died after a long battle with lung cancer. Sun Youth’s Sid Stevens thought highly of Newman, not only because of his very successful movie career but mainly because of his community involvement, here and all over the world.

In 1982, Paul Newman founded Newman’s Own, a company that produces a line of all-natural food products. Since its foundation, Newman’s Own has given away more than $250 million to charities around the world.

In 1986, Sun Youth’s Executive VP received a surprise visit from two gentlemen who said they were representing a well-known American actor. They told him that Sun Youth was being considered for a grant.

Nine months passed and Sid Stevens almost forgot about it until he received a phone call from Newman’s Own informing him that Sun Youth had been selected as the sole recipient of the profits in Quebec from their line of foods.

For seven consecutive years, Sun Youth received the support of the Newman’s Own Foundation to assist people in need. Between 1987 and 1995 Sun Youth was granted $150,000 and the equivalent of $100,000 in food products to be included in the baskets distributed through the organization’s senior monthly food supplement program.

Sid Stevens never had the chance to meet the screen legend to thank him for his generosity but he did receive a personal note from him: “A lot of people have ideas but never do anything about it. Other people have dreams but never do anything about it. Other people have ideas and dreams and do something about it. Your organization is doing something and is committed to it.”

“He was very impressed with Sun Youth’s various programs, from our emergency food bank to our summer camp in l’Annonciation,” Sid recalls fondly.

Paul Newman co-founded the Newman’s Own organization with the following mandate in mind: “The more profits we generate, the higher will be the amount given to charitable organizations.” Sun Youth was fortunate enough to receive donations from Newman’s Own until 1995, when their products stopped being distributed in Quebec. From all of us at Sun Youth, farewell Mr. Newman. You will be missed.