Gina Gentleman Stop Hunger Scholarships

The Gina Gentleman Scholarships recognize Sodexo Canada employees or their immediate family members who have demonstrated outstanding community involvement by volunteering for a cause of their choice.  Three winners will receive a $2,500 scholarship for tuition and related expenses to a recognized post-secondary institution. In addition, the Stop Hunger Foundation will donate $1,000 to a local charity of the winners' choice. 

The Stop Hunger Foundation welcomes applications from Sodexo employees or their immediate family members who wish to pursue higher education (CEGEP and university).

Applicants are invited to submit a letter of motivation demonstrating their involvement in their community and explaining why they wish to be selected.

Preference will be given to applicants who have demonstrated regular involvement and to applicants who have demonstrated involvement in the fight against hunger.

The scholarships honour the memory of Gina Gentleman, a 41-year Sodexo employee who volunteered and inspired others to feed children in need.

 

Application period

Applications are open from Monday 28 March 2022 to 1 June 2023.

 

Communication tools

We invite all Sodexo managers to download this poster to promote the scholarships within their unit

2019 Gina Gentleman Scholarships

Breanna Sirois – University of Ottawa

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Breanna Sirois, a 17-year-old student at the University of Ottawa was recently awarded with a $2,500 scholarship to continue her studies in International development and Globalization. Additionally, she donated her $2,500 grant to the Ottawa Food Bank to help stopping hunger within her community. “It was my honour to choose the Ottawa Food Bank. This facility works so hard to give back to so many in need, and I am happy to have helped many in my region with this donation”, Breanne says.

Megan Lacoste – Simon Fraser University

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Megan has been working with Sodexo since 2014. She is now a General Manager at one of Sodexo accounts in Vancouver, BC. A couple of months ago she decided to get back to school and pursue a Master’s in Business Administration at Simon Fraser University. 

“The bursary not only helps financially but emotionally as well to know that I am supported by the foundation,” says Megan. “I am very proud to be a recipient of the Gina Gentleman Scholarship from the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation where I am given the opportunity to donate to the charity of my choice. I am so glad that I chose the Greater Vancouver Food Bank as my charity.”

Mobah Kayani – University of Calgary

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Mobah Kayani is a student at the University of Calgary and she pursues a Bachelor of Arts. She decided to donated her grant to the Calgary Food Bank.

About Gina Gentleman

Gina portrait.pngGina Gentleman was a longtime Sodexo employee and a tireless volunteer. The thought of a child going hungry was unthinkable to her. 

Every summer, she donated her time and energy to make sandwiches for children in need through Stop Hunger’s Feeding our Future program.

Even on her vacation, she volunteered along with her husband, fellow Sodexo employee Jean-Claude Dulude. When the local food bank needed helpers during the holiday season, Gina rallied her colleagues for participation and donations.  

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During the holiday food drive in 2015, extreme fatigue from chemotherapy could not keep Gina from filling food baskets. She knew that her efforts meant that fewer children would go hungry.  

Gina gave 41 years of service to Sodexo working in our Finance department. Among her proudest accomplishments was being able to feed the children in her community.