This January, Quebec’s well known 28-day alcohol free challenge has returned with a new format. The Fondation Jean Lapointe has launched the 13th edition of the Défi 28 jours sans alcool, but this year the challenge is no longer limited to February. Participants can now start from January 1, meeting people who already choose to begin the year by reducing or stopping alcohol use, even if they never labeled it as a challenge before. The goal remains ambitious, to raise 500,000 dollars to support prevention, family support, and addiction treatment programs delivered across Quebec.

A new structure adds an interesting twist. Two ambassador teams now represent different entry points into temporary sobriety. The January team speaks to those exploring well being after the holiday season, while the February team gathers long time supporters for whom the challenge has become an annual ritual of solidarity. A friendly competition between the teams aims to boost donations, yet the message stays clear, all funds support the same mission. This design reflects a smart behavioral insight, meet people where they already are, then invite them one step further.

Behind the campaign sits an organization with deep roots. For more than four decades, Maison Jean Lapointe and its foundation have combined treatment, prevention, education, and family support. Over 1.2 million secondary school students have taken part in school based prevention programs, showing a sustained investment in shaping future generations. Jean-Marie Lapointe, whose family founded the organization, speaks openly about addiction as a mental prison, but also about recovery as a path to happiness. It is a narrative that replaces stigma with realism and hope.

Participation is simple. The challenge runs from January 1 to February 28, with registration open for January, February, or both. A 28 dollar registration helps fund youth awareness activities, while additional fundraising supports services for people affected by alcohol, substances, gambling, and hyperconnectivity. The campaign has become Quebec’s largest annual communication effort on alcohol awareness. A pause from alcohol framed as collective action, social support, and public health investment. A small experiment in personal change that scales into societal impact.

Find more from https://defi28jours.com/en/ (Canada, January 2026)