Bell Canada, in partnership with the True Sport Foundation, today announced the first group of grant recipients of a $1 million investment in community hockey and soccer programs for youth.
The Bell Community Sport Fund awarded $5,000 grants to forty-five communities to improve access to community sport. Four additional communities received grants of $25,000 each for projects that showed legacy potential. More than 300 applications were received before the March 31 deadline. Applications were evaluated based on their level of inclusion, good governance and the potential number of participants affected.
"Youth soccer and hockey are often the gathering and connecting points for communities," said Nathalie Nahmiash, Associate Director, Community Investment, Bell Canada. "Through the Bell Community Sport Fund we are able to help Canadians increase access to their sport programs, thus strengthening their communities as a whole."
The Bell Community Sport Fund, which will distribute $1 million in grants over three phases in 2005, was conceived as part of Bell's "Connected to Communities" community investment program. "Connected to Communities" focuses Bell's corporate giving on fostering economic development and strengthening social foundations at the community level, with an emphasis on initiatives that benefit children and youth.
Types of community projects that will be supported through today's grant announcements include enrolment subsidies, equipment purchases, equipment sharing/swapping programs, training programs for coaches and officials, volunteer recruitment and improvement of playing surfaces.
"These grants go right to the heart of what True Sport is all about: getting kids onto playing fields where they can experience the many benefits that value-based community sport can offer," said Paul Melia, President of the True Sport Foundation.
The four $25,000 grants were awarded to support the following initiatives:
- Association des Braves (Montréal, QC) operates hockey and soccer programs in a multi-cultural area and will use grant to purchase new playing equipment, first aid kits and uniforms, provide additional volunteer training and waive participation costs for economically challenged families.
- The Bellevue Manor Tenants Association (Ottawa, ON) will use its grant to improve access to a safe sport and recreation environment by grading, sodding and outfitting the economically challenged communitys lone (and very popular) playing field.
- Sport Hamilton (Hamilton, ON) provides services for many new Canadians and will use the grant to increase capacity for a fall/winter inner city soccer program, help waive participation fees for economically challenged families and provide leadership training to immigrant adult volunteers.
- South Peace Junior Soccer (Dawson Creek, BC) will use grant to help construct a new soccer facility for their summer league and refurbish existing fields to expand program capacity.
The fund was developed in partnership with the True Sport Foundation, a charitable organization committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society, our athletes and the physical and moral development of Canada's youth. Community teams, groups, leagues, schools and associations in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia may apply for grants.
The sports of hockey and soccer, the two most popular youth sports in Canada, were selected for funding in the first year to ensure the fund impacts the greatest number of Canadians. The deadline for grant applications in phase II is June 15, 2005. Information on submitting grant applications can be obtained at www.truesport.ca/bellfund.
About True Sport
True Sport is a national movement committed to the belief that sport makes a powerful and positive contribution to the development of people and communities. True Sport emphasizes the key role that sport can play in the development of a strong and connected Canada. For more information, please visit www.truesport.ca.
About Bell Canada
Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, local and long distance phone services, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions and satellite television services. Bell Canada is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For more information please visit www.bell.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Jacqueline Michelis
Bell Canada Media Relations
613.785-1427
1-877-391-2007
Cori McPhail
Communications Manager, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
(613) 521-3340 x3210
