Oakville receives Jumpstart Sport Relief grant for summer youth basketball program

Oakville youth will be taking it to the hoop this summer and they’ll be doing it for free thanks to Jumpstart’s Sport Relief Fund.

The Town of Oakville is among 500 Canadian organizations to receive a grant through the latest round of the Canadian Tire Corporation program.

With the grant of $6,000, 62 young players will be able to take to the court free of charge in the Oakville Community Basketball Program from August 14 to October 9.   

The Canadian Tire program, which has already provided over $9 million in total to more than 800 organizations, also facilitates employment opportunities for youth to gain leadership experience and foster mentorship skills through program participant engagement.

“Sport and recreation activities play an important role to the well-being of residents in all communities,” said Julie Mitchell, director of Recreation and Culture. “Thanks to the funding we received, youth in our basketball program will have opportunity to not only grow their love of playing sports, but also build connections and lasting friendships that support a sense of belonging in their community.”

Created last September in response to the significant impact COVID-19 has had on community sports and recreation, the fund aims to help build back sport and play in communities across Canada.

Jumpstart, in partnership with Ipsos, conducted a State of Sport study that showed the pandemic has not only impacted current access to sport and play, but has real long-term effects as well on communities like Oakville that are experiencing the impact of the pandemic first-hand.

For more information about free and low-fee programs and services, as well as financial assistance options, visit the Town’s Affordable Access and Subsidy Programs page on oakville.ca.

TOWN OF OAKVILLE PHOTO