Donations needed to fund sport for kids across BC in the coming year

VANCOUVER, BC – November 28, 2022 – KidSport™ has launched their 11th annual Give the Gift of Sport™ fundraising campaign, calling on British Columbians to donate this holiday season to help more kids experience the joy of a season of sport. The campaign, which launched on November 15, runs until January 6, 2023.

“Sport BC is proud of our signature program, KidSport and its efforts to help more kids benefit from organized sport. We know participation in sport can help kids be healthier, but it can also improve their performance in school and aid their social development,” says Rob Newman, President & CEO of Sport BC. “In essence, sport can provide our children with a head start on life. At KidSport we believe every child deserves that chance.”

The KidSport concept was launched in 1993 by board and staff at Sport BC as a way to help address the challenges faced by many families when registering their children in organized sport. From a modest start in that first year, KidSport has expanded to become a national entity with 11 provincial/territorial chapters and over 160 community-based chapters across Canada.

Last year, KidSport chapters in BC distributed more than $1.3 million to help 4,164 kids in 132 communities across the province experience the joy of a season of sport. This year, the demand for KidSport funding has increased in response to the economic crisis that many families are experiencing, and the need is expected to be even greater in 2023.

“As the need in our communities continues to increase, so does the need for funding,” says Angela Crowther, KidSport BC’s Fundraising Manager. “Donations from the public are instrumental to the success of our program to ensure no child is left watching from the sidelines. We owe ALL kids the chance to experience everything sport has to offer, and donor support helps provide lasting memories for the kids who are given the chance to participate.”

Every donation counts and will contribute to making a difference in a child’s life. An average donation of $300 can provide one child with a full season of sport—the type of gift that will last well beyond the holidays.

To learn more about the campaign, or make a donation to your local chapter, visit KidSport.ca/GiftofSport.

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Fast Facts: KidSport Impact Across BC

• Cost keeps 1 in 3 kids out of organized sport, especially kids from marginalized or remote communities
• Through a confidential application process, KidSport provides grant to kids from families facing financial barriers to help cover the cost of sport registration fees so ALL kids can play
• With 40 chapters across the province, funding for KidSport directly shapes sport in each of those communities. Each chapter—most of which are completely volunteer-run—raises funds, accepts applications and distributes grants in its own community. For communities that don’t have a chapter, grant requests are supported through our Provincial Fund.
• In 2021 KidSport chapters across BC distributed more than $1.3 million to help 4,164 kids in 132 communities play 46 different sports.
• Approximately one-third of those grants supported kids from groups that are often underrepresented in sport, including*:
  • 653 Indigenous children
  • 537 new Canadians
  • 149 children with a disability

* Self-identified demographics from grant applications in 2021