I’m sifting through a pile of grant applications, reading all the letters from parents telling me the ends they’ll go to in order to make sure their children can play hockey.
“I’ll take a second job in the evenings,” reads one. “I’ll use the credit card – if there’s still room,” reads another. Some hope to borrow funds from family, or are crossing their fingers that come tax time there will be some money back to pay off the debt and loans that have built up.
Again and again I see sacrifices these parents are making to give their children the chance to play a sport, to encourage their growth and development, and to give them the best start possible.
Why do they do this? What could they be seeing that makes them fight so hard to keep their children in sport? The answer comes out in the answers I read from the mothers and fathers looking to us for support.
“Before hockey, he was not a very independent and confident kid,” one parent tells us how their child has blossomed. Parents tell stories of shy kids making friends, or a son with a disability realizing he can push his own limits.
Parents are surprised by the passion and commitment that is brought out by their friends on the ice. Sacrificing their evenings, or staying behind as their children go off to tournaments so they can work overtime and pay them off is a small price to pay for that.
But we think it doesn’t have to be that way – we think that sport should be accessible for all, regardless of money. That’s why we have the FlipGive and Hockey Shot Get in the Game Hockey Grant. We’re providing $500 and $1000 grants for individuals and teams to offset the high costs of sport.
But we need your help – we want to make sure the families who need it know the grant is here for them. We’re asking our FlipGivers to share the Hockey Grant with the players and teams they know. They don’t need to use FlipGive to apply or be eligible for the grant – but hurry! The deadline is this weekend.
If you know someone who could use a boost, they can apply here!
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