JAYS CARE FOUNDATION DISBURSES MORE THAN $520,000

By on April 19, 2012

COURTESY OF THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS – The Jays Care Foundation Board of Directors has approved the disbursement of $520,837 through their 2012 Grand Slam Grants. This initiative will provide funding to 13 charitable organizations to serve children and youth in the areas of physical activity, education and life-skill development.

“We have focused our community investment efforts on providing opportunities for children and youth in education, physical activity and life-skill development, where possible, through the great sport of baseball,” explained Jays Care Foundation Executive Director, Danielle Bedasse. “We are pleased to have such tremendous partners in all of our Grand Slam Grant recipient charities. Through our grants, legacy initiatives and program partnerships, Jays Care served more than 17,000 children and youth across the country in 2011 alone.”

Last year, through Grand Slam Grants, Field of Dreams, Home Run Scholars and Rookie League, Jays Care contributed more than $1.4 million to initiatives and facilities across Ontario and beyond.

Representatives from each of the 2011 partner organizations will be celebrated and honoured in the Toronto Blue Jays game onWednesday, April 18 during Jays Care Grants Night.

The organizations and programs receiving for funding during this cycle of the Foundation’s Grand Slam Grants program include:

  • Camp OochigeasThe Camp Oochigeas Leadership Program provides campers with fundamental life-skill development, leadership training and service opportunities to equip them to be positive members of their community.
  • East Scarborough Boys & Girls Club plans to launch an Intramural Sports Program designed to increase physical activity among the 400 children and youth enrolled in their after school/evening programs.
  • Easter Seals Ontario: Jays Care funding will fully subsidize the cost of sending at least 25 children and youth with disabilities, from the GTA, to a fully-accessible Easter Seals Camp, or a recreational activity of their choice.
  • Future Possibilities for KidsReady, Set, Goal! carefully matches each child with an adult volunteer who supports and guides the child through setting and achieving a goal that benefits his/her community, school or family. Camp Contribution is a free, community leadership summer camp for kids from low-income families in underserved Toronto communities.
  • Holland BloorviewThe Independence Program is a life-skill development and residential program for young people, ages 17-21, with disabilities.
  • KidSport Ontario: Jays Care funding will provide over 250 children across Ontario with a season of baseball or softball. The funds will be dispersed through the KidSport grants program to under-resourced families who are unable to afford the cost of baseball registration and equipment of their children.
  • Max and Beatrice Wolfe Children’s CentreCamp Erin Toronto is the only overnight bereavement camp available to children in Toronto who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, friend or loved one.
  • Moorelands Community Services: Jays Care funding will benefit the Moorelands City Summer Day Camp, which serves the priority neighbourhood of Flemingdon Park/Thorncliffe Park. The camp focuses on building self-esteem, self-respect and self-confidence through recreational programming.
  • Precious Minds Support ServicesBlaze Summer Camp is designed for children and youth with developmental disabilities and aims to foster social and life skills, and healthy nutrition and fitness habits among its campers.
  • Right to PlaySummer Sun Program integrates cultural, sports, recreational and learning activities, and will be implemented in four remote First Nation communities in Ontario this summer.
  • Success Beyond Limits Education Program: The Summer Program addresses high school attrition rates in the Jane-Finch area by empowering and re-engaging students in their own education. It offers a full TDSB credit, called General Learning Strategies, which prepares students for successful transition into secondary school.
  • Variety VillageChildren in Motion is designed to teach and improve the fundamentals of sport, cooperative gaming, social skills and fine-gross motor skills in an inclusive, supportive environment.
  • Youth Assisting YouthJays Care Group Mentoring Program will provide immediate engagement, positive peer interaction and personal development to children while they wait to be matched with a One-on-One Mentor.

The Field of Dreams capital grants will be announced later this spring.

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