THE MISSION OF NHL DIVERSITY

NHL Diversity is a part of the NHL Foundation, the National Hockey League's charitable and community relations organization.

Founded in 1995, NHL Diversity provides support and unique programming to not-for-profit youth hockey organizations across North America that are committed to offering economically disadvantaged boys and girls of all ages opportunities to play hockey.

There are approximately 39 inner-city, volunteer organizations in various stages of development that receive support from the National Hockey League. Since its inception, NHL Diversity has exposed more than 40,000 boys and girls to unique hockey experiences, including the annual Willie O'Ree All-Star Weekend and the NHL Diversity Hockey Scholarship Program.

History of NHL Diversity
In January of 1994, five inner-city hockey programs met with representatives from the NHL, USA Hockey and the United States Olympic Committee in St. Paul, Minnesota to discuss ways in which more opportunities and access can be developed for economically disadvantaged boys and girls.

Ice Hockey In Harlem, Disney GOALS, Mariucci Inner City Hockey, Warroad Indian Education Program and the Jack Adams Hockey Program participated in the January 1994 meeting.

The group re-convened in April of 1994 in Colorado Springs to discuss the creation of a program led by the NHL and USA Hockey to assist existing and developing inner-city hockey programs. The NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force was developed in 1995 as a result. The program was renamed NHL Diversity in 2002.

PROGRAMMING
Although NHL Diversity does not offer monetary support, it does provide assistance in several ways - chief amongst them is special programming for the young members of local NHL Diversity programs.

THE ANNUAL WILLIE O'REE ALL-STAR GAME, named after the first black player in the NHL, celebrates the successes of the individual inner city programs, as their top players, ages 14-16 years old, are given an opportunity to compete in an East versus West game. The event honors Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player and current Director of Youth Development for NHL Diversity. The weekend celebrates the multicultural heritage of the NHL as boys and girls, between the ages of 14 and 16, representing NHL Diversity programs from across North America, will interact with NHL players, attend an NHL game and enjoy the host city. The highlight of the weekend is the Willie O'Ree All-Star Game, in which coed teams compete in an east-versus-west format. In addition, they participate in an all-star practice session and skills competition.

Several former Willie O'Ree All-Stars have gone on to play college and professional hockey. On June 22, 2003, Gerald Coleman became the first NHL Diversity program player to be drafted when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round (No. 224 overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The Romeoville, Ill. native was a member of the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois' Diversity Program, formerly Chicago P.U.C.K. Coleman served as the program's representative at the 1997 Willie O'Ree All-Star Game in Chicago and returned as an alumni coach in 2002.

"HOCKEY IS FOR EVERYONE" MONTH
Each February, member clubs in the NHL, AHL, CHL, ECHL and UHL support "Hockey is for Everyone" Month by donating tickets and distributing "Hockey is for Everyone" posters to youth-oriented and other hockey programs in their markets, including sled hockey teams, inner-city recreational organizations, Aboriginal groups from Canada, girls' and women's teams, and Special Olympics teams throughout the month.

Each year, the centerpiece of "Hockey is for Everyone" Month is the annual Willie O'Ree All-Star Weekend.

NHL DIVERSITY HOCKEY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
This spring, the NHL developed the NHL Diversity Hockey Scholarship Program in conjunction with USA Hockey to provide boys and girls from United States-based NHL Diversity programs the opportunity to attend the annual USA Hockey Summer Camp in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as well as local hockey schools.

THE NHL DIVERSITY EQUIPMENT BANK is a community bank that provides affiliated youth hockey programs with new and used equipment donated by the general public and hockey manufacturers and delivered to at-risk youths involved in NHL Diversity programs. Since the program's inception, more than $500,000 worth of equipment has been donated to hockey programs throughout North America.

For more information on the NHL Diversity, please contact the NHL at 212-789-2000 or via e-mail at nhldiversity@nhl.com.