NEW YORK – Today on National Girls & Women in Sports Day, NHL Foundation U.S., Inc. (“NHL Foundation U.S.”) has awarded its second annual ‘Empowerment Grant Program for Girls Hockey’ to Hockey in New Jersey, reinforcing NHL Foundation U.S.’s commitment to expanding access, opportunity, and long-term participation for girls in the sport.
Founded in 2003, Hockey in New Jersey is a nonprofit organization that provides year-round hockey programming for more than 1,000 girls and boys each year. One in four Hockey in New Jersey participants are female, and the $50,000 grant will provide a boost to its existing girls hockey programming which includes Girls Learn to Play, Girls Learn to Skate, Girls Skills, Girls Goalie and Shooting clinics, and High School Girls programs.
“When we launched Hockey in New Jersey more than a decade ago, our goal was simple: create a place where every kid who wanted to play hockey could feel welcome,” said Keith Veltre and Dennis Ruppe, co-founders of Hockey in New Jersey. “Over the years, we’ve seen firsthand how important it is for girls to have access to the game at every stage of their hockey journey. This grant will allow us to expand our girls programs and reach more players, more often, while continuing to build a community where girls can grow, compete, and belong through hockey.”
The ‘Empowerment Grant Program for Girls Hockey’ was first announced prior to International Women’s Day in 2024, focused on supporting girls’ hockey and reducing barriers to play. Grantees are selected based on demonstrated impact, sustainability, and alignment with NHL Foundation U.S.’s commitment to growing the girls’ hockey pipeline. U.S. Olympic gold medalist and U.S. Women’s National Team head scout Haley Skarupa serves as an ambassador for NHL Foundation U.S. and oversees the grant program. She is supported by Kim Davis, President of NHL Foundation U.S. and NHL Foundation Canada, and NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, who oversees the selection of grantees.
In February 2025, the of the Empowerment Grant for Girls Hockey. The organization provides year-round on- and off-ice programming focused on health and wellbeing, academic support, violence prevention, and community service. One of the NHL’s ‘Hockey Is For Everyone’ programs, CIHC received a $50,000 grant to better serve the more than 3,000 girls and boys in Central Ohio each year. The grant was used for scholarships, expanded on- and off-ice instruction, and transportation support which is one of the biggest barriers for many families in the community.
NHL Foundation Canada has also established a new grant to support girls hockey. The inaugural recipient will be announced at a later date.
The NHL & NHLPA Women’s Hockey Advancement Committee will support the ‘Empowerment Grant Program for Girls Hockey’ in an advisory capacity, serving as a strategic resource to current and past grantees, including Hockey in New Jersey and the Columbus Ice Hockey Club, as they strengthen girls’ hockey programming and expand access to the sport. The Committee, established in 2019, has 16 members and 15 advisors with extensive experience at all levels of hockey.
The NHL Foundations will continue to support organizations that make a positive social impact, while putting greater emphasis on investing in those with best-in-class programs. To learn more, visit NHL.com/Foundation.
