Thanks to the generosity of our valued hockey fans, Oilers players, the EOCF Board of Directors, Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) employees and the Katz Family, the Foundation is celebrating its record $3.7 million reinvestment in the community.
"The Oilers Foundation is proud to be a part of Oil Country and to help improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities in Northern Alberta. We have donated a record amount of $3.7 million to charities, community groups and minor hockey programs to continue to make a positive impact in Northern Alberta," said EOCF Board Chair Janet Riopel.
The EOCF was fortunate to support more than 172 charitable organizations this season including Kids Help Phone, Mile Zero Dance Society, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, YWCA Edmonton and the Jasper Place Wellness Centre Food4Good program to name a few.
A significant donation of $175,000 was made to the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region All in for Youth program. The United Way's program removes financial and access barriers to learning, helping students and their families by ensuring all students are confident and accomplished in reading and writing, delivering nutritious food programs and providing mentoring and counselling directly within the school environment. All in for Youth also offers before and after school programs, as well as programming during fall, spring and summer breaks, supporting families through counselling, community resources and adult education, and providing a positive school culture, with caring staff and high quality teaching. The program assists over 2,200 students and their families who attend school in Edmonton's inner city.
"All in for Youth brings key services together for students and their families right at school. It's all about ensuring children are supported to graduate from high school, a critical milestone in breaking the cycle of poverty," said Allan Undheim, Vice President of Community Building and Investment, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. "Without key funders such as the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, socially vulnerable children would not have the same opportunities as others."
As part of the EOCF's mandate to support minor hockey programming for youth, the Foundation has also pledged $100,000 each year for the next three years to the Hockey Alberta Foundation to support the Every Kid Every Community Grant Program and the Future Leader Development Program and Scholarship Program. The goal of Every Kid Every Community is to have hockey accessible to all kids in Alberta. Funds are dedicated to the creation of a new program or support of an existing program that will focus on recruiting new players to the game regardless of age, skill or environmental factors. The Future Leader Development Program and Scholarship Program focuses on education and training post-secondary students in the areas of coaching, skill instruction and leadership. Selected Future Leaders will be trained and mentored on and off-ice through classroom sessions that include skill development, leadership, team building and off-ice training.
As per their mandate, the EOCF will continue to reinvest funding to support the life-changing work being done in the community through diverse programs and partnerships in support of health and wellness, education and hockey programming for youth.
To learn more about the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and its community initiatives, please visit OilersFoundation.ca.
