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February 2005

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Ontario Government Helps Children And Youth Access Sport And Recreation Activities

 

Grant Supports New Province-Wide JumpStart Program

   

    TORONTO, Feb. 8 /CNW/ - The Ontario government is providing the Canadian

Tire Foundation for Families' JumpStart Program with a grant to increase

access to sport and recreation for 5,000 disadvantaged children and youth,

Minister of Tourism and Recreation Jim Bradley announced today.

    "This grant will help JumpStart branch out to communities across the

province, bringing sport and recreation opportunities to 5,000 disadvantaged

children and youth," said Bradley. "Providing more opportunities for sport and

physical activity helps to build strong and healthy communities."

    The Ontario government is providing this grant for JumpStart from its

$5.2 million Communities in Action Fund. The Communities in Action Fund

provides funds for new initiatives that contribute to increasing opportunities

for Ontarians to be physically active and play sports. The fund helps local

and provincial not-for-profit organizations provide more community sport and

recreation projects. Priority will be given to projects that benefit

underserved groups like older adults, children and youth, girls and women,

persons with disabilities, Aboriginal people, those in low-income categories

and visible and ethnic minorities.

    The $100,000 Communities in Action Fund grant will be used to help the

foundation establish the JumpStart program across the province. The foundation

will identify 5,000 disadvantaged children and youth who want to take part in

sport and recreation but do not have the financial means to do so, and will

fund their involvement.

    "This is good news for families of modest means whose kids want to

participate in sport and physical activity," said Bradley. "Through the

Communities in Action Fund, we are working to ensure that financial

circumstances do not prevent Ontarians from getting a chance to play."

 

 

 

 

 

Reuters.com