‍TORONTO, Ont. (July 10, 2023) – Canada Basketball Foundation announced ten UNIFIED Assist Program grant recipients on Monday at GLOBL JAM JUMPSTART LEGACY DAY in Scarborough.

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart) and the Canada Basketball Foundation teamed up to host GLOBL JAM JUMPSTART LEGACY DAY at Malvern Family Resource Centre, where over 70 youth from the local Scarborough community aged 8-13 participated in an exciting day of basketball-related activities and were joined by representatives from Team Canada and each of the international teams participating in GLOBL JAM FIVES.

As part of the event, the Canada Basketball Foundation also announced more than $85,000 in grants awarded to ten grant recipients selected through the inaugural UNIFIED Assist Program, including three grants supported by Jumpstart.

The UNIFIED Assist Program was launched earlier this year to support non-profit community programs and initiatives that are developing inclusive and equitable opportunities for youth through sport. The CBF will work closely with the ten grant recipients over the next year to support them through their program development.  

Canada Basketball Foundation is proud to announce the following UNIFIED Assist Program grants:

YOUTH BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENT

Canada Basketball Foundation™ is committed to supporting programs and initiatives which aim to pave new pathways for our youth to engage with basketball off the court, through social participation, culture, and the business of sport.

- Active Scholars (supported by Sunlife Financial)

- Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League (supported by Sheron Lau)

- Sun Youth Organization (supported by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities)

- Steeltown Athletic Club

COACHING AND OFFICIATING DEVELOPMENT

In support of the guardians of our game, the coaches, officials and community leaders, the Canada Basketball Foundation™ is committed to providing support to development programs, such as continued education and training for coaches and officials.

- Basketball Cape Breton (sponsored by Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation)

- Coaches Association of Ontario (sponsored by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities)

- Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreational Council (ISPARC) (supported by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities)‍

YOUTH SPORT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT‍

A priority to invest and support programs  who empower the next generation of starting line-ups through the delivery of high quality, sustainable and inclusive basketball programming and experiences for youth, with a particular emphasis on programs supporting girls and women who have a #madlove for the game.‍

- Girls Who Leap (supported by Sunlife)

- Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council

Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character Education (supported by Raptors Uprising)

At the inaugural GLOBL JAM JUMPSTART LEGACY DAY last year, Canada Basketball Foundation, Jumpstart, and Sun Life announced six $10,000 grants to local and regional organizations committed to making an impact through basketball.

GLOBL JAM, the world-class international basketball showcase, returns to Toronto this summer from July 12-16. GLOBL JAM FIVES will feature women’s and men’s Under-23 teams from around the world taking to the court at Toronto’s Mattamy Athletic Centre and broadcast nationally across Sportsnet platforms.

Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster, starting at less than $20 per session for two games.  For more information on GLOBL JAM, visit globljam.ca.

‍About Canada Basketball

Canada Basketball is the National Sporting Organization for the sport of Basketball in Canada.  Canada Basketball is respected worldwide and is recognized by the International Amateur Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Government of Canada as the sole governing body of amateur basketball in Canada.  Canada Basketball, a not-for-profit organization, represents all basketball interests and provides leadership, coordination and direction in all areas of basketball.

About Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a national charity committed to ensuring kids in need have equal access to sport and recreation. With an extensive, national network of more than 1,000 grantees and 289 local chapters, Jumpstart helps eligible families cover the costs of registration, transportation, and equipment, and provides funding to selected organizations for recreational infrastructure and programming. Supported by Canadian Tire Corporation, Jumpstart has provided more than 3 million opportunities for Canadian kids to get in the game since 2005. For more information, visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca. 

Follow Jumpstart on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to learn how they are making sport and play more inclusive for kids across Canada.