For the fifth year, KidSport has launched its annual Give the Gift of Sport fundraising campaign, calling on Canadians to raise money for children who cannot afford to play organized sports. According to this national, non-profit organization, more than 30 per cent of Canadians under the age of 18 cannot participate because of family financial constraints.

With the help of the campaign, which ends on Jan. 9, many families will receive grants to fund registration fees for more than 100 different sports across Canada. Since its creation in 1993, KidSport has helped more than 600,000 kids receive grants and sport-introduction programming with the help of the Government of Canada, national corporate partners like CIBC, Jays Care Foundation, Oxford Learning and Canadian donors.

“Organized sport provides our children with so many benefits,” says Jamie Ferguson, chair of KidSport. “We know it can help them be healthier, but it can also help them with things like their education and social development. In essence, sports can provide our children with a head start in life [and] we believe every child deserves that chance.”

“Without support from KidSport, I wouldn’t have had the chance to pursue my dreams and eventually represent Canada on the world stage,” says two-time Olympian swimmer and a past KidSport grant recipient.

For more information, visit kidsportcanada.ca.