DIVERSITY&INCLUSION
BUILDABRIDGE
A six-week initiative is designed to provide comprehensive assistance to refugees and new permanent residents residing in the Ottawa region. Its primary goal is to facilitate their successful integration into the Canadian system and help them thrive as newcomers. The program will leverage sports and social interactions as dynamic platforms to connect both young individuals and parents with their new communities. Additionally, these activities will shed light on the various economic, systemic, and social challenges that many families encounter during the process of relocating.
The program's structure will consist of two distinct components, each tailored to address the specific obstacles encountered by youth and parents.
The realm of sports will be employed as a means to foster social growth among the youth, alleviating the common anxieties associated with adapting to a new country and language. In parallel, parents will receive education about the array of settlement services available for their families. These insights will be delivered through interactive information sessions led by professionals in the field. To ensure a seamless access to these vital but often intimidating processes, collaboration will be established with partners such as RBC Newcomer Advisors and various Community Immigrant Services agencies.
INDIGENOUSHOCKEY
EQUIPMENTDRIVE
In the first year of the hockey equipment accumulation, Graham McWaters (Campaign Founder) reached out to his son’s Richmond Hill team for equipment donations who helped raise 8 bags of equipment and numerous hockey sticks. The first delivery of
equipment was sent to Beausoleil First Nation on Christian Island.
Inspired by the first hockey drive in 2015 there have been numerous drives with each growing larger than the last to the point where over 1,000 bags and over 1,000 sticks are accumulated and donated in the fall to 30 Indigenous communities in Ontario and some remote areas of Canada. Over 66 different Indigenous communities have been
recipients of the hockey donations since 2015.
For the first time since inception, on November 6, 2023, we delivered 100 bags and 200 sticks to the Indigenous community in Behchoko, Northwest Territories…one hour northwest of Yellowknife. The 17 skids of equipment travelled over 4,500 KMs to reach its destination by train and truck. In February of 2025, we delivered 32 skids of Hockey gear to Winnipeg bound for six Northern Manitoba Indigenos communities…Thanks to retired NHL Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe winner, Reggie Leach for introducing these
communities to us.. Thank you to CN for assisting with both of these long distance deliveries!!
We continue to gather equipment each year so we can assist as many indigenous youth play the game we all love.
For more information check out our Indigenous Hockey Equipment
page or contact Graham McWaters
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HEARMYVOICE
Their Opportunity is proud to introduce the very first “Hear My Voice”: Equality in the Community Edition. In collaboration with MLSE Foundation (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) this virtual 4-week program will be hosted by some serious athletes and public figures (Carmelina Moscato, Greg Morris & others) & offered to youth ages 14-19.
Each week participants will gain access to an episode of round table discussion by Durham youth as well the athletes with the goal to engage participants in meaningful and peaceful conversation about diversity in our communities. Weekly, we will host a live zoom or in-person session where you will be invited to let your voice be heard as we discuss some of the learnings from this week's video as well as inspire each other to make our community a better place to live, for us all.
PARASPORTLEGACY
During the 2019 Para Sport Games planning, the Organizing Committee (GOC) formed a partnership with Their Opportunity to manage $22,500 of the Games surplus to provide grants to qualified families with the purpose of reducing registration & equipment costs for children & youth participating in parasports in Durham Region.
Some Games fundraising activities were completed in partnership with Their Opportunity; as such, contributions from 100 Men Ajax & 100 Women Who Care Ajax Pickering Whitby in the amount of $10,050 have already been directed to Their Opportunity. An additional $19,950 will be transferred to Their Opportunity for a total of $30,000.
To apply for this fund please contact Matthew Cronin – Matthew@theiropportunity.com
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