HAMILTON — The Ontario government is providing more than $800,000 in funding to support six After School Program partners and create more opportunities for approximately 850 children and youth in priority neighbourhoods in the Hamilton area.
The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) Hamilton-Halton will receive $400,000 to deliver programming at 15 sites, serving approximately 350 students from grades 1-6.
This local investment is part of the $13.5 million that the Ontario government is providing through the program to support 110 organizations across the province.
“The experience of the past two years has highlighted the importance of sport and recreation programs to individual and community well-being,” said Neil Lumsden, MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “These programs are at the heart of Ontario’s communities and our government is committed to working with our partners, educators and community leaders to support opportunities for children, youth and families to lead more active and healthy lives.”
“Now, more than ever, young people need welcoming and safe spaces to learn, make friends and become active and engaged community members,” said Duane Dahl, Executive Director of BGC Hamilton-Halton. “Ontario’s After School Program helps us provide affordable and high-quality programming for hundreds of children, youth, and families across Hamilton each year.”
Ontario’s After School Program provides supervised sport and recreational activities to more than 20,000 children and youth, from kindergarten to Grade 12, in more than 80 communities across the province, including 11 First Nations communities. In addition to helping kids in Hamilton stay active and engaged through unstructured play and activities like basketball, dancing or soccer, the program helps them develop leadership skills and provides personal wellness, anti-bullying and nutrition education.
The Ontario After School Program has been shown to contribute to higher self-esteem and well-being, leading to improvements in academic performance.
QUICK FACTS
- Local investments under Ontario’s After School Program:
- BGC Hamilton-Halton: $400,000
- City of Hamilton: $68,735
- Eva Rothwell Centre (Robert Land Community Association): $60,000
- Wesley Urban Ministries: $117,250
- YMCA of Hamilton Burlington Brantford: $66,920
- YWCA Hamilton: $99,147
- Programming is tailored to the needs of each community and may also include homework help, arts and crafts, music, and cultural activities such traditional French cooking or Indigenous drumming and dance.
- Families interested in After School Program can contact an After School Program delivery partner for more information about eligibility requirements and services offered by their program.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
