Elmira program helps disadvantaged youth play sports | Your online ...

Chuck Kuepfer, Staff Reporter

Woolwich Community Services has partnered with the local Tri-City Chapter of the Jumpstart Program, which helps provide opportunities for disadvantaged children to play organized sports and recreation.

Jumpstart, which was launched in 2005, is a national charitable program of Canadian Tire.

Through the program, children between the ages of 4-18 from low-income families are able to receive financial assistance to participate in a wide-variety of sports and recreation opportunities by covering registration, equipment and/or transportation costs.

?It could be for dance. It could be for karate,? said WCS director of community support, Kelly Christie. ?If you have kids that want to be physically active give us a call.?

Families interested in applying for the Jumpstart program can contact WCS at 519-669-5139 for a confidential income assessment to see if they qualify for the program.

Those interested in the program can also drop by the WCS office at 73 Arthur St. South in Elmira, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Statistics Canada?s low-income cut off chart, a single parent who makes less than $22,831 (after taxes) annually is eligible to register their child in the program. A family of three must make $28,430 (after taxes) or less per year. For a family of four, the cut off is $35,469 (after taxes).

To support the program, WCS is selling red balls for $2 a piece. The balls can be purchased at locations throughout Elmira, including WCS, the Woolwich Memorial Centre, WCS Thrift Shop, the Kids and I Resource Centre and Pinnacle Fitness.

Also, the proceeds from the Tri-Gator for Kids in Elmira, June 16, will be going to the Tri-City Chapter of the Jumpstart program. Volunteers are needed for the event and those interested can contact Paul Helsby at 519-841-3686 orpaul.helsby@trigator4kids.com.

Anyone wanting to donate directly to the Jumpstart program can do so online at www.canadiantire.ca/jumpstart.

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