MANITOULIN—As though the Little Current Lions Club isn’t busy enough with their many endeavours, they have decided to take on a new role, championing the youth of Manitoulin to get active in sports and are now the official area partners for the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program.
Previously held by an Espanola contact, the Little Current Lions Club is now the go-to organization for Jumpstart applications for all families on Manitoulin and Espanola.
Lion Mike Dubreuil, chair of the Active Youth Manitoulin committee as part of the Little Current Lions, explained that there are two ways to apply to Jumpstart: online or on paper. Those who require a form, and cannot do it online, are asked to contact Lion Mike who will then mail an application to the family who will then send it back to the club, which fills out the form electronically on that person’s behalf.
There are two qualifications to be eligible for Jumpstart funding: an income assessment (using the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) chart) and the previous year’s T4 statement or three consecutive cheque stubs. The youth or youths must be between the ages of 4 and 18.
“If you can’t provide these items, you can alternatively have a person such as a mayor, chief or councillor submit a letter on your behalf, stating your current financial situation,” Lion Mike added.
If found eligible, the area Jumpstart program will pay up to $150 per child per season (there are funds available for both summer and winter), as long as the funds last.
“So far we’ve helped 26 children this year,” Lion Mike said.
“Just because it’s now the Little Current Lions that is the official area Jumpstart partner does not mean that it’s just for the youth of Little Current,” Lion Mike explained. “Everyone, from all of Manitoulin’s communities, and Espanola, are encouraged to apply.” If the financial need criteria are met, and there are funds available to give, you will be eligible, he added.
He reminded parents that Jumpstart is not just for hockey; there are a whole host of sports that the fund covers (visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca for the full list) and depending on the season. Jumpstart will cover either registration fees, equipment or travel.
For those interested in hockey, there are other options available to low income families too, such as The Big Play (up to $500 per family), another Canadian Tire charity, or the Lace’Em Up Foundation for Kids (up to $1,000 per family).
The Lions can also donate to its own Jumpstart catchment area, which will then be matched by the Canadian Tire Espanola store.
The Lions Club became involved after a conversation Lion Mike had with the previous Jumpstart lead, Rock Taylor of Espanola, who explained that many the requests for funding came from Manitoulin. Lion Mike thought that it was a good fit for the Little Current club.
For more information, please contact Lion Mike by phone, 705-918-9507, or by email at mikedubreuil@icloud.com or visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca.
