Along with Thursday's in-game celebration, fans will have the opportunity to donate to the Foundation by texting the code CANESKIDS to 243725, from now through the end of Thursday's game.
GOAL (Growing Opportunities and Leaders) Grants were introduced by the Kids N' Community Foundation in 2012 and are distributed in $50,000 increments for a total of $150,000 over three years to six organizations. Families Moving Forward is in it's first year of funding, Read and Feed and StepUp Ministry are in their second year of funding, and Durham Nativity School and Transitions LifeCare received their third and final year of funding this season.
The Foundation issued 11 Game Changer Grants during their spring grant cycle, totaling $105,000. The Game Changer Grant recipients are: CAM Raleigh, Chapel-Hill Carrboro Public School Foundation, NourishNC and Triangle Bikeworks at the $5,000 level; Eastern Carolinas Muscular Dystrophy Association, Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, Lucy Daniels Center and Passage Home at the $10,000 level; Autism Society of North Carolina, The Green Chair Project and Junior Achievement of Eastern North Carolina at the $15,000 level.
Future Canes Grants, awarded to six youth hockey organizations, totaled $70,000. Future Canes Grants are provided to grow the sport of hockey throughout North Carolina, and the funds go towards scholarships and program costs to ensure that children who suffer financial restraints or disabilities are able to play ice hockey. Future Canes Grant recipients are: Coastal Carolina Hockey Association, Greensboro Youth Hockey Association, Raleigh Youth Hockey Association, Triangle Special Hockey Association, Triangle Youth Hockey North Carolina and Winston-Salem Youth Hockey Association.
In partnership with KIOTI Tractor and Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, up to $20,000 will be donated to Urban Ministries of Wake County. In addition, $50,000 was donated to REX Healthcare Foundation in support of the Heart & Vascular Hospital.
All 24 organizations will be recognized during Thursday's game and 21 of the groups will be in attendance for an on-ice check presentation during the second intermission. Individuals from the recipient organizations will be siren sounders and Olympia riders throughout the evening. Carolina Hurricanes corporate partners that have been impactful supporters of the Kids 'N Community Foundation will have their donations recognized with check presentations in game. These partners include the Carolina Ale House, KIOTI Tractor, Mercury Gate and Tito's Vodka.
