NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League (NHL) has revitalized its charitable foundations, the NHL Foundation™ in the U.S. (NHL Foundation U.S., Inc.) and Canada (NHL Foundation Canada.) The League’s philanthropic initiatives will continue to support organizations that make a positive social impact, while putting a greater emphasis on investing in those with best-in-class programs.
The revitalized mission of the NHL Foundations is now built on five key pillars: youth development, health and well-being, social equity, pathways to hockey, and service. The youth development pillar focuses on initiatives that are dedicated to the social and emotional development of youth under 18. Under the health and well-being pillar, the NHL Foundations invest in programs that provide nutrition education and mental health resources. The social equity pillar puts inclusion at the forefront, with the NHL Foundations supporting organizations that are committed to combating racism, bullying prevention, and helping to reconnect disconnected communities. Under the pathway to hockey pillar, the NHL Foundations work with organizations that promote access to the game through educational and workforce development, and mentorship programs. And the service pillar supports brave and dedicated military members and first responders.
“For more than 30 years, the NHL Foundations have been investing in organizations across North America, extending the NHL’s reach beyond the game on the ice,” said Bill Daly, NHL Foundation Director and Chairman, and NHL Deputy Commissioner. “Now, with five key pillars serving as strategic guidelines, a committed leadership group, and a distinguished Board of Directors to provide counsel and ensure accountability, we expect the NHL Foundations’ positive impact will be even greater, its audience wider, and its efforts to better communities across the U.S. and Canada greatly enhanced.”
The NHL Foundations will have oversight from their respective newly appointed Boards of Directors, led by Daly as Chair, and executive director Rob Wooley. The Board of Directors includes members from the League office in the U.S. and Canada. In Canada, external Board members are industry leaders who bring a wealth of experience from various sectors: Allen Baker, managing director of Tompkins Insurance; Nello Basso, managing director of Zanchin Auto; Michael Caruso, partner in the Miller Thomson corporate group and is a co-head of the firm’s Private Equity Practice; The Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper, Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister; Marian Jacko, assistant deputy attorney general for the Indigenous Justice Division and chairwoman of Hockey Canada’s People and Culture Committee and Women and Girls Committee; Dr. Rosemary Sadlier, an Order of Ontario recipient and past president of the Ontario Black History Society; and Bobby Sahni, co-founder and partner of Ethnicity Matters.
“The NHL Foundation Canada is guided by an important mission to contribute to charitable causes that positively impact Canadians,” said The Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada. “As a lifetime hockey fan and historian, I am honoured to join the Board to further this mission and to do so through the preeminent organization of our national winter sport.”
In the U.S., external Board members include Corey Blay, senior director for Pathways Strategy, Implementation, and Outreach at New York University; and Greg Packer, founder of AccessPoint and father of Professional Women’s Hockey League player Madison Packer. Additionally, U.S. Olympic gold medalist and U.S. Women’s National Team head scout Haley Skarupa serves as an ambassador for NHL Foundation U.S. In her role, she leads efforts to support and grow girls hockey, overseeing the Empowerment Grant Program for Girls Hockey. In connection with this program, grants will be distributed to nonprofits that are focused on making hockey accessible for all girls. Skarupa, as well as Kim Davis, President of NHL Foundations U.S. and Canada, and NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, will oversee the selection of grantees. The inaugural grantee will be announced later this season.
An annual impact report will detail results, ensuring transparency and accountability of the NHL Foundation’s efforts and investments. To learn more, visit NHL.com/Foundation.
