Our Impact
Every camp creates lasting change for children and families in Toronto's highest need communities. Here is what support provides, and what it costs.
Value delivered Six months to August 2026
- 1.Equipment$18,000
- 2.Ice time$14,010
- 3.Food$2,350
- T4.Prizes and swag$2,000
- T4.Insurance, facility and admin$2,000
- 1.Full set of equipment, kept$750
- 2.Ice, lunch, insurance and admin$310
- 3.Coaching (donated)$0
- 4.Cost to the family$0
Equipment Went home, and stayed there
- 1.Jerseys60
- 2.Sticks44
- 3.Helmets41
- T4.Pairs of gloves40
- T4.Shin pads40
- T4.Base layers40
- T4.Water bottles40
- T4.Pairs of foot socks40
- T4.Pairs of shin pad socks40
- T10.Pairs of skates39
- 1.Retail value of all equipment given$18,000
- 2.One child's full set, all in$750
- 3.Entry level retail set, July 2026$450
$18,000 is a number. 576 is what it actually looks like: every piece counted, and every piece taken home.
All figuresHours Every camp to date
- 1.Volunteer and organizer service hours1,670
- 2.Programming, in child hours1,620
- 3.Volunteers at the August camp26
- 4.Member Headquarters Team20
- 1.March Break 2026, ice hours15
- T2.Summer 2026 Leaside, ice hours12
- T2.Summer 2026 Ted Reeve, ice hours12
- 4.Ice hours per camp day3
- 1.Summer 2026, Leaside$4,560
- 2.March Break 2026$4,050
- 3.Christmas 2025 pilot$3,600
- 4.Summer 2026, Ted Reeve$1,800
Partners Through Christmas Camp 2026
- T1.Platinum Partners5
- T1.Program Partners4
- 3.Pilot Sponsors2
- 4.Community Referral Partners22
Platinum: MCW Consultants, Platform Insurance, Rockland Resources, TorontoToday and HockeyStickMan. Pilot: Pizza Pizza and the PHPA. Program: Upper Canada College, Stronger Together Hockey, the Leaside Hockey Association and the Toronto Leaside Wildcats. Community referral: twenty-two community organizations that share our application with the families they serve.
- 1.Donations42
- 2.People who gave41
- 3.Largest single gift$5,000
- 4.Smallest single gift$5
Where your money goes
$1,060 puts one Toronto child through a camp. $750 of that is the equipment they keep and the rest is ice, lunch, insurance and admin. Coaching is donated. A line by line breakdown will be published on our numbers page before Christmas Camp 2026.
$750 pays for one child's equipment. $1,060 pays for one child's whole camp.
| Line | Each child |
|---|---|
| Full set of equipment, all in, kept | $750 |
| Ice, lunch, insurance and admin | $310 |
| Coaching | Donated |
| One child through one camp | $1,060 |
Why this matters
Research from the Aspen Institute finds children from low income families are far less likely to play organized sport than higher income peers. The UNICEF report Getting into the Game links sport participation to improved academic performance, mental health and social development. The sources, and what they say.
More applications than spots
Families are ready. Funding decides how many children skate.
More than one hundred families have applied. Every place we have been able to pay for has been filled.
Every application is ranked against a written, needs-based selection system rather than first come first served, so every funded place goes to a child facing real barriers. The more ice and equipment our supporters fund, the more children step onto the ice.
Every $1,060 is one more place.
Per camper
- $1,060 to put one child through one camp
- $750 for one child's full set of equipment
- 100% free to every family
Equipment
Hours
Ice
March Break 2026
Same rink. Same day.
Numbers tell you how much. This shows you what. Drag the puck between the first morning and that afternoon on the ice at the March Break camp.
Both photographs in each pair were taken on the first day of camp, Monday 16 March 2026: one in the first quarter hour of the 8:30 session, the other in the 1 pm session. Different children. March Break camp 2026, Ted Reeve Community Arena.
What everyone gains
The numbers above measure what we give. This is what people take away: the campers who learn the game, and the students who learn to lead by running it.
The campers
Every child who joins Open Ice has never played hockey before. Over one camp they learn to skate with confidence, stop, handle a puck, pass and play as a team, coached by professionals and grouped by ability from the first morning.
Just as important, they learn that they belong in a rink. They make friends, cheer for each other, and take on daily challenges built around courage, teamwork, resilience and leadership. They leave with real skills, new friendships and a full set of equipment to keep playing.
The volunteers
Camp volunteers are Program Assistants. Each one leads a small house group of campers through the day, under professional coaching: on the ice, at lunch and in the closing circle.
They learn to lead, to communicate clearly with children and families, to stay calm when a plan changes and to work as one team. Their hours count toward the community service every Ontario student needs to graduate.
The Headquarters Team
The twenty member Headquarters Team works with the founder and an adult administration team, overseen by the board. It makes sure every Open Ice chapter across Ontario runs to the Open Ice standard, and it runs the flagship camps in Toronto. Members manage budgets and sponsorship, book ice, plan logistics, build partnerships with companies and community groups, run media days and speak in public on behalf of the organization.
These are real business skills: management, organization, budgeting, communication, public speaking and leadership, learned by doing them for a cause that matters. Students who join the Headquarters Team grow into confident, capable leaders.
What families say
Five out of five on Google
“My son attended the Open Ice Initiative several days and loved the experience. He was excited to go each day, enjoyed the drills, and spoke often about the coaches. The program helped him become much more confident on the ice, and he even asked to practice more outside of camp. All equipment was provided and was excellent quality, which would have cost our family around $1,000 on our own.”
Daniel AbdiCamp familyGoogle review
“My child attended for multiple days and had a very positive experience. He was excited to attend each day and felt welcomed and supported by the staff. The program helped him learn how to skate and build confidence on the ice. As a parent, this experience would have cost our family well over $1,500 to $2,000 to provide on our own.”
Mariam TesfayeCamp familyGoogle review
“Our eldest daughter attended, along with her siblings, and the experience was incredible. All of her hockey gear was fully provided, so we didn't have to worry about anything. Her skating, confidence, and overall comfort on the ice grew so much.”
Malik FarahCamp familyGoogle review
“An outstanding program that removes barriers and gives kids a real opportunity to play hockey. From providing equipment to creating a welcoming environment, the impact is amazing.”
Hassan ElmiCamp familyGoogle review
“The children were so excited after being at camp. They were beginners at ice skating and they found the staff to be so patient and helpful. The staff and management were great with the children.”
Hempress FlowerLocal guideGoogle review
“The week-long hockey training was an outstanding experience for my two children. They absolutely loved every day and gained confidence, skills, and a true passion for the game. The fact that this program covers the expenses is deeply meaningful.”
Messi FassilCamp familyGoogle review
In their words
What the media and the community said
“Andrew's initiative to bring people together and give them access to ice time, equipment, coaching, and professionals is something that's truly special. I trust this camp will be something that you remember forever.”
Councillor Brad BradfordBeaches East York City CouncillorBeach Metro News
“My favourite thing about hockey is not being good at hockey, it's spending time together with friends. By the end of the week, you're going to spend a bunch of time together, make some memories, and hopefully that's something you can continue going forward.”
Cameron GaunceFormer NHL player and TSN analyst, head coach March 2026Beach Metro News
“It was his first time playing hockey, and we were so impressed by how much he learned in just five days... By the end of the week, he was already saying he wants to become a coach one day.”
Lin ZParentGoogle review
“On the first day I was kind of scared because I didn't know how to play, but the coaches helped me a lot and I only fell a few times... I made new friends and wanted to come back every day.”
Jayden T, age 8CamperGoogle review