Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation Invests $3 Million in Free Play!
Free Play for Kids Celebrates Transformational Investment from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation’s Every Kid Deserves a Shot Initiative
Edmonton, AB – August 13, 2025
Free Play for Kids is proud to announce a significant milestone in our mission to create inclusive, accessible spaces for kids to play, belong, and grow. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) has invested $1.2 million in Free Play for Kids through its Every Kid Deserves a Shot initiative with an additional $3 million committed over the next five years. This multi-year funding will help us continue to break down barriers to sport, ensuring that thousands of kids have the opportunity to reach their full potential both on and off the ice.
Launched by the EOCF and presented by Rogers, Every Kid Deserves a Shot aims to inspire more than 100,000 kids across Oil Country by 2030 through access to sport, community building, and belonging. To date, the initiative has supported more than 65,000 kids, with Free Play for Kids as one of its four key delivery partners alongside Sport Central, KidSport, and the Hockey Alberta Foundation.
“Today, we reach 4,500 kids and families every year. We employ 150 staff. We run programs in up to 50 locations at the same time. All of this grew from one small moment in 2007, 20 kids at McCauley School, just wanting to kick a ball around,” said Tim Adams, Executive Director of Free Play for Kids. “This investment from the EOCF ensures that every kid, no matter their background, can experience the care, compassion, and friendship that come with sport done well. We’re not just giving kids access to hockey; we’re giving them a place to belong.”
The EOCF’s partnership with Free Play for Kids supports a hockey pathway that begins with a child’s first time holding a stick and continues through school teams, community competition, and lifelong engagement in sport. This investment directly supports our school-based hockey programming, provides free equipment, and ensures that no child is left on the sidelines because of financial, social, or cultural barriers.
“When done well, sport is a powerful tool. It brings people together, builds community, and creates stability,” Adams added. “Here in Edmonton, we’re getting it right, building bridges through the ‘soft power’ of sport. With the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation by our side until 2030, we’re ready to bring this experience to even more kids across Oil Country.”
Free Play for Kids extends its deepest gratitude to the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation for this transformational commitment — and to all our community partners who share our vision that every kid deserves a shot.
