TORONTO, ON – Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLG) and MLSE Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Raptors, have donated a total of $60,000 to four community organizations who are changing the lives of Ontarians through basketball.

From January to March, fans supported each community basketball organization by playing the free Home Court Advantage game through the Toronto Raptors App. Every play increased the donation amount from OLG and MLSE Foundation, plus allowed fans the chance to win prizes. In total, OLG and MLSE Foundation donated $15,000 to each of the following organizations to support their efforts to provide positive, inclusive and empowering spaces for sport:  

• Vipers Wheelchair Basketball, a professional wheelchair basketball team based in Burlington, offering basketball training and programs for people with physical disabilities.
• Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario based in Sudbury, the designated Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sporting Body for Ontario, serving all Indigenous Peoples across the province.
• Abilities Centre,a community hub where staff work alongside individuals with lived experience to create programs that address specific accessibility and inclusion gaps in Durham Region and beyond.
• Megacity Basketball, based in Toronto, creating life-altering opportunities for personal development and leadership in underserved communities.

“OLG continues to partner with MLSE Foundation to support organizations that uplift our communities, and make a real difference in people’s lives,” says Maxine Chapman, VP Brand & Marketing Officer at OLG. “Thank you to our Home Court Advantage players who helped us Bring Home the Win for these four game-changing organizations. Together, we are making a positive impact on community basketball players and demonstrating that every play with OLG is a winning one.”

“Providing equitable access to sport is at the core of MLSE Foundation’s work” says Bridgette Estrela, Managing Director of MLSE Foundation. “The Home Court Advantage initiative, and partnerships like the one with OLG, are helping us change the game for youth facing barriers.”

Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario

“Thank you to OLG and MLSE Foundation for supporting Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario to help us create sporting opportunities for the Indigenous community,” says Carl Orr, President, Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario. “We believe that sport has the power to change lives, promote culture and provide opportunities for personal growth and community development. This donation will go a long way in helping us promote inclusiveness, improve wellness, and encourage positive lifestyles in every aspect of their lives for Indigenous peoples across Ontario."

Abilities Centre

“Abilities Centre co-designs innovative, accessible solutions that address the needs of our community and provides inclusive opportunities in sport and recreation for people of all ages and abilities,” says Ross Ste-Croix, Chief Operating Officer, Abilities Centre. “This generous donation from OLG and MLSE Foundation will help us to continue innovating to break down barriers and enable more individuals of all abilities to participate fully in community life.”

Megacity Basketball

“Thank you to OLG and MLSE Foundation for supporting Megacity Basketball Association and helping us leverage the transformative power of basketball for the betterment of our community,” says RJ Williams, President, Megacity Basketball. “This donation will support our mission to create life-altering opportunities for underserved communities and help us nurture the next generation with essential life skills that go beyond the basketball court.”

Vipers Wheelchair Basketball

“Thank you to OLG and MLSE Foundation for supporting Vipers Wheelchair Basketball and helping us foster a fun and safe environment for players while showcasing the sport of wheelchair basketball,” says Chris Chandler (Coach, Vipers Wheelchair Basketball). This donation will help us continue to grow programs and support for our athletes, recruit more physically disabled participants, and uphold the high level of professional excellence of wheelchair basketball.”

Learn more about each organization’s inspiring mission here.

Every play with OLG is a winning one, because 100 per cent of our profits go back to local communities like these. This is just one way OLG is helping Ontarians bring home the win. 

OLG is a crown agency that contributes to a better Ontario by delivering great entertainment experiences for our customers. Acting in a socially responsible way, OLG conducts and manages land-based gaming facilities; the sale of province-wide lottery games; Internet gaming; and the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres. OLG is also helping support the horse racing industry in Ontario. Since 1975, OLG has generated approximately $59 billion to the people and Province of Ontario to support key government priorities like health care; the treatment and prevention of problem gambling; and support for amateur athletes. Each year profits from OLG's operations also support host communities, Ontario First Nations, lottery retailers and local charities across the province.

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