How You Can Help Provide Recreation to Children and Youth in Greater Saint John
“Do you know what my favourite part of the game is? The opportunity to play,” Mike Singletary, the NFL Coach and player, once said. P.R.O. Kids believes every child deserves the opportunity to play. In fact, every year the organization helps around 1,000 kids in need in Greater Saint John access extracurricular activities.
But in 2020, they’ve been seeing some new faces.
“This year with Covid-19, we’ve had a lot of families who are coming to us for the first time ever,” says Jessica McPherson, P.R.O. Kids’ support coordinator. “With more families struggling financially, their budgets simply can’t be stretched to cover the costs associated with recreation activities. Accessing our services is something they never anticipated.”
P.R.O. Kids started 18 years ago under the City of Saint John’s Growth and Community Services department. The service helps families with children under the age of 18 cover the costs to participate in sports, recreation, arts and cultural programs. This includes registration fees, transportation and equipment needs.
“With one in three children in Saint John living in poverty, the City recognized there was a need for this service,” says McPherson. “From the beginning, P.R.O. Kids has had great support from various organizations we work with. Over the years, this support has allowed us to grow and to assist more kids.”
P.R.O. Kids has worked with over 150 organizations and programs including hockey, theatre, art, bowling, dance, cheerleading, sewing, horseback riding, gymnastics, rugby, martial arts and more. The service is available to children in Saint John, Grand Bay-Westfield, Rothesay and Quispamsis,
Like many local charities, P.R.O. Kids relies heavily on donations from partners like Emera NB and the community. Around this time of year, they’d usually be getting ready for their annual fundraising dinner, but with Covid-19 bringing a halt to large group gatherings, this year the fundraiser will be a virtual event: Live With P.R.O. Kids.
“This year’s virtual event gives us the opportunity to show appreciation to our sponsors and the impact their support has on our community. We work with several amazing groups who traditionally host fundraising events for us throughout the year,” says McPherson. “With those events also cancelled due to Covid-19, we put our heads together to set the stage for Live With P.R.O. Kids.”
Beginning Monday, November 2, the P.R.O. Kids Facebook Page will connect to an online auction, hosted by Operation Red Nose. Participants have until the live event to bid on the auction items.
Live with P.R.O. Kids will take place on Thursday, November 19 when a live broadcast studio will be set up at the Delta Brunswick Hotel. From 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., followers can tune in to the Facebook Live Stream every hour for special guest appearances, local performances and silent auction results. Sponsorship packages are still available for local businesses and organizations to show their support.
Although its annual fundraising event looks a lot different this year, McPherson says the team is excited to try something new.
“We have done our annual FUN-raising dinner for 18 years, always challenging ourselves to come up with different styles and themes each year,” she says. “This year, our committee just approached a virtual event as a new and exciting challenge.”
Donations are welcomed from everyone, whether you’re an individual, business or group. P.R.O. Kids accepts online donations year-round through CanadaHelps.
“We realize that 2020 has been a difficult year for some homes and businesses,” says McPherson. “Any amount is welcome and every dollar makes a difference.”
No matter how old you are, most people can remember how getting involved in extracurricular activities growing up positively impacted their lives. P.R.O. Kid’s mission is to make sure every kid in Greater Saint John can have those experiences.
“Our supporters all understand the impact that sport, recreation or arts and cultural activities have on youth,” says McPherson. “Those experiences build skills, values, connections and some of the best memories growing up. That’s why they all step up to the plate every year for us. We hope others will too.”
Live With P.R.O. Kids will take place on November 19 on their Facebook Page. The page will also share the link to the online auction when it’s live. Those looking to donate can do so here.