HALIFAX (NS) – The Canadian Hockey Foundation (CHF) and the Canadian Hockey Foundation US (CHFUS) announced on Wednesday that a total of 460 game tickets to the 2008 IIHF World Championship will be donated to underprivileged youth in Nova Scotia and Quebec, following a CHF and CHFUS grant valued at $10,000. The 2008 IIHF World Championship runs from May 2nd through May 18th in Halifax and Quebec City. It marks the first time that Canada has hosted the world championship.

The CHF and CHFUS grants have made 100 tickets available for underprivileged youth to attend Team Canada games at the 2008 IIHF Men’s World Championships in Halifax and experience world class hockey first hand. An additional 12 full ticket packages (360 game tickets) have been donated to underprivileged youth in Quebec, which will permit them to attend games in Quebec City through the medal round. These grants are in keeping with one of the CHF’s goals to make hockey accessible to underprivileged children across the country.

Hockey Nova Scotia and Hockey Quebec, along with local youth organizations throughout both provinces identified the program participants and tickets will be distributed to the selected youth over the coming weeks.

This initiative comes as a follow-up to Hockey Canada’s Dream Come True program, which debuted during the 2007-08 hockey season. This program provided underprivileged children with the opportunity to attend a Hockey Canada development camp, along with providing hockey equipment and the opportunity to play a season of organized hockey on a recognized minor hockey team. The Canadian Hockey Foundation and the Canadian Hockey Foundation US have developed these programs to make hockey accessible to underprivileged children in Canada.

The CANADIAN HOCKEY FOUNDATION provides a source of secure sustainable, long term funding to support the future development and delivery of Hockey Canada programs, projects, and activities. The CHF accepts contributions for the purpose of establishing and growing a selection of endowment and annual Funds. Caring Canadians who want to give back to the game can now do so knowing their gift to the CHF will have an impact for generations to come. Working with the Hockey Canada team, the CHF puts gifts to work to help ensure Canada remains at the forefront in the development and promotion of amateur hockey.

The CHFUS shares the goal of creating ongoing support for the development of Canadian amateur hockey. Canadians carry their emotional attachment to our game beyond our borders and the CHFUS extends our combined reach to those Canadians living or working in the United States. The CHF and CHFUS are registered charities and can issue receipts for tax purposes in both Canada and the United States for donations made to either of these two organizations.

For further information on CHF and CHFUS, or to make a contribution to the Foundation, contact executive director Noel Fader at (403) 777-4562 or [email protected].