More Youth, More Communities, More Opportunities: BMO KickStart Expands Across the GTA
At a time when excitement for soccer is growing across Toronto, BMO KickStart is building on its commitment to creating more opportunities for youth to play, grow, and thrive through sport.
Delivered in partnership with Toronto FC, the BMO KickStart program has broadened its reach this season by welcoming three new grassroots soccer organizations: Girls Forward Foundation, Scadding Court Community Centre, and Eritrean Canadian Community Centre. These organizations now join Toronto Community Housing Corporation, further strengthening the program's commitment to providing accessible soccer opportunities for youth across the Greater Toronto Area.
Additionally, integrating MLSE LaunchPad's futsal program under the BMO KickStart umbrella further expands access to free, high-quality sports for youth. This initiative ensures that through BMO KickStart’s core offerings, even more young people will benefit from inclusive and accessible soccer-based programs.
"For many youth in our community, access to sport is not just about recreation — it is about connection, confidence, and opportunity," said B'Jamiin Melamed-Turkish of Scadding Court Community Centre. "Being part of the BMO KickStart expansion means more kids and youth at Scadding Court will have access to free programming where they can feel supported, included, and empowered to thrive."
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"Access to sport is not just about recreation — it is about connection, confidence, and opportunity,"
Since launching in 2013, KickStart has provided youth with access to soccer programming that removes financial barriers and creates opportunities to build confidence, develop skills, and foster meaningful connections. With BMO joining as a partner in 2021, the program has continued to grow its impact, reaching more than 500 youth annually. Through this latest expansion, that number is expected to increase to over 700 youth, ensuring even more young people have access to the benefits of sport.
For Eritrean Canadian Community Centre, the mission is to improve the overall quality of life for Eritreans in the GTA through the provision of settlement services, holistic health promotion and educational, cultural, and recreational programming. Through these pillars, ECCC strives to empower and enable people of Eritrean descent toward social and economic inclusion.
"Many of the program participants are newcomers who do not have the funds to recruit their children in paid sport clubs in the city," said Bereket Mogos, Program Coordinator for ECCC. "But thanks to the BMO KickStart program, our community is able to access this free soccer program which otherwise would have been impossible for most of the participants."
Girls Forward Foundation is dedicated to empowering girls through sport and physical activity, but its vision extends beyond the playing field. The organization creates programs and spaces where participants discover their strength, find their voice, and develop into tomorrow’s leaders.
To mark this new chapter, BMO KickStart also unveiled a refreshed brand identity. Youth participating across all program sites received new uniforms, water bottles, shin pads, and soccer balls, helping create a shared sense of pride and belonging throughout the program.
The expansion comes at a particularly exciting moment for soccer in Toronto. This summer, with the world's largest international soccer tournament coming to the city, BMO and MLSE Foundation celebrated the sport's ability to bring people together through the BMO KickStart Celebration of Soccer and Community week at MLSE LaunchPad.
The week-long activation transformed MLSE LaunchPad into a hub of soccer-focused programming and community engagement, and featured daily impact programming that provided youth with opportunities to play, learn, and connect through sport.
Together, BMO and MLSE Foundation remain committed to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to experience the benefits of sport, regardless of their financial circumstances. Through the continued growth of BMO KickStart, more youth across the GTA will have the chance to step onto the pitch, build confidence, and discover what's possible when barriers are removed and opportunities are created.
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At a time when excitement for soccer is growing across Toronto, BMO KickStart is building on its commitment to creating more opportunities for youth to play, grow, and thrive through sport.
Delivered in partnership with Toronto FC, the BMO KickStart program has broadened its reach this season by welcoming three new grassroots soccer organizations: Girls Forward Foundation, Scadding Court Community Centre, and Eritrean Canadian Community Centre. These organizations now join Toronto Community Housing Corporation, further strengthening the program's commitment to providing accessible soccer opportunities for youth across the Greater Toronto Area.
Additionally, integrating MLSE LaunchPad's futsal program under the BMO KickStart umbrella further expands access to free, high-quality sports for youth. This initiative ensures that through BMO KickStart’s core offerings, even more young people will benefit from inclusive and accessible soccer-based programs.
"For many youth in our community, access to sport is not just about recreation — it is about connection, confidence, and opportunity," said B'Jamiin Melamed-Turkish of Scadding Court Community Centre. "Being part of the BMO KickStart expansion means more kids and youth at Scadding Court will have access to free programming where they can feel supported, included, and empowered to thrive."
"Access to sport is not just about recreation — it is about connection, confidence, and opportunity,"
Since launching in 2013, KickStart has provided youth with access to soccer programming that removes financial barriers and creates opportunities to build confidence, develop skills, and foster meaningful connections. With BMO joining as a partner in 2021, the program has continued to grow its impact, reaching more than 500 youth annually. Through this latest expansion, that number is expected to increase to over 700 youth, ensuring even more young people have access to the benefits of sport.
For Eritrean Canadian Community Centre, the mission is to improve the overall quality of life for Eritreans in the GTA through the provision of settlement services, holistic health promotion and educational, cultural, and recreational programming. Through these pillars, ECCC strives to empower and enable people of Eritrean descent toward social and economic inclusion.
"Many of the program participants are newcomers who do not have the funds to recruit their children in paid sport clubs in the city," said Bereket Mogos, Program Coordinator for ECCC. "But thanks to the BMO KickStart program, our community is able to access this free soccer program which otherwise would have been impossible for most of the participants."
Girls Forward Foundation is dedicated to empowering girls through sport and physical activity, but its vision extends beyond the playing field. The organization creates programs and spaces where participants discover their strength, find their voice, and develop into tomorrow’s leaders.
To mark this new chapter, BMO KickStart also unveiled a refreshed brand identity. Youth participating across all program sites received new uniforms, water bottles, shin pads, and soccer balls, helping create a shared sense of pride and belonging throughout the program.
The expansion comes at a particularly exciting moment for soccer in Toronto. This summer, with the world's largest international soccer tournament coming to the city, BMO and MLSE Foundation celebrated the sport's ability to bring people together through the BMO KickStart Celebration of Soccer and Community week at MLSE LaunchPad.
The week-long activation transformed MLSE LaunchPad into a hub of soccer-focused programming and community engagement, and featured daily impact programming that provided youth with opportunities to play, learn, and connect through sport.
Together, BMO and MLSE Foundation remain committed to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to experience the benefits of sport, regardless of their financial circumstances. Through the continued growth of BMO KickStart, more youth across the GTA will have the chance to step onto the pitch, build confidence, and discover what's possible when barriers are removed and opportunities are created.
MORE STORIES
At a time when excitement for soccer is growing across Toronto, BMO KickStart is building on its commitment to creating more opportunities for youth to play, grow, and thrive through sport.
Delivered in partnership with Toronto FC, the BMO KickStart program has broadened its reach this season by welcoming three new grassroots soccer organizations: Girls Forward Foundation, Scadding Court Community Centre, and Eritrean Canadian Community Centre. These organizations now join Toronto Community Housing Corporation, further strengthening the program's commitment to providing accessible soccer opportunities for youth across the Greater Toronto Area.
Additionally, integrating MLSE LaunchPad's futsal program under the BMO KickStart umbrella further expands access to free, high-quality sports for youth. This initiative ensures that through BMO KickStart’s core offerings, even more young people will benefit from inclusive and accessible soccer-based programs.
"For many youth in our community, access to sport is not just about recreation — it is about connection, confidence, and opportunity," said B'Jamiin Melamed-Turkish of Scadding Court Community Centre. "Being part of the BMO KickStart expansion means more kids and youth at Scadding Court will have access to free programming where they can feel supported, included, and empowered to thrive."
B'Jamiin Melamed-Turkish, Scadding Court Community Centre
Since launching in 2013, KickStart has provided youth with access to soccer programming that removes financial barriers and creates opportunities to build confidence, develop skills, and foster meaningful connections. With BMO joining as a partner in 2021, the program has continued to grow its impact, reaching more than 500 youth annually. Through this latest expansion, that number is expected to increase to over 700 youth, ensuring even more young people have access to the benefits of sport.
For Eritrean Canadian Community Centre, the mission is to improve the overall quality of life for Eritreans in the GTA through the provision of settlement services, holistic health promotion and educational, cultural, and recreational programming. Through these pillars, ECCC strives to empower and enable people of Eritrean descent toward social and economic inclusion.
"Many of the program participants are newcomers who do not have the funds to recruit their children in paid sport clubs in the city," said Bereket Mogos, Program Coordinator for ECCC. "But thanks to the BMO KickStart program, our community is able to access this free soccer program which otherwise would have been impossible for most of the participants."
Girls Forward Foundation is dedicated to empowering girls through sport and physical activity, but its vision extends beyond the playing field. The organization creates programs and spaces where participants discover their strength, find their voice, and develop into tomorrow’s leaders.
To mark this new chapter, BMO KickStart also unveiled a refreshed brand identity. Youth participating across all program sites received new uniforms, water bottles, shin pads, and soccer balls, helping create a shared sense of pride and belonging throughout the program.
The expansion comes at a particularly exciting moment for soccer in Toronto. This summer, with the world's largest international soccer tournament coming to the city, BMO and MLSE Foundation celebrated the sport's ability to bring people together through the BMO KickStart Celebration of Soccer and Community week at MLSE LaunchPad.
The week-long activation transformed MLSE LaunchPad into a hub of soccer-focused programming and community engagement, and featured daily impact programming that provided youth with opportunities to play, learn, and connect through sport.
Together, BMO and MLSE Foundation remain committed to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to experience the benefits of sport, regardless of their financial circumstances. Through the continued growth of BMO KickStart, more youth across the GTA will have the chance to step onto the pitch, build confidence, and discover what's possible when barriers are removed and opportunities are created.