The National Hockey League Players' Association and OREO today announced the launch of the 'OREO Stay Playful For All' program, which will see $200,000 in new hockey equipment grants from NHLPA Goals & Dreams delivered across Canada. The program marks the beginning of a multiyear partnership between the NHLPA and Mondelez Canada Inc., the parent company to the iconic OREO brand.
Quinn Hughes, Zach Hyman, William Nylander and Nick Suzuki, along with PWHL stars Sarah Nurse and Marie-Philip Poulin are ambassadors of the 'OREO Stay Playful For All,' program playing an active role in boosting the reach of the program on their social media channels and encouraging fans and youth hockey organizations to share their stories on what 'Stay Playful' means to them. The program will also be prominently featured in retail displays in stores across the country to help boost reach and encourage fans to participate.
"A core value of OREO is staying playful and the power of play, which is why we're thrilled to partner with NHLPA and some of hockey's top pros to help make the sport more accessible to youth and keep play alive in communities across Canada," said Chantal Butler, chief marketing officer, Mondelez Canada Inc. "Through this program, our goal is to remove the barriers that often prevent access to the game Canadians love and give more kids the opportunity to experience the joy of hockey."
By partnering with NHLPA Goals & Dreams, Team OREO will select 14 recipients and will offer new hockey equipment grants valued between $10,000 to $25,000 to youth hockey organizations in communities that need it most. The 'OREO Stay Playful For All' program are accepting applications across Canada from January 6 to March 15, with grant recipients selected in two phases: phase one began on January 6 and will end on February 7, and phase two begins on February 8 and ends on March 15. For more information, please visit here.
"The NHLPA is thrilled to partner with OREO on the 'OREO Stay Playful For All' campaign," said Devin Smith, NHLPA senior director, sponsorship and player marketing. "For 25 years through our NHLPA Goals & Dreams program, the Players have been giving back to grassroots hockey initiatives around the world. This campaign brought out the fun personalities of Nick, Quinn, William and Zach, and through this partnership with OREO even more Canadians will get the chance to play the sport of hockey through $200,000 in new equipment donations across Canada."
'OREO Stay Playful For All' coincides with the 25th anniversary of NHLPA Goals & Dreams, which began in 1999 as a way for NHL players to give back to the game they love. Over the last 25 years, NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $26 million to grassroots hockey programs in 40 countries around the world with the continued focus on giving children the opportunity to play hockey.