2 minute read
Putting Kids First: At Home, at the Game, and Everywhere They Go
After a year and a half spent in lockdown, the whole world now knows what it feels like to be socially isolated. In a matter of days, the world went from stadiums to “stay at home.” Months of lockdowns from the pandemic meant zero access to live events for anyone, regardless of their income. For some children, this lack of access was not much different than their lives before the pandemic. Kids Up Front, a Toronto charity known for making meaningful connections between youth and community, is dedicated to improving the lives of young people facing barriers to access by including them in events at no cost. Since its inception in 2006, Kids Up Front has provided more than 675,000 experiences (tickets, classes, and passes) valued at more than $25 million to Toronto youth and their families from 250+ charitable partners and schools. But amid a global health crisis, Kids Up Front had to navigate a world where coming together to make an impact was not possible—and what they learned changed their understanding of true togetherness; that it’s not where we gather, but how we come together, in any capacity, to create experiences that foster genuine connections. Within weeks of the pandemic, Kids Up Front launched Kids at Home, a virtual program designed to help kids and families during their new locked-down world by offering a variety of educational and entertaining virtual programming. With the help of donors across the country, Kids Up Front was able to continue its mission of promoting inclusion and strengthening communities by connecting children and their families to enriching experiences. As COVID-19 continued to increase the gaps in access for vulnerable families, Kids Up Front took another step forward, introducing Handled With Care, an initiative to connect donated goods to those in need. These new initiatives have taken the value of Kids Up Front to a new level, expanding their impact at a critical time in our history. There is now a more significant understanding of what it means to be socially isolated, and Kids Up Front hopes that this new knowledge will, in turn, lead to a deeper understanding of why it is vital to fight social isolation and tear down the barriers that limit inclusion and community. The cost of a movie ticket, hockey ticket, or a music lesson is out of reach for so many families. Kids Up Front exists to make sure all children, regardless of income and other barriers, get a seat at the game, a chance at a singing lesson, or a taste of adventure.
