NHL star Jonathan Toews helped announce the most recent round of grants from The Winnipeg Foundation’s Nourishing Potential Fund today. The event was hosted by Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre (WASAC), one of the 23 charitable organizations to benefit from this round of funding, which totaled more than $116,000. Nourishing Potential grants support healthy food and nutrition education for Winnipeg kids at local drop-in and summer programs.

Captain of the Chicago Blackhawks and a Winnipegger, Toews is a donor to the Nourishing Potential Fund and its ambassador this summer. Toews, who credits healthy eating with his success both on and off the ice, spent the morning meeting with community organizations and hearing how Nourishing Potential grants are helping young people in Winnipeg.

“I want to thank all of you for giving me this opportunity, because truly I’m the one who is very happy and very lucky to be here,” said Toews. “For me it was inspiring to hear your stories.”

One of those stories came from WASAC, which runs a summer day camp program for thousands of Winnipeg kids. Nourishing Potential grants are important, said Trevor LaForte, the organization’s Executive Director. In addition to helping provide fresh, healthy food to participants, the grants enable WASAC’s youth leaders to take part in food handler training, which also helps improve their future job prospects.

“We would like to thank The Winnipeg Foundation and the Nourishing Potential grant for all that they do,” said LaForte.

The founder of WASAC, Kevin Chief – now MLA for Point Douglas and Minister of Jobs and the Economy – emceed the event. Chief commended the Foundation, and its CEO, Rick Frost, for its work in the community.

“The Winnipeg Foundation touches virtually every single neighbourhood in our community,” said Chief. “I can tell you it has done incredible things in our neighbourhood and around the city.”

The Nourishing Potential Fund is a permanent endowment at the Foundation. Since the Fund was established in 2011, it has received support from individuals and lead sponsors and now sits at over $4 million. The goal is $5 million, which will help support good nutrition in our community forever.

From now until Labour Day, people can support the Fund online at www.wpgfdn.org, in person at the Foundation office or any branch of Assiniboine Credit Union, or by texting GOAL to 45678.