Key Takeaways
- OREO and NHLPA expand accessibility initiative to $400,000 in total donations for Canadian youth hockey in 2026
- Fourteen organizations will receive new equipment grants valued at $10,000 or $25,000 through direct submissions
- Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs foundations each receive $100,000 in matched donations for local programs
- NHLPA Goals & Dreams has distributed over $27 million to grassroots hockey programs in 45 countries since 1999
- Grant applications accepted through March 27, with recipients announced in April 2026
Doubling Down on Equipment Access
OREO and the National Hockey League Players’ Association announced the continuation of their ‘OREO Stay Playful For All’ program on January 13, committing $400,000 to youth hockey accessibility across Canada. The initiative builds on a $200,000 first-year deployment that equipped 14 minor hockey teams with new gear.
The program splits its 2026 investment across two channels. Half will fund 14 equipment grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000, distributed through NHLPA Goals & Dreams based on community submissions. The remaining $200,000 flows through matched donations to the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation and MLSE Foundation, with each NHL club matching OREO’s $100,000 contribution.
Six professional players return as program ambassadors: NHL participants Quinn Hughes, Zach Hyman, William Nylander, and Nick Suzuki, alongside PWHL stars Sarah Nurse and Marie-Philip Poulin. The athletes will promote submissions and share perspectives on youth hockey participation.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with NHLPA and NHLPA Goals & Dreams for the second year to help give more kids access to hockey,” said Sonia Bongiorno, Canada Team Lead, Partnerships/Scale Activations, & Shopper Marketing at Mondelez Canada Inc. “At OREO, we know the importance of staying playful and this program invests in that spirit of play by bringing more kids into the beloved sport.”
Targeting High-Need Communities Through Foundation Networks
The Montreal and Toronto foundation partnerships represent a new strategic layer for 2026. Each organization will receive $100,000 from OREO, matched dollar-for-dollar by their respective NHL clubs. The $200,000 combined total will support youth hockey programs in communities identified as high-need by the foundations’ existing assessment frameworks.
This structure allows the program to leverage local expertise in grant distribution while maintaining a national footprint. The foundations manage established networks of youth sports organizations and have existing processes for evaluating program quality and community impact.
Application Window and Historical Context
Canadian residents can submit youth hockey organizations for consideration through March 27, 2026, via oreoplayful.ca. Recipients will be announced in April. Grant decisions will be made by NHLPA Goals & Dreams, which has distributed hockey equipment and funding to programs in 45 countries since its 1999 launch.
Devin Smith, Senior Director of Marketing & Player Marketing at NHLPA, noted the alignment between player involvement and the program’s accessibility mission. The combination of professional athlete visibility and direct equipment funding targets both awareness and resource barriers in youth hockey participation.
Building on Year One Results
The inaugural 2025 program distributed $200,000 across 14 minor hockey teams through NHLPA Goals & Dreams. That initial deployment established the submission and review process now being repeated for 2026, while the foundation partnerships and matched donation structure represent program expansion.
NHLPA Goals & Dreams has deployed more than $27 million since 1999, creating a distribution network that extends beyond North America to 45 countries. The OREO partnership channels additional resources through this existing infrastructure while adding brand visibility and athlete engagement to drive community participation.
via: NHLPA
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