About HEROS
The HEROS mission is to use the game of ice hockey to teach life-skills and empower marginalized youth. We provide free hockey programming for at risk children and youth, offering a safe and stable environment for them to grow, connect and succeed.
All of our programs support a player’s life journey by focusing on the four HEROS behaviours: Listening, Respect, Discipline and Having Fun. These core values are implemented by our players in their everyday lives beyond the rink.
Since launching in 2000, HEROS has grow to 29 programs in 11 cities across Canada. We have provided over 15,000 youth with personal growth opportunities through sport training, educational development, and bursaries; guiding them to become constructive citizens and future community leaders.
HEROS strives to provide every participant with a “team for life”. We connect with our HEROS at the same time and place season after season, so even years after a HERO graduates they know where to find us when they need us. Once a HERO, Always a HERO.
Nothing represents a Canadian childhood more than playing hockey, but for many families the cost is unmanageable.
%
of our player families struggle to meet
their basic needs
%
could not afford to register their child in support without HEROS
%
of our players are new Canadians
%
of our families identify as BIPOC
%
of our families are part of
the SuperHEROS program
HEROS Communities
PROGRAMS
CITIES
HEROS offers 29 programs in 11 cities across Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Blackfalds / Red Deer, Montreal, Ottawa, Sunshine Coast, Surrey, Toronto and North York, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Regina and Victoria.
National Partners
Home Ice Partners
Surrey
Surrey
Calgary, Bowness
Blackfalds / Red Deer
Regina
Awards
HEROS has had the honour to receive a number of awards and recognitions for its work in communities across Canada.
| 2021 | Patron Peace Prize – HEROS board member Harnarayan Singh |
| 2021 | NHL Willie O’Ree Award – Executive Director Kevin Hodgson |
| 2019 | Received the Brigadier Generals Excellence Medallion |
| 2016 | Prasanthan Aruchanan becomes the 3rd straight HEROS participant named as winner of the Thurgood Marshall / NHL Scholarship |
| 2015 | HEROS participant Wyatt Christiansen is named recipient of the NHL/Thurgood Marshall Scholarship |
| 2014 | HEROS participant Nick McCurdy named the first Canadian recipient for the NHL/Thurgood Marshall Scholarship |
| 2013 | Governor General of Canada David Johnston acknowledges his patronage to HEROS |
| 2009 | Recipients of the Belfast City Council Safety Award for work with at-risk youth |
| 2007 | Recipient of the Aspen Hope Award |
| 2003 | Miracle Maker Award presented by CIBC – one of four recipients nationwide |
| 2002 | Program of the Year awarded by the Vancouver School Board |
Since 2018, five players, and one coach have been recipients of the AC Fan Flight.