Youth of the Year initiative to award winners with leadership training, financial support for postsecondary education, and funding toward youth leadership programming

Toronto, ON, April 30, 2021 – At the virtual Youth of the Year Awards on April 29, hosted by Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka and YTV host & producer Duhin, BGC Canada unveiled our very first National Youth of the Year ambassador: Valentina Shamoun!

Representing BGC East Scarborough, Valentina has been a BGC member, volunteer, and now staff in the Club’s afterschool program. Her involvement with her local Club has led to many opportunities, and she has turned those experiences into a passion for giving back, from advocating for autism to peer tutoring to founding her own nonprofit project, The Butterfly Effect—and she plans to pursue a career in the medical field. Community is important to Valentina, and we know that she will proudly represent her Club and the entire BGC movement as our inaugural 2021 National Youth of the Year.

“We are incredibly proud of our five outstanding Regional Youth of the Year winners! As BGC ambassadors, they represent the leadership, drive, and compassion that defines the next generation and I know they will make a difference in their Club, their community, and beyond,” says Owen Charters, President & CEO, BGC Canada. “A special congratulations to Valentina on becoming our National Youth of the Year, and a big thank you to our local Clubs for supporting these incredible youth, as well as to our partners, Hyundai Canada and Mary Brown’s Chicken, for helping us bring this amazing initiative to life.”

A national initiative celebrating youth leadership and achievement at BGCs across Canada, and supported by leading title sponsor Hyundai Canada and platinum sponsor Mary Brown’s Chicken, BGC Canada’s Youth of the Year program will foster strong BGC ambassadors and build capacity for Clubs across the country to continue supporting youth leaders in their communities. The five Regional Youth of the Year will receive prize packs, laptops, and postsecondary scholarships, as well as media and leadership training to prepare them for the next two years as official BGC ambassadors.

“Learning about BGC Canada’s regional and national winners has been truly inspiring. These young leaders demonstrate strong leadership, clear vision, and an unbelievable work ethic. Hyundai Canada is proud to support Youth of the Year, helping the winners become emissaries of change in their communities,” says Kirk Merrett, Director of Human Resources & Administration, Hyundai Canada. “The work exhibited by the participants is a testament to the impact BGC Canada has in supporting youth for a brighter future. Congratulations to Valentina and thank you to BGC Canada for their unwavering resilience and dedication to our youth and their communities, despite the challenging circumstances imposed by the pandemic this past year.”

“Congratulations to Valentina! All of us at Mary Brown’s Chicken are extremely proud to support the amazing efforts of BGC Canada, and in particular, the Youth of the Year program,” says Hadi Chahin, President & COO, Mary Brown’s Chicken. “The remarkable achievements of all the entrants are a testament to the dedication of BGC Clubs and the life-changing support and skills they bring to children and youth in communities across Canada.”

The home Clubs of each Regional Youth of the Year winner will also receive a grant to further support their youth engagement and leadership work. Learn more about Youth of the Year at bgccan.com/youth-of-the-year and stay tuned for next year’s Youth of the Year competition!

About BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada)
For 120+ years, BGC Canada has been creating opportunities for millions of Canadian kids and teens. As Canada’s largest child and youth serving charitable and community services organization, our Clubs open their doors to young people of all ages and their families at 775 locations nationwide. During out-of-school hours in small and large cities, and rural and Indigenous communities, our trained staff and volunteers provide programs and services that help young people realize positive outcomes in self-expression, academics, healthy living, physical activity, job readiness, mental health, social development, leadership, and more. Opportunity changes everything. Learn more at bgccan.com and follow us on social media @BGCCAN.

Media contact:

Jared Morrow, Media Relations Manager, BGC Canada
jmorrow@bgccan.com
905-477-7272 x2202

About Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
Hyundai Auto Canada, established in 1983 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario, is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout Canada by Hyundai Auto Canada and are sold and serviced through more than 221 dealerships nationwide. Hyundai is also the first to offer a second-generation zero-emissions Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle to Canadian customers, called the NEXO. More information about Hyundai and its vehicles can be found at www.HyundaiCanada.com.

For more information about Hyundai and its products, please visit www.hyundainews.ca or contact:

Jenn McCarthy, National Manager, Public Relations, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
jmccarthy@hyundaicanada.com
416-770-0842

About Mary Brown’s Chicken
Mary Brown’s Chicken is the largest Canadian quick serve chicken restaurant. The brand was founded in Newfoundland & Labrador in 1969 and today has about 200 locations across Canada, having tripled its store count in the last decade. 100% Canadian, the brand’s key differentiator is crave-able taste. Mary Brown’s chicken and potatoes are locally sourced and delivered whole and fresh to each store, where they’re hand cut and hand breaded. Big Mary® has been named Canada’s Best Chicken Sandwich. A testament to the brand’s east coast heritage, genuine hospitality and community involvement are intrinsic to the brand. Mary Brown’s proudly supports hospitals, front line workers and numerous regional initiatives like kids’ lunch programs and many others. Learn more at marybrowns.com and follow us on Instagram: @marybrownsofficial, Twitter: @marybrowns, and Facebook: @MaryBrowns.

Media contact:

Darlene Giles, Mary Brown’s Chicken
darlene@marybrowns.com
416-998-6398

Team members from BGC East Scarborough accept donations of Lenovo 100e Chromebooks from Best Buy Canada’s Geek Squad Agents.

TORONTO, ON (June 30, 2020) – This week Lenovo, in partnership with Best Buy Canada, delivered 650 100E Chromebooks to Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada to help support the ongoing education of Canadian students.

The donation, which will distribute devices to kids at 61 Boys and Girls Club locations across Canada, comes at a time when connectivity is more important than ever. With closures of schools and community programming as a result of COVID-19, students are forced to turn to technology to remain engaged and complete their studies.

“COVID-19 has shined a spotlight on the importance of technology in education, but unfortunately, not all students have access to the devices needed to continue their studies at home,” said Colin McIsaac, executive director and general manager, Lenovo Canada. “The rapid transition from in-class to e-learning in our education system has highlighted the deep digital divide among students that is growing more rapidly due to the global pandemic. We are proud to be doing our part to help support their ongoing education by providing Chromebooks to these students.”

“Having had a strong partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada since 2001, we understand how much children and youth rely on the Clubs for support,” said Polly Tracey, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs at Best Buy Canada. “During COVID-19, our purpose of enriching lives through technology is more important than ever. We’re proud to be able to connect Boys and Girls Club families to technology when they need it most and we’re so pleased that Lenovo was keen to collaborate with us on this initiative.”

Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada encourage and support every child and youth to play, learn and grow to achieve their dreams, through various programs that span beyond the traditional school year. Since the transition to e-learning as a result of COVID-19, the organization has ramped up its efforts to get much needed technology in the hands of students. 

“We are grateful to Lenovo and Best Buy Canada for this important donation, which comes at a pivotal time for Boys and Girls Clubs youth across Canada, especially those who may not have the resources they need,” says Owen Charters, President & CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. “In addition to students’ ongoing studies, families are beginning to think about summer plans and activities for kids. Many of our Clubs have turned to virtual programming and these devices will help keep kids and teens connected so they can benefit from everything our Clubs offer.”

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About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$50 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 63,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world.  Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world’s most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation – to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Weibo and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

LENOVO is a trademark of Lenovo. CHROMEBOOK is a trademark of Google LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2020, Lenovo Group Limited.

About Best Buy Canada
A wholly owned subsidiary of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY), Best Buy Canada Ltd. is one of Canada’s largest and most successful omni-channel retailers, operating the Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, and Geek Squad (www.geeksquad.ca) brands. With over 170 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores across Canada and an expanded assortment of lifestyle products offered through BestBuy.ca, Best Buy is a leader in total retail, catering to customers how, when, and where they want to shop. Best Buy Canada is committed to making a positive impact in the community with programs and partnerships that support youth to connect with technology to advance their education. For more information, visit BestBuy.ca

Media contacts:

Jared Morrow
Media Relations Manager, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
jmorrow@bgccan.com

Lisa Marie Ferrell
Head of PR, Lenovo North America
lferrell1@lenovo.com

By Owen Charters

*this op-ed was recently published on toronto.com

The gymnasium echoes with excited voices as volunteers and Boys and Girls Club members begin tearing boxes open and pulling out bicycle parts.

It’s August in Toronto, and I’m at our Boys and Girls Club in East Scarborough. I’m on hand for the Mondelez Canada Bike Build, an event that pairs Mondelez Canada employee volunteers with young Club members to assemble 50 bicycles. Two days earlier and a little further west, another 50 bicycles were built at Eastview Boys and Girls Club in Greektown.

The best part? Each young person that takes part in assembling a bike gets to take one home. For me, the entire enterprise is summed up by the look on a child’s face as they grip the handlebars of their newly built bike; a combination of immediate joy, future rides unfolding in their imagination, and the pride of ownership that comes from building the bike themselves.

These events are a spinoff of Bicycle Factory, a Mondelez Canada initiative that encourages Canadians to build bikes online. The virtual bikes are then turned into real bikes for kids in rural Ghana, making it easier for them to get to school and gain a valuable education.

Bringing a similar project to Canada only made sense; although bikes are a common sight in Toronto and its suburbs, in reality they are a luxury that many families in our city can’t afford. The gift of a new bike opens up a range of opportunities for a kid, from simply getting around the neighbourhood, to spending quality time with their family, to getting the physical activity they need. And these bikes will stay in the family for years to come, passed down from one sibling to the next.

Sustainability is the key. Not just in the long-term use of the bikes or in the self-esteem and leadership traits instilled in the youth, but also in the community building that takes place at each event. Mondelēz employees get a chance to volunteer in the communities where they work and live, the local Toronto police division runs safe riding workshops, and bike experts from Velofix are onsite to check the mechanical function of each bike before the kids take them home.

The Bike Builds are part of a larger community-based Mondelez Canada program called Cool Moves. Run at Boys and Girls clubs across the country, Cool Moves encourages kids to adopt healthy, active lifestyles through two different streams: Eat Smart, where young people are taught how to make healthy eating choices, and Play Cool, where they are introduced to a variety of physical activities.

And it’s working. To date, nearly 22,000 children and youth in 50 communities across the country have benefited from Cool Moves. And in the Toronto area, we’ve built and donated 400 bikes.

It’s a ripple effect — healthy kids make for healthy communities. And that’s good for everyone.

Adaja Stephenson, a member of Boys & Girls Club of East Scarborough, works on putting together her new bike as part of the Mondelez Canada Bike Build program.

New bicycles assembled by children and their mentors are lined up at Eastview Boys & Girls Club in Toronto.

Martavia Martin, a member of Boys & Girls Club of East Scarborough, gets some help from volunteers to assemble her new bike.