The Big Hearted Mavericks Foundation

About the Big Hearted Mavericks Foundation

The Big Hearted Mavericks Foundation was set-up in 2011 as an amalgamation between the Mavericks and The Big Hearted Cowboys. The mandate was and remains to actively support Calgary and area children-focused not-for-profit agencies and individuals needs. To date, we have raised over $5 million to fulfill this purpose.

We are a group of 25 local businessmen with an entrepreneurial bent who believe in giving back and volunteer to that purpose. We have no salaried employees, and our administration costs remain among the lowest of any foundation in Alberta.

The charities are chosen according to the following criteria;

1. Interested parties fill out a funding application package which includes their own mandates, goals and visions; detailed information on their charities including financials and as specific uses for the money as possible.

2. Once an application package is accepted then we carefully review the applications for good strategic fits. Charities must fit our mandate described above; we especially like not for profits who do not receive significant government funding and those with an entrepreneurial bent as well.

The Mavericks also have an annual $5,000 Families in Crisis Fund, administered by our Society, where we contribute directly to families in need that fit our mandate but aren’t directly served by the charities we support. Examples have included helping families cope with the untimely death of a child and extreme financial hardship attributed to a child being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Our chosen not-for-profits for 2022 included Community Kitchen, PREP Reading Program, Alberta Adolescent Recovery Center, Between Friends, Pace Kids and The Calgary Dolphins Swim Club. Attached you will find information on the programs that we have supported within the charities. We encourage you to reach out to us with any questions that you may have.

We thank you for your continued support of the Big Hearted Mavericks and our incredible charity partners.

Sincerely,

Brent Hansen | President

Big Hearted Mavericks Society

AARC (Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre)

The Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) is an accredited non-profit, long-term family treatment centre for chemically-addicted adolescents aged 12 - 21. Since its inception in 1992, AARC has graduated over 640 clients and approximately 2,500 additional family members.

Every day, AARC sees the devastating impact of drug and alcohol addiction on young people and their families.Addiction does not play favourites; it impacts youth and families from all walks of life, income levels and demographics. Access to treatment at AARC is based on need; fees are based on ability to pay. No one requiring this intensive program is turned away based on their inability to cover the costs.

The generous support from the Big Hearted Mavericks has enabled AARC to offer life-saving addiction treatment to adolescents and their families who are desperate for help and hope. AARC is truly grateful for this support, one hundred percent of which goes towards treatment fee subsidies for families in need of financial support.

“As a child, I was a confident, proud, quiet, energetic, and positive kid. I had a good upbringing and was very close with my family. At the age of 14, I started drinking alcohol and I also started to experiment with marijuana. By the time I was 16, I was abusing cough syrup, smoking weed and drinking almost every day. On January 23rd, 2019, I came into AARC. I was terrified, angry, sad and miserable. Treatment, in the beginning, was incredibly difficult for me. Eventually, however, I slowly started to grasp what this program had to offer. I have experienced many ups and downs, but today I am sober and grateful for a second chance at life.”

- Spencer A., AARC Graduate #623

PREP is a unique place where families who have a child with Down syndrome find expert advice, innovative therapeutic and educational services, and most of all hope for their child’s future

At PREP we believe that every child who has Down syndrome is able to be an active and included member of society, and we work hard to make sure each child receives the services and support they need to succeed at home, at school, and in the community.

One of PREP's most popular services is our Reading Program. Learning to read is an essential life skill for our students, which is why PREP offers an individualized and personalized reading program designed specifically for students with Down syndrome in grades 1-12. Our highly skilled reading team modifies each lesson based on the interests of each student and literacy goals are created in coordination with families and teaching teams. This program continues to be a huge success for our families, and it would not be possible without the generous support of the Mavericks. Because of their contributions, PREP is now able to provide reading instruction to 45 children with Down syndrome, with more students registering every year. This program has truly made a significant difference in the lives of children with Down syndrome, and it is all thanks to the support of the Mavericks.

Between Friends is a charitable organization that provides quality social, recreation and development opportunities so that people with disabilities can connect, grow, and belong.

Between Friends programs are where our members can experience an outlet for self-expression and development, increase their mental and physical health, improve skills and enhance their community participation. Parents and family

members continually tell us how important our programs are for their children and how without these programs, their lives would be very different. Thanks to the support from our donors, like the Big Hearted Mavericks Foundation, in

2021, we were able to subsidize Camp Bonaventure by $104,665 to make it more affordable to the 160 families who registered and offered an additional $10,086 to 28 of those families who required additional fee assistance during

these difficult financial times. Without your generous support we would not be able to offer these life changing programs.

The Maverick's donations go to support two of our children's programs, Souper Stars and Tummy Tamers. Our programs have served and fed around 92,481 children from January up to the end of October, so far.

Souper Stars is our program that brings education into the classroom for children in grades 4 and 5.

Lucy, our facilitator, teaches them how to live a healthier lifestyle by showing them how to incorporate fresh produce into their diets. They are also equipped with life skills helping to build up their confidence. She also teaches proper etiquette, personal hygiene, food and kitchen safety and much more. All of this has been done virtually, but Lucy has continued to deliver healthy snacks for the students and has delivered over 10500 snacks from the start of this year at an average cost of $2.50.

The second program Tummy Tamers, is our summer program that runs in July and August.

It feeds children from ages 5 to 12 in low-income communities during the summer months that heavily rely on school-based food programs to fed them, throughout the school year. During the pandemic, the day camps that these children would normally go to were cancelled, so the new directive has been to supply the families of these children with a hamper every two weeks. The hampers contained dry foods, a produce box and usually staples like eggs and milk. We gave out 891 hampers at an average cost of $250 per box.

Founded in 1994, Pacekids Programs is a charitable organization that has grown to serving over 600 children with special needs and their families annually.

Through therapy-based educational programs delivered in a family’s home, a Pacekids classroom, or in the Calgary community, Pacekids works to ensure every child is set up for success.

We know we can’t do what we do alone and rely on the generosity and support of caring community partners like the Big Hearted Mavericks.

From equipping our school with a sensory movement gym that provides sensory regulation and supports learning, to providing a specialized outdoor play-space where children can work towards their goals in a fun and engaging environment, the Big Hearted Mavericks have been there for our kiddos every step of the way, ensuring they have what they need to thrive.

The Pacekids van that was made possible by the Big Hearted Mavericks helps support over 200 children who receive transportations services each year. Providing door-to-door transportation removes significant barriers for families and ensures that children can access critical early intervention programming here at Pacekids.

No matter the project, this group of incredible men have put their whole heart into ensuring Calgary children with special needs can thrive. Thank you, Big Hearted Mavericks! You are changing lives.

The Calgary Dolphins Swim Club is a swim club for youths and young adults with Down syndrome.

Established in 2005, the Calgary Dolphins Swim Club is a club that fosters both competition and spirit. The swimming program increases mobility, endurance, and overall fitness levels, improving quality of life for those involved. The club is designed to teach proficiency in the four basic skills.

“We wanted to take the opportunity to sincerely thank you and the Big Hearted Mavericks for the $5000.00 donation to the Calgary Dolphins Swim Club. We appreciate that there are a lot of non profit organizations in Calgary that need support, so we are very grateful you chose our club.

Your donation directly benefits our club so that we can focus on swimming as the ultimate recreational activity for people with Down Syndrome. The training that is done in the pool takes advantage of our members’ strengths and abilities. Since we are a non profit, the club can only exist with volunteers and donations from generous people like yourself and the Big Hearted Mavericks. Our monthly operating expenses average between $5000 $6000/month which includes the City of Calgary pool rental costs and hourly wages for our outstanding coaches! We are so pleased you were able to stop by and watch our members in action. They really are amazing, and we are very proud of them. Please keep in touch and stop by the pool anytime you are in the area. THANK YOU again and Happy Holidays! ”

- Calgary Dolphins Swim Club

Kids Cancer Care is one of the largest childhood cancer research funders in the country. The foundation now offers more than 20 year-round and summer camp and outreach programs, along with education support program and services to Alberta families. Kids Cancer Care is one of only a handful of charities in North America dedicated to supporting the entire continuum of childhood cancer, fighting the disease on all fronts, with laughter at camp, the best treatments at the hospital and innovative science in the lab and brighter futures through education support and post-secondary scholarships.

Kids Cancer Care programs are uniquely designed to meet the needs of the whole family at each stage of the cancer journey, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.