The Calgary Flames and Travis Hamonic are proud to announce details on a new community initiative titled Charlie’s Children, created by Travis and Stephanie Hamonic and supported by the Calgary Flames Foundation, Women In Need Society (WINS) and West Coast Kids. This program will support low income families or single parents expecting a newborn with resources and supplies.
After the birth of their first child, Charlie, Stephanie and Travis wanted to help other new families and parents with the costs and needs associated with becoming a parent and preparing for a child.
“We’ve created Charlie’s Children in hopes of being able to reach numerous families in need.” said Travis and Stephanie Hamonic. “After the birth of our daughter Charlie, we felt the urge to dive back into the community and give back as best as we can.”
Funding for the initiative has been provided by the Hamonic’s and is matched 100% by the Calgary Flames Foundation. Funds will be directed to WINS for the purchase of newborn necessities for eligible families including; car seats, cribs, baby strollers and other child care essentials from West Coast Kids at cost.
“WINS has spent the last 26 years in the Calgary community assisting low income women living in need” said Karen Ramchuk, WINS Executive Director. “With partnerships such as this one, WINS is able to help even more Calgary families”.
More information on the initiative and eligibility can be found here or to provide support for new families in need you can also donate by clicking here and add ‘Charlie’s Children’ in the notes section.
In recognition of his community efforts, Hamonic was named the recipient of the 2016-17 NHL Foundation Player Award presented annually to the player “who applies the core values of hockey – commitment, perseverance and teamwork – to enrich the lives of people in his community. Travis was mostly recently selected as the winner of the 2017-18 Ralph T. Scurfield Award, presently annually to the Flames player who exemplifies a dedication to community service.
About WINS:
WINS is Calgary’s homegrown thrift charity founded in 1992 to provide basic needs to women in poverty and their families. From humble beginning, WINS has grown from one thrift store to five stores and a Donation Centre. The revenue from stores supports the Free Goods Referral Program and four Family Resource Centres. Today, people from all walks of life frequent their thrift stores knowing their purchases and donations make a difference for women and families in need.
About West Coast Kids:
The West Coast Kids team supports children’s charities in their home cities all across Canada, which includes sponsoring a “Forever Room” at the Foothills Medical Centre here in Calgary. The company is truly committed to the safety and comfort of children. Their years of experience enables them to identify first-hand which products best demonstrate safety, quality and value.
About Calgary Flames Foundation:
The Calgary Flames Foundation strives to improve the lives of southern Albertans through the support of health and wellness, education, and amateur and grassroots sports initiatives. Since inception, the Calgary Flames Foundation has invested over $32 million back into Southern Alberta through various charities and projects. We fund ongoing commitments to our community including the recent $2.0 million donation to Calgary Minor Hockey to help fund programs like the Flames Even Strength, assistance for families who cannot afford registration fees, as well as the $1.0 million donation to the Rotary Flames House, a hospice for families who have children with life-limiting illnesses.